A historic moment. An impossible challenge.

What will not help Obama is inexperience. It has affected others: when John F. Kennedy, also young, was elected in 1960, he could give an inspirational speech, but he quickly got embroiled in the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and tensions with the Soviets led to the construction of the Berlin Wall. And Bill Clinton, who had been only a young governor of a small state, also had early problems once he reached the White House, ranging from personnel scandals to a failed health care reform. As a result, Republicans stormed Congress in the mid-term elections of 1994 and formed a majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years.

But some are optimistic that, despite the challenges, Obama will lead a new “liberal moment” for America. Historian Smith is one of those. “There won’t only be a new universe in Washington, but it will reflect a willingness and desire on the part of Americans to do things very differently, to see a different kind of political culture, that will hopefully lead to addressing issues we haven’t dealt with in years—such as deficits, debt, and neglecting our infrastructure,” says Smith. “How long have we told ourselves that because there are many things government does badly, there is nothing it does well?” Obama, he argues, won by presenting himself as a pragmatic problem-solver rather than an ideological culture-warrior. “I think the next president will have an upwelling of popular support. I think people will want the next president to succeed and will be willing to follow him away from the kind of small, dreary, divisive politics that have really defined the last generation.”

The chamber of commerce’s Josten also agrees that Obama faces an opportunity—if he is skilful enough to seize it. “It’s like the old saying, don’t solve problems—pursue opportunities,” he says. “There is a huge upside—a lot of people would take over a business in decline because the upside potential is so great. It’s easier than taking over a company that is growing at 12 per cent a year. That’s a tough act to follow.”

So far, Obama has put a brave face on the difficulties he will face. To his close friends, he has reportedly expressed a fear of disappointing the people who put so much faith in him, but outwardly he has appeared characteristically unruffled. It took a comedian, Jon Stewart, to ask Obama bluntly whether he had any second thoughts given the challenges ahead: “Is there a sense that you don’t want this? You may look at the country and think, ‘When I thought I was going to get this, it was a relatively new car. Now look at it!’ ” Obama was philosophical: “This is the time to want to be president. If you went into public service thinking that you could have an impact, now is the time where you could have an impact.” And, he added: “Every once in a while you have these big challenges and big problems. It gives an opportunity for us to really move in a new direction. This is one of those moments—on things like energy and health care and economy and education—where I think people recognize that what we’ve been doing isn’t working. I think people will be more open to change.”

For another dose of optimism, Obama can look to the experiences of presidents Ronald Reagan and Clinton, who came to of?ce when the economy was weak, but were re-elected because it improved over their time in office. The question for voters four years from now will be, as it was when Reagan once put it so succinctly: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Given the low expectations for the near future, Obama—and all Americans, whether they voted for him or not—are hoping there is nowhere to go but up.