Love him or hate him, Obama is an inspiration

A recent documentary on the presidency of Lyndon Johnson included, of course, scenes from the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention, complete with the rioting and police response in Chicago's Grant Park.

What a difference 40 years has made.

Grant Park was the scene of one of the most jubilant acceptance celebrations ever Tuesday. Love or hate Sen. Barack Obama, his words have to go down in history as some of the most memorable ever delivered.

Like Johnson, Obama has ambitious social goals -- universal health care chief among them -- but let's hope he is able to extract his country from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan successfully, rather than becoming trapped like the 36th president was in Vietnam.

Post-mortem analysis concluded that Sen. John McCain probably did as well as any Republican candidate could do following the last eight years, and the pundits are probably correct.

But it's also true, as some observers said, that McCain could prove to be one of the new president's best political friends as he works to build the alliances any president must have to accomplish his goals.

Obama's opponents on the right should find solace in the knowledge that like every president before him, he'll have to move toward the center to rule. The president-elect's supporters on the left will quickly realize that they won't get everything they want.

Perhaps the new president's toughest challenge will be keeping the new constituencies that helped elect him involved in the political process once the reality of day-to-day governing sets in.

Republicans who squandered eight years of opportunities, Democrats who now find themselves with the accountability that comes with control, independents and third-party activists should all find inspiration in the story of Barack Obama's rise to power.

He has set a new bar for those who would seek higher office in the future. Ironically, he should even inspire those who oppose his policies to give their best to those causes.

If, as pundits contended on election night, Obama is able to draw the best and brightest back into public service, the country will be better for it.