I just finished watching the Baltimore Speech...

If nothing else it will be nice to have a President who doesn't cause me to cringe every time he gets up to speak for the next four years.

What remains so refreshing about President Obama is his sense of historical continuity. He sees both the parallels and the paradoxes and invokes them both. To an aspiring historian like me, this is encouraging, because it suggests that he understands the type of crisis in which we stand, and is determined to act accordingly. What a refreshing contrast that makes to his predecessor, who automatically thought every crisis was World War Two and required a response that would have made Patton howl in agony at its poor execution.

Our new President does not want us to go away and hide, he wants our input, our activity and our action, he knows he will not be able to do it alone. But without the driving force of public opinion to use as a lever against the Republicans, it will be difficult to move his agenda. Critiques are healthy, so long as they do not discourage you from helping in the great work to come.

It's going to be a fascinating four years, I look forward to making this journey with all of you.

Philly - signing the Declaration of Independence, this is where it started, etc.

Wilmington, mentioned that Delaware was the first state to sign the Constitution (big deal to Delawareans)

Baltimore - mention of the national anthem and how it was written there

He really knows his history. And really loves this country. African American and lived through the past 8 years, but still loves this country! Gotta hand it to him.

Bite your tongue. You meant 8, right?

But these first four will be particularly fascinating.

but hyper-critical histrionics don't do much for me. I just hope that there is a way for me to participate in a more meaningful way than I have been able to.