Inaugural Ending

What seemed like an eternal election cycle comes to an end today.

The Temple News had been covering the 2008 presidential election race since March. We followed then-Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama around Philadelphia as they campaigned for the position of commander in chief. And finally today, the long ride concludes.

Shortly after 10 a.m. on this Inauguration Day, Obama became the 44th president of the United States.
In October, The Temple News endorsed Obama for president. In our Oct. 28 editorial, we said Obama “has the goals and ideas best suited for America at this time,” and we stand by that statement.

Today, a historic event is happening in Washington, D.C. The first black president is moving into the White House. Already, this is a monumental event in our nation’s history, and we are fortunate enough to be witnessing it.

We commend Temple and the provost’s office for recognizing the importance of this day. Provost Lisa Staiano-Coico sent an e-mail to faculty in December allowing professors to cancel their classes between 10:10 a.m. and 1 p.m. today, so people can watch the inauguration events.

Temple will offer students, faculty and staff the opportunity to watch the inauguration in five areas spanning three campuses. We appreciate Temple’s commitment to providing this service.

As students, we should also take this time to reflect on how the 2008 presidential election affected our lives on a local level.

As members of Generation Y, we have seen perhaps unprecedented energy surrounding both the Democratic and Republican campaigns. There was such a push from students toward students to get registered to vote. On campus, the College Republicans and Democrats hosted events and debates, open to all students, to discuss the issues of the election in a civil manner.

Members of the Class of 2009 are approaching graduation on May 14 with excitement and trepidation. With the faltering economy, careers are uncertain. Also because of the recession, Mayor Michael Nutter is counting on federal funds to help the city make up its $2 billion shortfall. As students in Philadelphia, we have a lot riding on Obama’s first 100 days.

Obama is becoming president at a difficult time for America. It’s difficult to comprehend how a person would want that title in an era like this.

But President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are willing to perform the ultimate civil service in America. We wish them luck in the difficult endeavors that lie ahead in this new chapter of history.