This morning, Obama set off on his historic trek by train from Philadelphia to Washington as did Lincoln 148 years ago for his inauguration at a time when the country too was at the most critical of crossroads.
While back in 1861 the nation stood on the precipice of Civil War, today we work to move into a post-partisan era in order to successfully grapple with the vast wake of destruction, both at home and abroad, left by the Bush presidency.
As he embarked, Obama declared:
"While our problems may be new, what is required to overcome them is not," Mr. Obama said. "What is required is the same perseverance and idealism that our founders displayed. What is required is a new declaration of independence, not just in our nation, but in our own lives — from ideology and small thinking, prejudice and bigotry — an appeal not to our easy instincts but to our better angels."
This is a call to all of us to question our thought patterns and political reactions. Do our old ways that have evolved particularly over the past eight years continue to serve us today as we transition into a new political era? Sure, Obama will need to be checked and pressured to do the right, progressive thing. But, we cannot expect him to do what progressives want all, or even most of the time.
Indeed, as Obama heads to Washington for Tuesday's main event, both patience and new, yet ancient, ways of thinking must evolve amongst every American if we are to successfully right the ship that is USS America.