Inauguration

God that poet after wards was horrible. I felt like she were speaking to elementary school kids. She spoke words individually with no smooth transition whatsoever. I also have to agree with the prayer from Rick Warren, just seemed a bit too much.
 
/shares in the surprise that aretha Franlin is still alive

/shares the amusement at Warren's overblown prayer, which would be disgust if I was actually American

/smirked at Obama ****ing up the oath

If I hadn't so marinaded myself in whisky while watching the inauguration, a more exhaustive analysis of his speech might be forthcoming at this point. As it is, the most I can do is muse upon all the things he must have felt were demanded from him (or his speechwriter) when he was at the podium. It seemed to me that almost everything he said was coloured by the imperative to offer an olive branch to his political opponents; hence his statement that the free market is the greatest force for amazing wonderfulness since Jesus Christ, followed up by calls for responsibility and the dangers of letting it 'spin out of control'. His statements about foreign policy were similarly flavoured.

Dunno. Seemed all chestbeatingly bold and cautious all at once. I'll leave people less drunk than me to pick it apart.
Kakashi623 said:
God that poet after wards was horrible. I felt like she were speaking to elementary school kids. She spoke words individually with no smooth transition whatsoever.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I listened hard and I kind of liked the poem, but all along I was fighting against her delivery, which was terrible - robotic as hell. She was overcoached. Contrast that with the Lowry guy after her.

At the same time I envy all these people because I could never perform so well with public speaking. The pressure of taking the podium in an event like this is truly insane.
 
a drunken laivasse is better than no laivasse at all
 
Obama didn't **** up the oath, Chief Justice Roberts did.
 
Ennui said:
Obama didn't **** up the oath, Chief Justice Roberts did.
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Yeah MSNBC said that the Chief Justice memorized the oath instead of reading it off paper. He made a mistake in the oath.
 
I doubt I could beat the stupid out of him so it's kinda useless to try ..it would feel good but ultimately without purpose because he's be just as stupid afterwards
 
I have to say it was funny watching Obama mistake in two sentences, but cool inauguration nonetheless.
 
Meh, the idea of the the oath is that the taker is meant to repeat back what is said to them. Moving the word 'faithfully' to a different place in the sentence is a small screwup on the Chief Justice's part, but not so significant that Obama should wait for him to correct himself. Indeed, since Obama eventually repeated John Roberts' revised version anyway, it should show that what caused Obama to hesitate was pure nervousness. Ditto the earlier bit where he started reciting the oath too soon.

Completely insignificant anyway, but Obama did **** it up.
 
i dont see why this is soooo historic i mean he's only black whats the big fking woop its not exactly one fo the moments in my life when am old i will be i saw it happen or i was alive when this happend, to me its not really that much of a big deal.
 
that poem at the end of the speech holy shit was it boring. Pretty ****ing anti-climactic.
 
same should be with Indians, then I could have my future kids go to college for free
 
The Inauguration Speech

Since people more then likely won't appreciate potential post spam,
I'm going to try and post Barrack's inaugural speech given the forum limits.
This is for anyone, but mostly for the people who may have missed it.

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. 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. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and KheSahn.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. 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 everywhere we look, there is work to be done. 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. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. 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. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment a moment that will define a generation it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

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. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God Bless you. And God Bless America.
 
Escape said:
I just skimmed that but....

My mom is a labor & delivery nurse and she tells me that when you ID the race of the baby, you ID it by the race of the mother.
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well, if the father is black and the mother is white...its a black baby. Right?
 
Escape said:
I just skimmed that but....

My mom is a labor & delivery nurse and she tells me that when you ID the race of the baby, you ID it by the race of the mother.
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Nurse policy =/= the law
 
Escape said:
I just skimmed that but....

My mom is a labor & delivery nurse and she tells me that when you ID the race of the baby, you ID it by the race of the mother.
Click to expand...

the one drop law was enacted to segregate blacks and prevent interracial relationships:


The one-drop rule was a tactic in the U.S. South that codified and strengthened segregation and the disfranchisement of most blacks and many poor whites from 1890-1910. After Supreme Court decisions in Plessy v. Ferguson and related matters, White-dominated legislatures felt free to enact Jim Crow laws segregating Blacks in public places and accommodations, and passed other restrictive legislation. Legislatures sought to prevent interracial relationships to keep the white race "pure", long after slaveholders and overseers took advantage of enslaved women and produced the many mixed-race children
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it's not a rule that is observed today however some people use it as a means of racial pride
 
I'm so pissed, I feel asleep halfway through Obama's speech.

Woke up and someone else entirely was speaking. Blehhhhhhhhhhh.

In my defence, it was 5am.
 
I watched it all, it was a great thing to watch. History in the making, and I'm hopeful for good things to come. I think it's great he's the first black president, that is definitely momentous and shows great social progression. However, I wish people would stop pointing to it as if it's the most important thing from his successful election. I'm actually more excited about the fact there is a young president, only 47 years old (compared to miles of grey hair pre-Obama). A fresh face with a completely different outlook which seems full of energy and desire. I'm not saying he's already the world's saviour, I'm saying he instils a confidence in people from his youthfulness, that neither McCain nor Bush could ever convince people with. They sound old school and they are old school, and it couldn't be more obvious people don't want that. Maybe all I'm saying is, I'm glad someone is sitting in the oval office who actually gives a ****!
 
Lol I was at an inaugration party and the bbc came,
you can see me in the background in this video, I'm next to my mate in the first 30secounds, he has a green hoody, I have a black hooded jacket and shirt and tie. I'm putting my jacket on in the opening secounds, then I walk up to the camera by mistake and turn around 15secs later.

Lol

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7784669.stm
 
So far Obama has done....nothing.

But the hype is great! The savior of the galaxy! Very Che Guevarasque

For America i want him to do
- Socialised medical system. Free medical treatment for everyone
- Free dental treatment for people UP TO 18 years of age
- Regulate the financial system
- Accelerate the mars mission, setup a terraforming colony there.
- Stop giving Israel funding for their military, completely. I want Israel and Palestine to be on equal grounds in their future idiotic conflicts.
- Stricter gun laws
- Develop the most amazing renewable energy
- More stuff..
 
I think it's a riot how John Williams can so blatantly plagarise other people's music and reveal a "new composition" in a setting like this and get away with it. He's seriously such a horrible ****ing hack and I hope he dies.

I also loved how about 3 people clapped when Obama thanked George Bush for his years of service.

I thought the speech itself was pretty inspiring. I think he'll do some great things for this country.
 
I was thinking goddamnit John Williams bring out the hits. Let's hear the Jurassic Park theme.
 
Jaws theme! It would work well with the recession! Jaws coming from the deep = the recession!
 
Yorick said:
I think it's a riot how John Williams can so blatantly plagarise other people's music and reveal a "new composition" in a setting like this and get away with it. He's seriously such a horrible ****ing hack
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Yes this. FFS Williams.
 
So how about that national anthem?

People at work were watching it in the conference room and I could hear it out at my desk. Once that awful bitch started singing I put on my headset and it didnt come off until everyone came back in when it was over.
 
So tonight Obama was given the oath again for good measure, this time in the map room of the White House. It was done in front of only a handful of aides and reporters, but no cameras or video were allowed.
 
Sounds fine by me. Don't want a bunch of morons coming up later and protesting against the legitimacy of his presidency like they do his United States citizenship.
 
Baww Obama made a nervous mistake taking an oath.

If I was taking the presidential oath as the first black man in history with two million people *literally* watching me, I'd do a lot more than make a slight mistake.

Anyway, the speech was very good. Let's hope he can at least come close to living up to the hype.
 
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