1. I was not impressed when Wolf Blitzer told me that they could show me what the Mall would look like if I were watching the inaugeration from a plane overhead. Methinks CNN believes random technology is a replacement for coverage.
2. I was happy that they did not have that stupid crawl on today. The crawl started right after 9/11, when there was news other than 9/11, but we couldn’t talk about anything else. 9/11 is over and there isn’t usually enough news in the day (that the American press will cover), so they need to get rid of the words at the bottom of the screen. I get distracted from what they’re saying because I see ” . . . Madonna’s elbow” and then I have to wait until it comes around again.
3. I can’t help but think that Justice Roberts was trying to ruin Obama’s mojo on purpose.
4. Great music, which is why Wolf Blitzer needed to shut up about the “president at noon” thing. He said that about every fifteen minutes.
5. The preachers did a great job. And I say that as a woman who doesn’t generally believe what they do.
6. I liked Obama’s nomination acceptance speech better than this one–the former was longer and more specific.
7. Obama said “forebearers” instead of “forefathers.” Right on!
8. Am glad that Obama mentioned that some people didn’t have faith (a shout out to the atheists), but he only mentioned a couple of the “major” religions. Would be pissed if I were Hindu.
9. Atheists need to come out of the closet. When Julia Sweeney “lost” her faith, her father said he wishes she’d come out as lesbian instead, because that was “socially acceptable.” We need to fight for the right to be a humanist/naturalist (even if we aren’t–we need to fight for the rights of others in the land of the free.)
10. Bush looked a little pissed when Obama said some things that went against Bush’s policies.
11. Obama is President! Woohoo!
I throughly enjoyed the end of Rev. Lowery’s Inauguration Benediction
“Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around — (laughter) — when yellow will be mellow — (laughter) — when the red man can get ahead, man — (laughter) — and when white will embrace what is right.
Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.”
Just a small correction to item 8)… In the listing of some of the religions, you mentioned if you were a hindu you would be pissed. He actually did include them in the line.
“We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers.”
The election acceptance speech was certainly a message of “we did it, you can believe.” It also needed to reach out to the republican side to try and unite the country.
With the Inaugural address, I have a feeling that Obama wanted to set a more serious tone, “now let’s get down to business,” to prepare the nation, esspecially those that support him, (and some who perhaps blindly believe that he can/will do no wrong) that he is about to take some serious actions to try and correct our tragectory. Many of those actions will likely be very unpopular, (beyond simple party divisions) but perhaps neccessary in the current state of the union.
Obama:
“Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.”
“The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth.”
“But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”
“For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. …the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job, which sees us through our darkest hours.”
“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.”
Full Text of his address
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/la-na-obama-speech21-2009jan21,0,4914155.story?page=1
The truth is that either candidate was going to be boxed into this position if they were to win. Makes the question by Jim Lehrer in the 1st presidential deabte back in mid-October that much more interesting now. Both Obama and McCain tapped danced around the question, not wanting to let on to the reality that in order to fix things, there would have to me drastic actions taken that will actually hurt many, and thus lose votes over it.
Jim Leherer: “All right. All right, speaking of things that both of you want, another lead question, and it has to do with the rescue — the financial rescue thing that we started — started asking about.
And what — and the first answer is to you, Senator Obama. As president, as a result of whatever financial rescue plan comes about and the billion, $700 billion, whatever it is it’s going to cost, what are you going to have to give up, in terms of the priorities that you would bring as president of the United States, as a result of having to pay for the financial rescue plan?
OBAMA: “Well, there are a range of things that are probably going to have to be delayed. We don’t yet know what our tax revenues are going to be. The economy is slowing down, so it’s hard to anticipate right now what the budget is going to look like next year.
But there’s no doubt that we’re not going to be able to do everything that I think needs to be done. There are some things that I think have to be done”
full debate text:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/debate.mississippi.transcript/
I loved the look on the President’s face as he tried to figure out whether Roberts was trying to mess with him. It seemed compounded of equal parts of
(1) did I hear you correctly?
(2) this does not sound right
(3) let’s just go ahead
and a small (very human) leavening of “if I rearrange the syntax, am I still President?”
I love having a President of whom there is no question that he would be able to understand the nature of the difference between “faithfully execute the office of President of the United States” and “execute the office of President of the United States faithfully.” Looking back on the last eight years, in my most cynical and sardonic mode, I think 43 misunderstood the specific meaning of ‘execute’ used in this sentence.
I so didn’t hear “Hindu,” which just goes to show how much my hearing is worth.
If I were a Buddhist, though, I’d be struggling against the feeling of being pissed.
Hinduism aside, I too was interested about the mention of “non-believers.” But doesn’t that turn of phrase have negative connotations?
I think non-believers does have a negative connotation. I’m not sure what else he could say that wouldn’t screw with the rhythm of the speech, though.
How about “atheists and agnostics”? Seems to actually match the speech’s rhythm better (since he was running with dyads for the faiths he named).
I jumped up and down when he actually acknowledged we “non-believers” (honestly, for a president to do anything of this sort is just unheard-of, so it was awesome) but yes, I would have preferred if he’d just said atheists. But I actually think that has a more negative connotation to “believers” than “non-believers” does.