Anchorage Daily News

The voters of America have chosen a truly great leader at a time we urgently need one. Barack Obama's shoulders are broad enough, his judgment sound enough and his mind open enough to help us conquer the immense challenges before us.

He understands that he can't succeed without the help of all Americans, and he has the gift to inspire millions with his vision.

Nearly a year ago, I wrote in this column that Sen. Obama, of the many candidates in the presidential primaries, had best articulated the moment.

"His eloquent, nonpartisan message has re-awakened the hopes of many Americans," I wrote, "aspirations that go back to when we severed our bonds with Great Britain to establish a society built on principle, not privilege."

I offered to help if he were elected, saying that if I were 20 years younger I would find him and explain how "Alaska can help our country fulfill his vision." Shortly thereafter, Sen. Obama wrote me a handwritten note thanking me for my comments.

On the world scene, Obama's election has been welcomed with almost universal enthusiasm. People around the world look forward to his leadership. Even those who have been viewed as enemies are intrigued.

For two decades I have worked on opening channels of trust and trade with Russia, and it has worked. Russia welcomes Alaska as if we were a member of the family, and it can be a solid partner as we tap and care for the world Arctic, an area of great natural wealth.

Alaska's second largest trading partner, China, can also become an ally in the global economic recovery. Instead of shipping our jobs to China, let's ship them our goods made in the USA and our resources. For instance, if Alaska is encouraged by the Obama administration and Congress to export Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Asian markets, we can make a dramatic dent in the US-China trade deficit.

On the home front, President Obama will be a people president. He understands and cares about the needs of Americans of all cultures and conditions. Like President Franklin Roosevelt, who I watched with admiration as a boy, I predict he will unleash a burst of new ideas that will transform America.

He understands that government isn't the enemy. It's the answer, especially in a time of crisis. The alternative to war can be big projects, and we can put thousands of Americans to work upgrading our transportation infrastructure from coast to coast.

Government must also control the stock market. If the taxpayers are forced to pick up the tab for hundreds of billions of dollars of bad deals, the government must call the shots. It is the only force strong enough to wrestle runaway greed to the ground and solve our financial crisis.

Our national energy strategy must include all options, and Alaska can play a role. Our new president and Congress should revisit the ANWR issue. It is badly misunderstood. With the right approach, we can protect the environment on the Arctic coastal plain and greatly increase the daily throughput of U.S.-produced oil through the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

The state of Alaska can help address the national energy challenge with active leadership by dedicating revenue surpluses to encourage alternative energy. This can include small-scale solutions for rural areas and big ideas, such as tapping the geothermal resources in Mt. Spurr on Cook Inlet.

This is extremely urgent, as the high cost of energy is forcing hundreds of Alaska families to find their way from rural communities to urban areas. We must act quickly to help them save their homes and villages and lower the cost of electricity in our urban areas as well.

If Alaska becomes a center of creativity for an energy-starved world, the energy crisis can become an economic opportunity. When that happens, I believe President Obama will visit Alaska to see what we are doing and urge other regions in the United States and the world to follow our lead.

Walter J. Hickel served as governor of Alaska from 1966-1968 and from 1990-1994. He was U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1969-1970, and his most recent book is "Crisis in the Commons: the Alaska Solution."

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