Obama's Speech: The Highlights
In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama sought to lay out two separate but very much complementary messages. Part of the address was expressed in terms of what it his administration will not be -- the Bush years. Beyond that, and more importantly, he laid out an extensive positive vision of what he believes America and indeed the whole world can be, motivated by a faith in American culture .
Obama acknowledged the troubles facing the country at home and abroad -- but assured the country that we will succeed:
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.
Obama spoke of America as a country that has throughout its history expanded the reaches of freedom and prosperity, and reminded the country that we enjoy our quality of life today because of the work of others who came before us:
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 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.
In these two paragraphs alone, Obama repudiated the legacy of the Bush years on foreign policy, on issues such as war, torture and unilateralism:
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.
And later on, he reached out a hand to the people of other countries who have come to view the United States as a threat instead of as a friend:
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.
Obama spoke of the America he will now govern -- a diverse nation of all races, nationalities and religions, and people of no religion at all -- and of the hope that our success offers to the world:
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.
And Obama traced his own improbable journey to the White House to America's own culture and history of social progress, a declaration that change is in fact our great tradition, while the values behind the change are permanent:
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.
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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.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Who is the guy with the shaggy hair, blue scarf & blue tie behind Obama? He was tackily taking pictures during the speech.
January 20, 2009 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm pretty sure he was an official photographer.
January 20, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he means Biden, hehe.
January 20, 2009 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought Obama's speech was good. He said what he needed to and didn't overdramatize, as some might prefer. He made it clear that the country and the world were in crisis, what he has at other times referred to as the "deep hole" that the W Bush Administration and others have dug us into, and that he would lead us out.
I never did quite get the 'choruses of angels' meme that some hear in him. He seems notably secular humanist, not without faith in God or such, but this-worldly in his approach -- something I for one like.
Why did Rick Warren feel it necessary to recite the entire, distinctively Christian, Lord's Prayer, though? Did anyone else have questions about that besides me?
January 20, 2009 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was not one of those running around with their hair on fire about the choice of Warren, but his prayer left me very uncomfortable. I felt that it lacked a sense of inclusiveness fitting for such an event. I think Rev. Lowery's prayer OTOH, struck the right chord.
January 20, 2009 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I too thought it was a bit much at the end. Indeed, I thought the whole prayer went on way too long and seemed a way of showcasing the prayer-sayer rather than the recipient of the prayer. On the other hand he did say many things that were "inclusive" (though vague). I've never heard a made-up prayer end with the Lord's prayer. Never. Seemed unkind to those of other religions - that was my sense.
The ending prayer was much, much, much better!
January 20, 2009 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Regarding Rick Warren, the use of the Lord's Prayer at the conclusion of a prayer of one's own is very, very, very common throughout Christian churches, mainline as well as evangelical. He probably would have thought it bizarre to omit it. As for the Christian-ness of it, honestly, what did you expect? If you ask the Rev. Rick Warren to pray, he's going to pray.
January 20, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Regarding Rick Warren, the use of the Lord's Prayer at the conclusion of a prayer of one's own is very, very, very common throughout Christian churches, mainline as well as evangelical. He probably would have thought it bizarre to omit it. As for the Christian-ness of it, honestly, what did you expect? If you ask the Rev. Rick Warren to pray, he's going to pray.
January 20, 2009 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rick Warren's prayer was quite ordinary - nothing bad, but nothing great. I liked the benediction better.
January 20, 2009 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama’s Inauguration Speech: Disappointing News for the Left!
Sorry true believers your Mountain really produced a Mouse!
To All true believers:Conservatives are celebrating so before shredding me apart listen and read Conservative talk shows!
Obama’s inauguration expense of more than $170 million dollars, in the middle of recession, produced less crowd than Johnson Inaugural of 1.2 million people. Yet the mountain of fan fair, and money, Hollywood celebrities and publicity produced a disappointing mouse! Rick Warren gave more hope to the religious right an Neo-cons than Obama’s disappointing and colorless speech.
Obama has the makings of a great tele-prompter reader=orator, but his inaugural speech was not a great oration. It was well-delivered, but it consisted of a hodgepodge of themes, rhetoric, injunctions, and applause lines that did not address directly to the crisis that the US and the world faces today.
Obama’s Mountain of hope produced a disappointing and fearful mouse! Wall Street dropped more than 300 points because they saw no hope for real Change! Even after Obama got his wall Street 350 750 billions of “giveaway” Bail-out money, more in TARP money, and promised them 1. 3 trillion dollars of extra expenditure for road, bridges, infrastructures and Green Jobs to nowhere.
As he was speaking instead of hope they saw despair and dumped their stocks because any one with economic 101 knows that borrowing from China to buy Chinese and Mexican industrial products and filling Wal-Mart with cheap goods at the expense of American jobs would lead to 13 trillion Dollars National Debt by the end of 2009, that in combination of budget deficit, Balance of Trade deficit would bring this great nation to is knees.
We need factory Jobs, technological jobs and export goods jobs. What we don’t need a superficial service jobs. Did he say anything about this no.
He kissed Bush’s ass instead of declaring that Bush’s Policies, which has brought disrepute to the ideal’s of this nation would be abandoned.
Instead of declaring to the world that Never again he would permit the leaders of this nation take us to wrong war by lies and deceit and he declares to the world that we follow Human rights and respect supremacy of truth in our conducts, he sat down Collin Powell in front row and defended militarism.
Instead of declaring , never again would America torture innocent human beings and to prove that he would prosecute anyone who has disrepute America and its ideal he praised Bush. Instead of declaring to the world that never again America keeps silence while its military arsenals are being used to destroy 22000 houses in Gaza and murdering more that 1200 know women and children and more than 6000 seriously wounded in the Biggest Concentration Camp in the world, he could have said he would try to bring peace to Palestinians and end their carnage! No, for 24 days he kept silent and still is waving his Israeli flag, not thinking what is good for the United States. We need market for our products and 1.5 Billion Muslims would be our customers if we show the olive branch. The president must be the greatest salesman for America and he failed to get their attention.
He Brought Rick Warren to give him credence among other neo-Christian rights and letting him to make a sale’s pitch for his Neo-con’s agenda that has taken us to the road to economic devastation; but did not make a sale’s pitch for American blacks and impoverished.
Yes, made conservative happy now that they know one of their own is the White House and under the “Black Skins there is White Mask” ; they are happy to see that all Civil Rights leaders are going to the “quite house”, where he sent Reverent Wright. But the question is not about individual achievement via Charter Schools and parental guidance; but via a society that give all black Americans a chance, the same chance we give to all new immigrants, He is a great Achiever and he knows black Americans psychology so he wants to keep them happy by his lesson of success; but his lesson as a son of Kenyan, has nothing to do with black history and how the American society should uplift them. Blacks psychological happiness with him actually is counterproductive. That is why many Neo-cons are celebrating the end of Al Sharpton, jessie Jackson and others; but Civil Rights movement would not die and must regroup and do not permit individual achievement of blacks cloud their group oppression.
.In Contact to vividness of Obama the speech was unusually dull, abstract and lacked any reference to people or situations in the present. The concepts, and the argument on which the speech hung was lifeless, were neither original nor compelling.
Nothing in the speech ring true!. Premise: America's success in the past was based on people who "struggled and sacrificed and worked." Conclusion: What we need now is a "new era of responsibility." What does it mean? It means Bush and Co. did nothing wrong; but we as people, as powerless as we were, are the reason for troubling economy. Our generation is at fault and now we have to start changing our behavior. Nothing about FISA , that he voted for , nothing about the fabricated War on Terror, that scared us of our own shadows, nothing about extra-ordinary renditions, nothing about lies to get us into the War; nothing about the cost of war that he voted for it every time Bush asked; nothing about stopping the war now to stop bleeding, but we are in trouble now is because the present generation has acted irresponsibly. Is that really at the heart of America's difficulties at home or in the world? It has the ring of Neo-Cons Biblical prophecies, but not of grain of truth.
There were subsidiary themes that seemed ill-suited to the occasion. Obama declared we need to end "the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics." Yes, fine, but again: Does that get at the problem now? Is Obama facing partisan warfare? Is Washington deeply divided? It may become so, but nothing suggest that this is a critical problem. Unless he wants to take the party to the right and he feel that he might see opposition from Congress and Civil Rights leader.
Obama did not say anything about the nature of challenges facing us. Or he said is:" Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred,"! This is nonsense! Our nation is at war with people who love us but hate their own oppressive government. There is no danger from Al Quaeda or Hamas , even after 5 years of torture in variety of torture chambers the CIA, Bush administration, Justice department , FBI investigation, Military Kangaroo courts have not produced one legally acceptable confession or a real culprit for 911 attack on us! It seems the danger posed by Al Qaeda is reminiscent of George W. Bush and his fabricated “war on terror”. Obama and the country clearly face grave problems overseas; but they can't be reduced to a "far-reaching network." So what on hell he is talking about!
The economic crisis? "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." Greed? Yes, but greed condoned and encouraged by government. Hard choices? What does these refer to? Few people getting sub-prime loan!? Auto companies making the wrong cars? Obama doesn't say anything of substance!
He could have declared the reality that our economy is wrong because of greedy Bankers who invested and lost their investment. Of Israeli and Wall street commodity brokers who in collusion with media , artificially increased the price of oil 5 times its worth pocketed the difference and transferred their money into foreign places. If the whole world has lost these trillions of dollars one would ask were did all these money that they scammed go, into the black hole , as Obama wants us to believe or in the pocket of the Wall street bankers and brokers that Obama wants to “Bail-out”!
The shallowness of his diagnosis is obvious, that is why he had lost his Mojo. His diagnosis dooms his supposed treatment of our economic problems. He is trying to shift the burden to the powerless people not the leaders who led them to the economic suicide. It was our leaders not the lead who took us to this economic suicide mission, called depression. Why did he cover-up facts and blend them with fantasy? It is up to us to unmask him and force him to follow the “Change we Can Believe in” and move a progressive direction!
January 21, 2009 5:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
A speech should wait a time & not be judged the moment after for history.
We know for now it was very somber, he told us & the world the bold truth, which we needed to hear. This is NOT a flowery time.
It may turn out to be judged one of his best, for after all, there has never been a time when words & the truth meant more.
January 21, 2009 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink