Are Americans feeling better about themselves?

Speaking for myself, I’m leaning toward an optimistic outlook for positive change in America with Obama in the White House. As a military member, I’m also happy with the fact that I have a commander-in-chief that I can now respect.

It has been less than a week since President Obama took the oath of office so I think it is probably too early to make an accurate prediction of the impact he is going to have yet on the country. I find him to be very intelligent, articulate, and sincere so that is why I am comfortable being optimistic at this time and expecting good things from him. Only time will tell though.

I sure am!

Heck yes! :)

OMFG yes!! I’m tempted to start paying taxes again.

I felt fine about myself before. The President is not me and does not represent me, and I was never ashamed to be an American, at least because of the President. Because of the American people and culture in general sometimes, but not just because of the President.

I feel like an element of ethicality is on it’s way back. And an understanding of global citizenry that’s been lacking.

I feel rejuvenated because of the election results.

Even bought an American flag to set out on holidays, which is out of character for me.

I am no longer embarrassed to be an American. I am with Blue Freedom, I am feeling optimistic for the first time in eight years.

Yes, we showed a certain amount of grace during the run-up to the election.
Now
we have to pull together, be better citizens, grow up, and think about things besides
getting rich. That didn’t work, did it. We have to help each other because a lot of us
are in big trouble. The Obama family can’t do it for us, charming though they may be.

NO. Just look at his economic team. Summers and Geithner are causes of the problem, not the solution. There is no change, just smokescreens. Guantanamo will reopen in no time once the economy collapses and there are riots in the streets.

you betcha!!

I feel like things will definately get better, here at home and our relationships with other countries. I understand one man alone is not the saviour of the nation, but I believe Obama is a big step in the right direction.

I feel better and hope that I still feel the same way 8 years from now.

Well, in 7 days Obama has done more good than Baby Bush did in 8 years, so I’m happy! It’s gonna be a long hard hill to climb though.

I’ll feel better when and if a lot of my fellow Americans quit being asses at home and overseas and start being neighbors.

Being the laughing stock of the world when Bush was president was actually kind of a break, it’s harder to really dislike someone when you’re laughing at them.

I want to see Guantanamo closed, the people there given due process (or sent back to their homes if there are no charges against them) and our troops in Iraq brought safely home. I want to see Bin Laden actually caught. I will feel better after those things, though, on the whole, the identity of the President has no bearing upon how I feel as an American, and I am aware that Obama is no superhero.

My sense is that we feel better about our new posture toward the rest of the world. Those of us who saw America as having carte blanche to impose our will anywhere we see fit have become a dwindling minority. Most of us would rather not be seen as the bullying glutton at the head of the world’s table. When the world heaved a sigh of relief at the debut of the new administration, that reassured us that we were on the right track.

Also, and at least as important, we proved something to ourselves that we weren’t quite sure of: we proved that most of us are now willing to put aside considerations of race in the face of obvious merit. That doesn’t mean that we’re now a color-blind society; not by a long shot. But it does light the path ahead, and I think we feel great about that.

@Harp: Agreed, I was not sold on Obama, still not sold but leaning. One of the things I most admire in him right now, is his color blindness. According to anything I can find, he does not claim to be “African American” he claims “Mixed Race American”. Speaks volumes about him to me if he’s sincere. To be united, it will take attitude adjustments on ALL sides. Off topic a wee bit, sorry.

I just read Obama’s first TV interview since taking office was not with ABC or NBC, but with Al Arabiya in Dubai. He talked about being ready for a new relationship with Arab nations based on mutual respect and mutual benefits.

That’s how he rolls.

waits for the inevitable “I told you he was a Muslim”

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

Nothing wrong with that.

I’m pretty happy. I used to be really embarrassed to say I was an American. Now I’m not.

Pekenoe mentions above that Obama refers to himself as “mixed-race”.
Brilliant, because it sidesteps identity politics and throws open that wide
inclusive net he’s always working on. If anything’s going to save us as a community,
it’s this – remembering that we aren’t just a bunch of separate in-groups with nothing in common.

@susanc, I loved it when they asked him about the type of dog they were looking for, and he answered, “A mutt, just like me.”

i don’t feel as embarrassed anymore. that’s a lot better. (:
i just hope everything works out as well as i think it will.