President Obama Must be More than an Historical Footnote

America has elected an African-American president and that is an historical event.

But lest we all get too excited, please remember... Senator Obama is still a politician. The color of his skin is likely to make little difference when it comes time to dance the Washington two-step.

This election, I didn't care nearly so much about who would win, but rather, would the winner merely carry on. Both candidates promised change, an obvious choice for slogans; who would vote for the status quo? Americans are drowning in debt and in blood. We just want someone who can take charge of the greedy bastards that got us here.

Does President Obama have the political coin to take control of the dance floor?

We forget that the President is not all-powerful, that he is answerable not to us but to a system of checks and balances long corrupted by greed. If President Obama truly wishes to make history, he will step into the fray that is Washington D.C. and be a true politician.

He will dance the Washington two-step and pull the American people out of the economic quagmire. He will bring home the troops from the bloodbath that is Iraq.

President Obama cannot spend time on philosophy or goodwill. He cannot spend time proselytizing; yes, we all know any American can be president. President Obama must work like a man possessed. He must move into the Oval office and make it a command center.

President Obama must show Americans that they made the right choice, not just the politically correct choice.

The political correctness of voting an African American into office may be historical, but it is an historical footnote. It is President Obama's administration that must make history. It is Barak Obama himself that must make history.

It can be said that Barak Obama is the first African American president. But what is said of him after that will be of more historical import than the simple act of casting votes.

He is a Democrat following a Republican that has had the lowest approval rating since the inception of approval ratings for presidents. He went up against an old white guy and a young white woman and he won. Big deal.

It's what he does next that will make history.