I’ve seen this kind of optimism before. When Tony Blair stepped into Downing Street in 1997 as UK Prime Minister, there was a tremendous feeling of excitement, hope and expectation. I remember watching him greet the crowds on Downing Street and thinking, hmm will he ever be this popular again?

As it turned out he wasn’t, and I hope the same thing doesn’t eventually happen with Barack Obama as the hope and expectation turn to reality. More than ever, America needs a strong leader who makes good decisions over the next 4 years and I really hope they’ve picked one. For me, it would break the mould.

I can remember four decades of UK prime ministers, and I can’t really stand back and say, ‘Wow he (or she) did a really great job and has left the country in better shape’. All have made some poor decisions in office. Yes, sometimes they stumble on problems of their own making, and sometimes as with 911, an unexpected global situation arises which has to be dealt with.

From a UK perspective, I really hope Obama’s different and that after 4 years, we can all look back and say, ‘Wow, he did a really good job’. Time will tell. I wish him well.

Any thoughts?

Picture credit: Steve Rhodes