My Thoughts, Exactly:

Even Bill Clinton (the former president adoringly labeled “the first black president” by many African-Americans) was dumbfounded by Mr. Obama’s rise during the primaries, attributing it to the freshman senator’s skin pigmentation, rather than his experience or accomplishments. Had candidate Obama been Caucasian, opined Mr. Clinton, he wouldn’t have made it beyond early primaries.

To that certainty, I would add another: had African-American Obama been a conservative, he would have been either ignored or ridiculed beyond reason by the same media who did everything in their considerable power to see him elected on Nov. 4.

What’s done is done, however. And now I worry for the millions around the world who, for the time being at least, are idealistically euphoric. Today’s tearful, worshipful, hope-engorged crowds are doomed to discover that Barack Obama is only a man. To be sure, an exceptionally charismatic man who is gifted in rhetoric. But adoring acolytes may soon be shocked to discover that he is indeed, a mere mortal.

On his show last week, comedian Jay Leno complained that an Obama presidency was going to be difficult because, “He doesn’t do anything wrong; he’s too perfect.” Seriously? What flavor Kool Aid have you been drinking, Jay? I might need a barrel of it to get through the next four years.

Meanwhile, I will pray earnestly for wisdom and sound governance from our — my — new president. I fear he will need nothing short of divine intervention to steer us safely through the looming economic, societal and national security issues at this critical time in our history.

Thankfully, my faith and hope are not in any person, program or political party, but rather in my God and savior. That being the case, I can only look ahead and try to live out the counsel of Romans 12:15–16a: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.”

Amen to that.

JIM CHASE is a longtime Crescenta Valley resident. He can be reached at jim@wordchaser.com.