Don Zeigler dot Info

Now that we’ve had some time to let the thought of a new president sink in, it’s time to get back to work. After what feels like an unending campaign, it would be so easy to just ignore the next four years. After all, America chose its first black president. We created history. Gay people still can’t marry, but I guess there’s a limit to how many barriers we can break down per election.

That being said, as a collective society we need to gain some perspective. Yes, Obama is the first black president to be elected, but he is not the “black president.” He is simply our next president. People are focusing far too much on what he symbolizes, rather than what he has done, or will do. We need not question the significance of his election, but we cannot judge him on superficial accomplishments alone. He is not a novelty president.

I’m not speaking to the ultra-conservative base at McCain rallies. I’m not pointing to citizens hoarding weapons like children hoard their toys, fearing Obama will take them away.

This is for my fellow Obama supporters: We voted Obama into office, and it’s our responsibility to hold him accountable for his decisions. It’s our responsibility to criticize and praise as necessary. President-elect Obama is going to have to make the most difficult decisions possible, and in a very short period of time.

He will succeed and he will fail. It’s inevitable. We need to be ready for some great decisions, and some we may not like. This is how it goes for a president. Certain decisions will be made for the benefit of the country, not the benefit of a few.

While America bids farewell to the Bradley Effect, we need to look out for the “Kennedy Effect.” Obama has on numerous occasions been compared to John F. Kennedy for his ability to inspire hope, his confidence and charm. JFK was a handsome fresh face against an effective, but tiresome Eisenhower administration, and – well, Richard Nixon.

Obama replaces a president with a 22-percent public approval rating, and ran against John McCain. That’s where the comparison should end. Throughout history, JFK has been struck with an aura of brilliance. But as history continues to hash up the past, it’s clear Kennedy’s mythology did more than his policies.

Kennedy showed intelligence and resolve during the Cuban Missile Crisis, only because he failed miserably during the Bay of Pigs invasion. And yes, he threw money into the space program, but it wasn’t out of love for science. It was a power move against Soviet technology and influence.

Unfortunately, Kennedy died just as he was beginning to have an aggressive domestic agenda, yet the legend of Kennedy lives on much stronger than his policies ever did.

This shouldn’t happen with Barack Obama. Granted, he is a charismatic figure whom many millions admire, and his message of hope and inspiration are by no means something to turn away from. But we must find a balance. America needs to accept that the honeymoon is over.

The problems facing our country haven’t changed. When I hit the polls on Election Day, I didn’t select a black presidential candidate. I didn’t select charm or charisma. I didn’t select the next JFK. I selected the candidate I believe will change the country for the best. That was the easy part. Now comes the real work. The drapes in the Oval Office may be changing, but the challenges and responsibilities of the president haven’t.