One key thing I heard in President Obama's inaugural speech -- in addition to his call to all of us to service and responsibility -- was a repudiation of Bush. He didn't do it by name -- and his speech did open the door to all -- but so many times he emphasized that things would be different. Here are some examples:

"Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age."

Not only did Bush represent that greed and irresponsibility -- never forget that he was elected to be the president from Enron -- but he personally failed to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."

"Hope over fear." 'Nuff said.

"But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed."

Narrow interests like those of the oil companies, for example.

"And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."

Open government -- now there's a concept that's been much ignored. 

"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."

We can defend ourselves without destroying our principles. 

Things really are changing. President Obama is certainly a politician, and I'm sure I won't agree with everything he does (I could have done without Rick Warren, for example), but he does bring both brains and principles to the presidency -- two things that have been notoriously absent over the past eight years. I've been depressed during these long weeks of transition, as our problems continued to deepen, but I do have hope that President Obama can lead us out of the darkness into a positive future. It's a daunting task, but it's certainly one worth doing.