Historic day dawns for U.S.

WASHINGTON — Against an emotional backdrop of high promise, deep despair, and extraordinary expectations, Barack Obama will become the nation's 44th president Tuesday, completing his historic quest for the White House and beginning the daunting task of leading a nation wounded by wars abroad and economic crisis at home.

On the eve of his inauguration, Obama spent the day doing what he is encouraging all Americans to do: national service.

In the morning, the president-elect made an unscheduled stop at Walter Reed Medical Center to visit with 14 veterans injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Later, he toured a Capitol Hill shelter for homeless and runaway teens, chatting with volunteers and helping paint walls, and continued to a local high school to greet more than 300 volunteers sending letters and video messages of support to troops overseas.

And while hundreds of thousands of supporters thronged Washington on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate the swearing in of the country's first African-American president, Obama kept the day's focus not on the racial breakthrough of his election, but on King's dedication to service.

"Everybody can be great because everybody can serve," Obama said, quoting the slain civil rights leader as he rolled Laguna blue paint on the walls of Sasha Bruce House.

While his administration intends to work hard to help Americans in need, Obama said, "Don't underestimate the power for people to pull together and to accomplish amazing things."

"These young people have huge potential that right now is not being tapped, and given the crisis that we're in and the hardships that so many people are going through, we can't allow any idle hands," he added. "Everybody's got to be involved. Everybody's going to have to pitch in, and I think the American people are ready for that."

Obama is expected to make public service and sacrifice a strong theme of his inaugural address just after noon EST Tuesday, calling on all Americans to work together to solve the nation's problems. Monday, thousands of people around the country heeded Obama's call for a day of service.

"I can't do it by myself. Michelle can't do it by herself. Government can only do so much," Obama told military families, students, and other volunteers at Calvin Coolidge High School in northwest Washington.