KYW's David Madden has prepared these series of special reports on what local groups and officials hope to see accomplished by President-elect Barack Obama after he takes office on January 20.
Part 1: AARP
No one gets elected to any major office in this country without the help of senior citizens.
If there's one thing people over 65 do it's vote. And there's no larger senior lobby than AARP. Sy Larson is head of the New Jersey chapter, with 1.4 million registered members.
"He's got to reform the health care system. Take care of Medicaid. Take care of children. And secondly, put in some kind of system of financial security over and above social security."
He expects Mr. Obama to deliver on all the above in a first term, along with turning the overall economy around.
"I don't think it's going happen overnight, but just like they did with the New Deal in the 1930's, Barack Obama has to think big and has to put in place programs which alleviate suffering."
Part 2: The Suburbs
Barack Obama beat John McCain by 200,000 votes in Philadelphia's suburbs -- 60,000 in longtime Republican stronghold Delaware County, where Jack Whelan is vice chair of county council.
Over and above the economy, Whelan hopes the White House won't cut funding for critical programs, particularly homeland security.
"We need to continue to develop that. It's a constantly evolving project that we need to do and funding is crucial for that."
Whelan looks forward to a true bipartisan approach.
"I feel optimistic, not withstanding the fact that it would be a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress that we would be able to stimulate a working relationship with them."
After all, he notes regular meetings between suburban Republicans and the Democrat mayor of Philadelphia. And if that can happen here, why not Washington?
Part 3: Young People
Young people played a pivotal role in Obama's election success on both sides of the aisle. And they, too, have an agenda.
Take Democrat Tony Payton, a state representative from Olney who wants the President-elect to center on health care reform and infrastructure work to revive the economy.
One idea he likes: high speed rail.
"Just take Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. A high speed line, similar to the ones in China that they have, go in excess of 200 miles an hour.
Pennsylvania Young Republicans chair Justin Baker is looking for action on the economy, too. And the 29-year-old Baker joins the 27-year-old Payton in feeling Mr. Obama can move quickly on that.
"It's one of those situations where things are really bad right now. So as long as he does good things that make it better, I think he's in a situation where he can save the day a little bit."
Another thing on which both men agree: making his administration more open than the Bush team has been.
Part 4: National Security
With all the emphasis on the economy, it's hard to imagine the President-elect dealing with anything else immediately.
One person who hopes he doesn't make that mistake is Ed Turzansky, senior fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in town.
If there's one thing he'd like Mr. Obama to do is get control of things at the State Department.
"Too many people in the National Security structure wound up talking out of school, leaking classified information and that ruined our reputation with people who placed trust in us."
He suggests a President Obama may find it hard to deliver on many of the promises made by Candidate Obama -- like a quick closure of Guantanamo Bay.
Part 5: Congress
Democrats control congress now. And come January 20, they'll run the show at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, leaving Republicans smarting back on Capitol Hill.
Chester County congressman Jim Gerlach is starting his fourth term. He's pushing economic recovery, like everyone else, but don't forget protecting the homeland.
"If he can send signals that national security is important to him and his administration as we work on these domestic issues, I think that would be widely and hugely popular."
The newest member of the local congressional delegation, Democrat John Adler of Cherry Hill, puts that at the top of his agenda. But he also expects Mr. Obama to move quickly on another front.
"I would be surprised if some major components of real health care reform are not enacted in the first year of the next congress."
Particularly for children and people working in small businesses.
Part 6: South Jersey
The wish list from South Jersey political leaders is not unlike what the rest of America expects from the incoming Obama administration: Fix the economy, make us more energy independent, and improve access to health care.
New Jersey State Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney wants environmental action.
"For eight years, we've ignored alternative energy sources and hopefully he'll follow through on his promise of ensuring that we start investing and promoting new technologies that will help reverse some of the damage that's being caused."
And Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, for one, is willing to be patient on tackling that lengthy "to do" list
"Not solving them, but begin a discussion and begin to take some big bites out of the problems that confront us."
He suggests Mr. Obama not make promises early on that he can't keep.
Part 7: The Economy
It'll take more than a second stimulus package to rescue this economy, according to Steven Wray, Executive Director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia.
He suggests Mr. Obama look not just toward repairing existing infrastructure, but perhaps modernize it -- along with a new energy policy and a renewed commitment to education.
"We have to be thinking about where we're going to be in 10 years and in 15 years today, because it's going to take us awhile to dig out of what we're in right now."
That said, Wray believes the President-elect can deliver on most of his agenda.
"There'll be some push back, but there's a real opportunity to build a coalition of liberals and conservatives on common sense, practical investments in America's future."
Assuming Mr. Obama can, in fact, get everyone to work together.
Part 8: African Americans
Barack Obama's ascent to the Presidency is a watershed event for African Americans, many of whom may have unrealistic expectations for the future.
But Darrell Jones, head of the Chester branch of the NAACP, is feeling pretty good right now.
"He's putting together an intelligent group of people in his administration, and we believe that he can succeed."
Jones would like action on unemployment, education, and "more money for the arts -- arts and culture. Things like that. Give our children activities to keep them off the streets."
As for his own expectations for Mr. Obama?
"Nothing's going to be easy. It's going to be a trying period for him. It's not going to be done overnight. It's not going to be done in the first year, but in a year or two he should be able to change things and turn things around."
Part 9: Mayor Nutter
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter turned into an Obama backer after it became clear Hillary Clinton would not get the Democratic Presidential nod.
But that was then. This is now. And he's looking to the President-elect for all the financial help he can get.
"To jumpstart this economy, put people back to work, get infrastructure projects off the ground and stabilize the financial markets. Certainly working with international leaders for a more peaceful environment to the world would be nice, too."
Nutter expects, if nothing else, a change in tone from inside the Washington Beltway.
"I think the big thing about him is going to be his leadership, his style and encouraging Americans to step up one more time."
Because the challenges facing this country will require everyone to pitch in.
Part 10: Governor Rendell
Unlike most of us who would perhaps LIKE to offer some advice to the President-Elect, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell HAS.
The Governor backs a second economic stimulus package, one that will really loosen restraints on credit and puts people back to work. And then there's the long term picture.
"This country needs nearly $2 trillion to revitalize its infrastructure and to build things that we should have done a long time ago."
As to how to pay for all that?
"Getting us out of Iraq and being able to re-program that money to other uses is the single greatest foreign challenge."
Rendell believes Mr. Obama can achieve most of that agenda in a first term, and even tackle the health care crisis. At least, get the mechanics in place to turn that around.
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