AME Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I hope he can walk the walk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woxof Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I hope he can walk the walk? Nice speech as expected. But the oath sure got screwed up. Jumped the gun I'd say. Then apparently, the chief justice screwed it up by saying it incorrectly which stopped it all. Or maybe he didn't screw up. Maybe for those who like conspiricies outside the mainstream media will say it was intentional because Obama voted against this chief justice in the past. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6B1OGnnbcs Then again, the W screwups over the years are hilarious. You have to watch this. http://www.bebo.com/FlashBox.jsp?FlashBoxId=3315433537& Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thebean Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Nice speech. But the oath sure got screwed up. Jumped the gun I'd say. Then apparently, the chief justice screwed it up by saying it incorrectly which stopped it all. Or maybe he didn't screw up. Maybe for those who like conspiricies will say it was intentional because Obama voted against this chief justice in the past. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6B1OGnnbcs I was under the impression the US Constitution called for a seperation of Church and the State. I better check my Grade 10 text books..... In any event, good riddance, Dubya....and better days ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woxof Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful - and so are we," the US president told a high-level meeting of Pentagon officials. "They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people - and neither do we." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful - and so are we," the US president told a high-level meeting of Pentagon officials. "They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people - and neither do we." You should credit that to GWB...one could get the wrong impression just reading this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woxof Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test. Guess Who... G W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaydee Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 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 co-operation 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 forbearers, 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 faint-hearted — 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 labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom. For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled 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 Khe Sahn. 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 favours 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 defence, 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 co-operation 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 spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, 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 non-believers. 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 honour 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 sixty 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 travelled. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemic Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 A Miracle::::: In a few days, an African American man will move from his private residence into a much larger and infinitely more expensive one owned not by him but by the taxpayers. A vast lawn, a perimeter fence and many well trained security specialists will insulate him from the rest of us but the mere fact that this man will be residing in this house should make us all stop and count our blessings - because it proves that we live in a nation where anything is possible. Many believed this day would never come. There can be little doubt now that the vast majority of us truly believe that this man has earned both his place in history and his new address. Who is this man, you ask? Moving to The Big House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Congrats to any of our US friends who are here on what is a great day for your country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Only in the US or perhaps only when a Canadian is not involved ....... pity. And I am talking about the tolerance for someone who is not afraid to stand behind what he believes. Remember this? When Stephen Harper became Prime Minister, he began saying “God Bless Canada” at the end of some of his speeches. Actually, he had used the term before he became PM, but no one cared much until then. The change caused a bit of a fuss. Oh, people were upset. They wrote letters. Columnists penned columns. Pollsters took polls. So I’m wondering whether there’s going to be another fuss from all the high-minded religion-haters out there, denouncing that insidious Obama guy and how he’s become a George Bush clone, a dupe of organized religion, a pawn of the Christian Right. So far all I can find is The Nation again, this time fawning all over the guy: “As Barack Obama is sworn in today as America’s 44th President, we will hear a new trumpet blast. His election marks a remarkable moment of realism and symbolism in our country’s history--- a milestone in America’s scarred racial landscape, and a victory for the forces of decency, diversity and tolerance.” Hey, wait a minute. Diversity, decency and tolerance .. from a guy who cites God repeatedly? You mean religion's only bad when it's referred to by conservatives? I gotta check this out. There must be some mistake... The entire commentary can be viewed at: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/f...to-go-nuts.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homerun Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 The mainstream media is extremely biased so Obama will be getting a long honeymoon. They were all over W for the cost of his inauguration, some $75 million. Pointing out all the deserving causes where the money could be better spent. Obama's is going to cost $150 million, where is the indignation from the media over this outrageous pricetag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 The mainstream media is extremely biased so Obama will be getting a long honeymoon. They were all over W for the cost of his inauguration, some $75 million. Pointing out all the deserving causes where the money could be better spent. Obama's is going to cost $150 million, where is the indignation from the media over this outrageous pricetag? How much of that $150mil is spent keeping him from being assasinated? Perhaps the expenditure is somewhat justifiable. Any data to breakdown the cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woxof Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I had thought this inauguration was less expensive than normal. Maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 There is probably no indignation because the media does not parrot whatever Rush and hannity are yelling about. According to the blog Media Matters, when security and inflation are incorporated in the price tag, Mr. Obama's inauguration will actually cost less then George W. Bush's in 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipped Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Interesting take on the former President - The Bush Haters will love this - Dennis Millar http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipped Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Previous post - click on Millar time date 1/14 - Jan 14 worth watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Fox News and Bill O'Reilly is the best you can do for an "interesting" take on GWB? I like woxof's speech quotes a whole lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 The mainstream media is extremely biased so Obama will be getting a long honeymoon. They were all over W for the cost of his inauguration, some $75 million. Pointing out all the deserving causes where the money could be better spent. Obama's is going to cost $150 million, where is the indignation from the media over this outrageous pricetag? Oh boo hoo to you. Sukk it up with this mainstream media BS. Governments are paying for security. Private donations are paying for the party, but most people are so happy to be rid of that jackass Bush 43 that we'd welcome a good wing ding. ABC News crunches the numbers and finds that: The federal government estimates that it will spend roughly $49 million on the inaugural weekend. Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland have requested another $75 million from the federal government to help pay for their share of police, fire and medical services. And then there is the party bill. We have a budget of roughly $45 million, maybe a little bit more," said Linda Douglas, spokeswoman for the inaugural committee. That's more than the $42.3 million in private funds spent by President Bush's committee in 2005, or the $33 million spent for Bill Clinton's first inaugural in 1993. By the way, "the mainstream media" includes prominent conservatives - the thinking kind, not the braying kind - who see the potential of Obama's breakthrough politics. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/opinion/20brooks.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Congratulations America! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canus Chinookus Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I hope he can walk the walk? Exactly, I think we'll find out sooner than later if he's full of crap, or might actually deliver some 'change' that he's been talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipped Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Fox News and Bill O'Reilly is the best you can do for an "interesting" take on GWB? I like woxof's speech quotes a whole lot more. Okay J.O. But did you watch the Dennis Millar video. Comment on what he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woxof Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Going back to the presidential oath...here are all of the initial ones from FDR to present. Guess who does the best oath in my opinion.... George W. Bush(time 9:19). As an interesting aside. Most of the wives look at their husband during the oath but Hillary hardly gives Bill a glance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipped Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Some are not impressed by B.O. speech. From the UK Telegraph : Barack Obama inauguration: his worst speech Posted By: Alex Spillius at Jan 20, 2009 at 19:56:31 [General] Posted in: Eagle Eye Tags: View More Barack Obama, history, inauguration, past, speech , worst QUITE a day, but not much of speech unfortunately. Obama got where he is by speechifying, but this effort would not have won him many votes. It was his worst on a grand stage, though still better than most politicians could muster. The delivery, as ever, was first class, but the message was wasn't clear enough and the language not insufficiently inspiring. As soon as the applause had died down, an African American standing man near me on the Mall said to his friend: "I thought the speech was "Naughty Word"." Another woman said, correctly, that "we had heard it all before at other events". In a way Obama was a victim of his own success. Having given so many dynamic speeches he had set his own bar very high. What he tried to do at his inauguration was tell Americans that they had to sacrifice to make gains, while making them believe this was well within their capabilities. The emphasis on sacrifice was too weak however. To the disappointment of many black people in the crowd, he also made but one reference to the enormity of a black man occupying the White House for the first time. Obama has never laboured the issue of his race, but on this historic day the issue needed more. Jon Favreau, his co-writer, recently admitted that he had been pouring over previous inaugural speeches. That might have been a bad idea. Obama seemed weighed down by the past, and failed to seize the moment. 0 (0 Ratings) Must Be logged in to bookmark content. [ 67 comments ] You must be logged in to leave a comment. Comments Sounds like The Life of Brian. Oh dear, buyers remorse is setting in already. Where were the Free Gas Cards? The Oprah style Cadillac Giveaways? Will Obama now be resigned to taking his HopeyChangey show to Vegas for 2 shows a night? playing to ever dwindling audiences? Will he do a "Best Of" series now? Endless reruns? What about all the paraphernalia leftovers? antonio January 20, 2009 08:15 PM GMT ""we had heard it all before at other events"" Didn't we hear it all in 1997? I'm sorry, but I don't agree he is a good speaker, having made a point of listening to his speeches on the radio. He takes a long, long time to say absolutely nothing and there's no dynamism in the delivery whatsoever. He was extremely fortunate with his opponents being even less convincing. Sheumais January 20, 2009 08:38 PM GMT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Great...posting anonymous comments from an overseas paper. I will refrain from posting all of the positive comments I read out of respect for our host's bandwidth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I will refrain from posting all of the positive comments I read out of respect for our host's bandwidth. However, as alluded to, it was not a memorable speech and I, for one, was a bit disappointed. I think the "anonymouse" author is correct...he has done so many memorable speeches that, in comparison, this was not up to his usual standard. There is no doubt he is a great orator but where is the memorable phrase that everyone was waiting for and that will be repeated by many over the years...I think you will have to "grasp" at one phrase or another, but there wasn't one that will become his "tag" line. When he was elected and gave the speech in Chicago,the catch phrase was "Yes, we can"....and I thought he may carry that in his speech but not so..... "Ask not what your.........." "We have nothing to fear but......." And of course GWB...." Where am I?".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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