Obama the Superman

Barack Obama might as well be Superman.

With the ability to overcome racial barriers in a single bound he has single-handedly infused this nation with hope.

No longer do the disenfranchised plebeians of America beg for change; they savor each drop that falls from Obama’s chiseled chin with pride. We celebrate his greatness by throwing enormous parties in his honor and instructing our children to revere him.

So while we may not demand that he dress up in tights with a big “O” on his chest, we do assume that he will fix all of our problems.

But have our expectations for a single man risen too high to be met?

Ruling a country as complex as America carries its own daunting challenges, but bearing the responsibility of dragging it out of financial despair is another beast altogether.

According to a recent poll 71 percent of Americans believe Obama will improve the economy in his first year alone. Sixty-five percent think unemployment rates will drop. These unreasonable figures reflect what we expect from our newly inducted black president, and we are a country that does not handle disappointment well.

We are even exalting his physical appearance. The Telegraph recently ran an article praising Obama for his dedicated workout routine under the time restraints of running for president. While most men with more time on their hands don’t exercise, Obama wakes up every morning at 7:30 a.m. for a 45-minute workout. The commitment to his health is evident in his fit demeanor and only adds to the hysteria brought along by his presidency.

Obama appears to believe that he can rescue the nation from any complication it may find itself in. Financial meltdown? No problem. Two unfinished wars? Easy.

It has already been predicted that the president will dedicate his first weeks in office to these very situations. While no rational person in America should be expecting miracles, there does seem to be anticipation hovering about that suggests he will work more efficiently than the younger George Bush did. However, Obama has cautioned, “I won’t pretend that meeting any one of these challenges will be easy. It will take more than a month or a year, and it will likely take many.”

While it is still premature to judge how Obama will handle the troubles he inherited, one can examine his past accomplishments and feel at ease.

Before becoming the super force that he is now, Obama was a relatively young unknown in the political sphere. It wasn’t long ago that murmurs of this junior senator from Illinois were beginning to surface, and even after his declaration to run, not many expected him to ever hold the keys to the White House.

Barack Obama has done nothing but surprise this nation since his conception as a nationally recognized political figure.

Now that he is president, let’s hope that his charm doesn’t run out.