You know, I just wanted to mention one or two things that I'm not sure I mentioned elsewhere.
I don't think that we fully appreciate just what has happened yet. Even if the man fails horribly. Even if he's shot tomorrow (well, if he's shot, he'll be a martyr so, bad digression), he'll still have done something simply incredible for us.
It sounds stupid but I think the best way I can explain is to reference an old Wizard Magazine supplement from some time back in the 90's.
It was a sort of a hilarious villain catalogue, with various types and and trends, histories and indexes. In this book, there was a section devoted to white-collar criminals. One passage always stuck out in my mind: "After watergate, you never again saw an politic an or businessman depicted in comics. Cynicism gave way to endless crooked politicians and ruthless businessmen." There was was some other material, but really that was the main thing I always remembered. It was a hell of a lot weightier than pages making fun of Angar the Screamer or a Monkey riding a rocket-powered skateboard. I was young(er) and it made an of impression.
Barack Obama is the first man in (most of) our lifetimes to truly remind people that Public Service can be a noble calling. To recall those virtues of Marcus Aurelius, where pro bono publico is something more than a joke about lawyers. Not just in the US, but for the whole damn world. The idea calls out to a longing so gnawingly deep, a hunger so desperate, a thirst so dire, one that hurt so much the worse for our inability to acknowledge it. An entire generation grew up knowing little more hedonism and cynicism and man... you can play it cool all you want, but that's a pretty fucking bitter cup.
Regardless of what sordid reality may bring later on, the value of this one small thing should not be underestimated.