Weight of the world now on President Obama
PRESIDENT Obama woke up in the White House for the first time yesterday – with the weight of the world’s expectations on his shoulders.
As the clean-up operation began on the streets of Washington DC, the 44th president launched into the even bigger clean-up of America’s reputation, which many believe is tainted after eight years of George W Bush’s administration.
At 8.30am Obama entered the Oval Office and read the traditional note which every outgoing president leaves for his successor.
According to West Wing staff he read the letter from President Bush, without revealing its contents, and then sat down at the famous desk given to the presidency by Queen Victoria and got down to business.
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It was a far cry from seven hours earlier, when the new First Couple had sashayed across the dance floors at no fewer than 10 inaugural balls.
After impressing the millions who had seen him sworn in, the new president turned his charm on his wife Michelle.
“First of all, how good-looking is my wife?” he asked the 3,500 guests at the Neighbourhood Ball at the Washington Convention Centre.
But later, at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, where he and Michelle danced until 1am, he told troops: “Tonight we celebrate, but tomorrow the work begins.”
True to his word, by late yesterday morning Obama was preparing to tackle a hectic schedule, with the –issues of war and economic crisis topping the agenda.
He began by ordering a 120-day suspension of military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay.
Before the end of the week he is expected to issue an order to close the top-security prison where terrorist suspects are held indefinitely with little access to normal legal channels.
In the afternoon Obama met Pentagon top brass to discuss the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
While he was keen to hear top commanders’ views, he has made it clear that he wants them to come up with a strategy to withdraw combat troops from Iraq within 16 months and bolster numbers in Afghanistan by 30,000.
Troop commander General David Petraeus was expected to brief him on the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Obama also telephoned Israeli and Palestinian leaders to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and the future of the peace process in the region.
He met his National Security team, led by new Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, to be briefed on the security of the nation from terrorist attack.
The other huge item on Obama’s crammed schedule was the multi-billion economic stimulus package, which he wants Congress to pass next month and which he is hoping will create up to three million new jobs.
