... for a very simple reason: that's the day when the White House will finally stop digging and making the hole bigger. Which means that things will keep on getting worse until then.
It's only after that point that things have a chance of changing and, finally, start moving in a better direction. But it also means that things on the ground are likely to be worse during Obama's first 100 days than they are today.
And that things that were broken (like trust in the USA, or the Constitution) will still be broken when Obama comes to power, and will not be magically be repaired as he does.
I've watched the giddiness on this site and elsewhere after Obama's Berlin speech (the short version of which would be: "We'll be the gentler, kinder military empire we used to be") and I just have to say this: things will not be back to normal once he's in power.
I agree that there will at least be a window for change in the right direction, and even a moment of goodwill from the rest of the world as Bush moves out. But the scale of the challenge, both domestically and internationally, is not to be underestimated.
Bush has dug America in a hole. A Big Hole. And America is right at the bottom. That applies to the financial system (broken), the economy (broken), the middle classes (broken), the trust in government as a solution to problems (broken), the military (broken), Western values (broken), the trust of the world (broken), the willingness to see America lead (broken).
Electing Obama does not repair any of these. At best (yes, at best) it starts the process of healing and dealing with the accumulated liabilities, but it is by no means obvious that that process will go anywhere lest succeed.
Obama said this in Berlin:
True partnership and true progress requires constant work and sustained sacrifice. They require sharing the burdens of development and diplomacy; of progress and peace. They require allies who will listen to each other, learn from each other and, most of all, trust each other.
I'd like to see some listening. I'd like to see attempts at rebuilding trust. I don't see any reason today for Europeans to trust the Obama administration, as he still pushes for war in Afghanistan (lost several years ago, if it was ever 'winnable'), for confrontation with Iran (over nukes that even the Bush administration admits do not exist) and generally adopts the whole insane rhetoric of the War on Terra. The link between America and Europe whcih he chose to start his speech with was the Berlin airlift, ie a potent symbol of the "we saved your ass, you losers, remember who's the boss" line.
I understand that it's highly unlikely that a Presidential candidate would ever do humble, but that in your face assertion that America will continue to "lead" in world affairs (not participate, but interfere, which is what "lead" means) is not reassuring.
And why you may not really care what others elsewhere worry about, I fail to see any difference in his approach to the other huge - and domestic - problems that America now faces. The bailout of big financial institutions in the past year is one of the biggest transfers of public wealth to (a small number of) private hands in the history of the world but it still seems unacceptable to mention it in polite company. The real estate crash is the biggest bust in history (following, naturally, the biggest asset bubble in history) and yet it is still treated as a small economic hiccup. The end of the age of oil is a totally unprecedented challenge and yet the debate is still about how to get back to cheaper gas. And I won't even mention FISA, impeachment or other Constitution-related issues.
Getting rid of Bush is the least of the tasks. If you don't want Obama stuck down there in the same big hole, there needs to be a much stronger whiff of emergency today, not one of elatement.
Having the adults in charge is good. It does not make the problems any easier.