We Wish You Luck, Mr President: You'll Certainly Need It ; Barack Obama Takes Office Today On a Wave of Goodwill and Expectation. But He Will Need More Than Charisma to Tackle the Huge Challenges at Home and Abroad

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IF YOU could ignore the biting cold that has descended over the US east coast, the past few days have been unforgettable. In more than 20 years, I can never remember Washington looking better or feeling happier.

The buildings have been spruced up and bedecked with flags and bunting, the T-shirt and souvenirs are selling like hot cakes and the hundreds of thousands of folk who have flocked to town for the inauguration of Barack Obama today, wearing everything from day-glo hats to floor-length furs, are carrying themselves with an almost palpable sense of enjoyment and expectation.

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We Wish You Luck, Mr President: You'll Certainly Need It ; Barack Obama Takes Office Today On a Wave of Goodwill and Expectation. But He Will Need More Than Charisma to Tackle the Huge Challenges at Home and Abroad

On Sunday afternoon I walked almost the entire length of the Mall, pausing at the Washington Monument to look down the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial, the perfect stage for a spectacular concert, with Bruce Springsteen, U2, Beyonce and others. The proceedings drew to a close with Pete...

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