I just hope - for the sake of all my good buddies in the US - that Obama lives up to the impression that he has created in the minds of many Americans as someone who WILL make change.

I remember my euphoria when Blair came to power in the UK - the incredible feeling that here was someone who was young, fresh, principled, powerful - full of potential. In a very short time, all this fell by the wayside and he was ultimately revealed as a liar, a short-termist, a corrupt man - in short, no different from any other politician.

I hope, for all of you, that this pattern is not repeated with BO.