The Obamas: Trend setters

As I found myself reaching for the scissors today to cut out yet another picture of Obama from the newspaper, this time of him leaning in for a kiss with Michelle, I felt a kinship with my mother's generation of Irish Catholics and their devotion to J.F.K. Will I be creating an Obama scrapbook to share with my grandkids?

No, I am not black, but it doesn't matter. I am still fascinated by this dynamic, beautiful family and all they represent. And I have a prediction to make. The reason I love to see Barak and Michelle together is that they obviously have a close, loving marriage, and since I sense that all things Obama will become the height of fashion (already, new babies around the world are bearing his name) so too will marriage.

Sadly, African-Americans have the lowest marriage rate of any race in the United States which probably contributes to a host of problems in that community. We can only hope that the role model of the Obamas' strong relationship leaves blacks and young people saying, "I want that," and "Yes, we can!"

The Obamas are poised to set a new standard for the world and I don't think the world will ever be the same. We need that.