Out marched the Supremes with wee Ruth Ginsberg looking overwhelmed by the waves of applause flowing in her direction.

And out came Michelle Obama, the country's first African-American first lady, looking young and vibrant and appropriately self-assured in her new role.

In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Barack Obama did what he had to do last night.

He told Americans in very convincing terms that the country will recover from the worst economic downturn in decades; but these are serious times.

He had the equally difficult job of justifying his stimulus package and why we have to spend money that we don't really have.

Obama's gifted speaking style and toothy grin have already made him familiar to us, and at times made some of his speech sound a little rhetorical. He's still in campaign mode, as evidenced by his recent trips around the country to sell the stimulus.

But there was authenticity, too. His discussion about dropping out of school and about parents instilling the value of education was a bookend to what actor and comedian Bill Cosby has been saying for years.

Obama's credibility will be damaged if the country's inner city blacks and Latinos continue to struggle with poverty and inadequate education.

Americans were assured that an end to the Iraq War is finally in sight.

Resurrecting former President Bush's idea of health care savings accounts, however, was less impressive. It may work for some, but it's hardly a bold step to addressing the nation's health care crisis.

Obama's enormous popularity has his critics confounded on how to attack him.

The remarks in Republican Governor Bobby Jindal's GOP response - he talked about the government's inadequate response in New Orleans - was astonishing considering that was the beginning of the end for Bush.

Like, dude, why are you bringing that up now?

But in the meantime, out marched reality.