Mr. Smith went to Washington yesterday
Mr. Smith went to Washington yesterday, with Barack Obama playing the role of Jefferson Smith from the feel-good movie starring Jimmy Stewart about an unlikely United States Senator who leads his countrymen, women and children to their common senses and their common purpose. To say that I shed a tear or two would diminish the national deluge that greeted President Obama’s oath of office. With a single, “So help me God,” this unlikely candidate, and even unlikelier winner, became our 44th president.
If it seemed like a movie, it was. It was a national spectacle filled with famous and anonymous faces of Americans who realized that a page in human history has been turned, millions of whom have been dreaming and praying for just such a day. America, at long last, has proved to itself and the world that it means what it says because it believes its own founding myth. That all men are created equal and that we the people control our own destiny.
Jimmy Stewart is the perfect role model for Barack Obama in the role of the people’s president. He even started his presidency with a Jimmy Stewart stammer because of the crossed signals during Supreme Court Chief Justice John Robert’s recitation of the Constitutionally mandated Presidential oath of office. At the same time the cast of characters surrounding the event looked like every hero and villain from Bedford Falls in Frank Capra’s other Jimmy Stewart classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. Tell me that outgoing Vice President Dick Cheney didn’t look like he was doing a Lionel Barrymore impersonation as the evil miser Mr. Potter when he rolled onto stage in his wheelchair and cane.
It was great theater and it was a great day for America and for the world. The only thing missing was Zuzu’s petals and the sound of a bell ringing. For somewhere in heaven an angel certainly earned his wings for showing us all that a single life can indeed change the world. Oh happy day.
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Once again, dear, you hit the nail on the head. I was laughing my a** off before I even read the text. The reference of Bush’s sun fearing succubus to the evil Mr. Potter – priceless.
I shed a tear or two or five myself yesterday thinking that maybe, just maybe, we have all grown up a little. I was particularly moved by scenes from around the globe of fellow “citizens” applauding and crying and thinking we did something right for change. For a brief time, the world got lifted a little higher.
I watched as he made his way outside before he was announced and was curious what was going through his head. I discussed this with a friend last night and he told me that he thought Obama was thinking, I should have peed before I came out here. Seeing the enormity of the flag-waving crowd would have taken anyone’s breath away. But with intelligence, grace, eloquence and balls, Obama let us have it. Pointing out the mistakes that got us here, even though the mistake makers were seated to his left. Beginning with “my fellow citizens,” calling on all of us to do our part. Black, white, red, yellow, or green. Doesn’t matter. Get busy. My favorite quote, “Let your people judge you by what you build, not by what you destroy.” We have a huge pile of bricks waiting for us to begin building.
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.