WASHINGTON, D.C. – If there is one thing that I have learned after the past two days in Washington, D.C., it’s that the inauguration of Barack Obama, more than any other in history, yields a tremendous amount of opportunity – an opportunity to make some fast cash.

The first African-American president – this sequined portrait is worth every cent! This moment will go down in history – buy this cup, and get this one for free! Posters and coasters, shirts and desserts! DVDs from the “We Are One” concert! Cupcakes for change! “Yes We Can” Tattoos! We call this coffee the “Obama Blend” brew!

These vendors act like they didn’t expect Obama’s biggest crusaders to already own some Obama gear. Nevertheless, people are eating it up. Perhaps we should embrace it, after all, isn’t over-marketing the American way? I just can’t imagine that when Barack Obama started his campaign, he ever thought his face would be patriotically bedazzled on beanies and backpacks.

This whole experience has been riding on a very fine line between commemorating and idolizing, respecting and exploiting.

I, too, will probably splurge on an inauguration coffee mug or an “I Was There” pin, (although I am very pleased with my Obama-edition metro pass) but if this merchandising goes too far, won’t he become more of a celebrity than anything else? Has he already? We could blame him for being just so damn likable. (Who hasn’t come up their own nickname for the guy? Mine’s Bam-Bam.) But what scares me are the connotations that come with his image. This isn’t Miley Cyrus, it’s okay if she doesn’t pull us out of the deficit. But Barack Obama is only one man. He is the best man for the job – I wouldn’t be here if I believed otherwise – but he has a tremendous mess to face. It is important to support and take pride in the man that is leading our country, and it is almost unreal for me to genuinely feel that way. But perhaps more importantly, let us not idolize him as a superhero, because it simultaneously demotes him to that of simple celebritydom.

Last night, I sat in a bar packed with college students from all over America who traveled to D.C. with similar intentions. It was an overwhelming feeling of community and force. But once they all began a table-banging, glass-breaking Obama chant, I snapped out of it.

At tomorrow’s ceremony, I expect the emotions I have been anticipating to be much more palpable and am hoping that this pervasive sugar – high wears off. Those “Cupcakes for Change” had too much frosting.

- Chelsea Cook is the managing editor for The Red & Black.