The Obama Buzz

by Scott Feldman

At noon on Tuesday, history will be made on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Barack Obama will be sworn in as the nation's first African-American president. 68 year old Wilhelmina Thomas from Freeport tells me she "never thought she would see the day" that a black man would become president. She only wishes her mother and father were still alive to witness it. Joe Neek is a 25 year old shoe store clerk in Huntington Village. He says he really hopes Obama will fix the economy. To, as he puts it, "help me keep my job, help everyone keep their jobs." And right outside Joe's store, UPS driver Matt Alberici is also thinking about the economy. The Selden resident has two kids and says, "Im definitely a middle-class guy, so I definitely need as much assistance as the goverment is willing to give." Doug Wiggin, who works with the Guide Dog Foundation, wants to see Obama follow through on his campaign promise to bring home U.S. soldiers from Iraq. On that and othe pressing issues of the day, Wiggin says we've got to be patient. Change will take some time. Megan Brynes from Northport is hopeful that something will finally be done to reform the country's health care system. Meantime, mindful of what Obama has accomplished, Ms. Thomas says she's told her 9 year old grandaughter, "keep on trying, you can be anything that you want to be."

Comments

[John]

In all these things (though I don't necessarily agree with all of them, and have my own wish list), we should be patient in expecting results but impatient--or even obnoxious--in demanding action, not just from the new President, but from our Senators and Representatives. If you're repeating your message to Chuck Schumer and company as often as you can, it's likely that somebody with deeper pockets their ears. Responsibility did NOT end at the voting booth.