Inauguration of Barack Obama

[Angel]

...Well. This is it. Barack Hussein Obama is the new President of the United States.

I was watching in the cafeteria at school, and for the record, the TV was too quiet to hear, there were people talking around me - and I still feel like I just had a life-changing experience.

I'm happy to say I voted for him, but I'd be lying to say I'm not nervous. After all, he's a man, not a Messiah, and even some of our most experienced politicians had trouble handling the problems the US, and the world, hve been going through. But no matter what happens, I think the next four years will be the most important years of my life, in part because of this moment.

So, forgive me this one cliche: Congratulations, Mr. President, and God bless America.

[Amber Williams]

LET THE POLITICAL GAUNTLET BEGIN!

*whippish*

[Mao]

Indeed.  Give the man a helmet and some shoulder pads.  He's going to need them, methinks.

[Tapewolf]

On behalf of the United Kingdom, I was wondering if we could maybe borrow him for a bit?  We desperately need someone with a bit of a clue over here as well.  We'll give him back afterwards, promise...

[bill]

LET THE POLITICAL GAUNTLET BEGIN!

*whippish*

For Obama, or this thread?

[Amber Williams]

LET THE POLITICAL GAUNTLET BEGIN!

*whippish*

For Obama, or this thread?

Little of column "A", little of column "Be seeing you"

[Omega]

I have to say that I do not envy Mr. Obama at the moment. If he can't fix those problems in a year or two, the history might end up blaming him and think that it has because of him that it all went wrong in the first place. Just a guess, but we've seen this happen so many times before.

I do wonder who we (the rest of the world) can make fun now. I mean Bush Jr. was an easy Target, being a dumb old white man. If we start treating Obama the same way, the black people will blame us for racial discrimination. Berlusconi would be a good target if he wouldn't have connections to Italian mafia.

[Jairus]

And the problem is that the problem doesn't have an easy fix. President Obama needs us to give him a chance, and he needs us to be patient. America has a lot of problems, problems that can't all be solved in a year or two. I'm afraid that the biggest problem he'll have to face is a culture that wants easy fixes and quick patches, and wants it now.

But in the meantime... congratulations, Mr. President. Let's see where we go, shall we?

[Omega]

This just in. ((Warning! Contains a naughty word!))

[Valynth]

Indeed.  Give the man a helmet and some shoulder pads.  He's going to need them, methinks.

After Bush?  The man's going to need a nuclear-powered tank-city to defend him.

Those shoes can be lethal.

[Rakala]

I was actually worried while watching the inauguration that Obama's head would kick back, and it would all be over. That truly would have been the end of the American dream for me. Fortunately there was no such outcome. For me, hope for the world lives by a sliver of thread.

[Destina Faroda]

Now, now.  Don't worry.  Obama won't get killed by an assassin's bullet.  He'll just be silenced by the press, as seen in the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxVUYrZKi-g

[Sunblink]

On behalf of the United Kingdom, I was wondering if we could maybe borrow him for a bit?  We desperately need someone with a bit of a clue over here as well.  We'll give him back afterwards, promise...

Speaking respectfully as a representative of the United States, I would like to say: NO HE'S OURS GET YOUR OWN





I admit, I'm nervous as hell, but that was a monumental occasion. I'm thrilled I was able to watch his inauguration. My whole school tuned in.

[Tapewolf]

Speaking respectfully as a representative of the United States, I would like to say: NO HE'S OURS GET YOUR OWN

How about a time-share? 

[Noone]

I have to say that I do not envy Mr. Obama at the moment. If he can't fix those problems in a year or two, the history might end up blaming him and think that it has because of him that it all went wrong in the first place. Just a guess, but we've seen this happen so many times before.

To cover himself, he did say that he did not expect these problems to be fixed soon in his inauguration. Still, I guess that is a legitimate concern, and he does have a lot on his plate... down economy, a mess to clean up in the Middle east, 10.6 trillion dollar debt... (Approx 75%-80% of the GDP, if my numbers are correct).
I'm not holding high hopes for the immediate future, but still, I think this is a good step in the right direction.

[Cvstos]

Couple of bits that stood out to me.

One from Nate of FiveThirtyEight.com:

For as much as some parts of the world have developed a habit of looking down on America, it's highly unlikely that any nation in Europe or most of the rest of the world would have elected someone like Barack Hussein Obama as their leader.

I know someone who was in France before the election (for some time, too) that told me that almost no-one in France thought Obama would win. They thought it was great he was a party's nominee, but that there was no way America would elect a black man. They hoped, but they thought that it was simply impossible that the ignorant Americans would actually press the "Obama" button. (Obviously this is second-hand anecdotal evidence and it's impossible to truthfully say NO ONE thought he'd win, but the impression I got was that this was the general consensus.)

To them, this phrase is particularly strong: Yes, we did.

Another thing I've noticed was from the speech itself.

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.

In particular "know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy" really strikes a chord with me. I think that whole paragraph right there is excellent.

Another really excellent bit is

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 we are ready to lead once more.

That feels so excellent to hear. To know that Obama GETS IT. Just following through on this will win us an awful lot of international goodwill back.

More thoughts later, for now, class time.

[Valynth]

Speaking respectfully as a representative of the United States, I would like to say: NO HE'S OURS GET YOUR OWN

How about a time-share? 

No, no, you see, if we timeshare him with you, then we would have to timeshare him with every other country or we (and by extension he) would look bigoted.  Well, more so.

And I doubt 5 hours a year is an adequate time investment to run any of those countries.

[Tapewolf]

That feels so excellent to hear. To know that Obama GETS IT. Just following through on this will win us an awful lot of international goodwill back.

I missed the speech (I was trying to fix some bugs at work), which irritates me given that I've been rooting for him for a while now, but I'm reading the transcript here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html?ref=politics

...and it really does sound like he 'gets it', as you say.  I hope he's able to pull it off.

[Brunhidden]

Now, now.  Don't worry.  Obama won't get killed by an assassin's bullet.  He'll just be silenced by the press, as seen in the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxVUYrZKi-g

oh man, i expect them to be boycotted, picketed,  and sued. really, the only explanation is if they didnt think this was important, or perhaps they didnt think obama was a REAL president for reasons which would make them sound dumber then they already do



oh, and tape, would you consider the united states and the united kingdom to form some kind of trans atlantic united empire? if we can get iceland and jamaca to come along we might get some real government going on

[Valynth]

Now, now.  Don't worry.  Obama won't get killed by an assassin's bullet.  He'll just be silenced by the press, as seen in the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxVUYrZKi-g

You're just now noticing that the press can do that?  They've been doing it rather well since the 1960's.  Just never as overt as this with as popular an event as this.

[Destina Faroda]

You're just now noticing that the press can do that?  They've been doing it rather well since the 1960's.  Just never as overt as this with as popular an event as this.

I expected the supposedly liberal media to actually let the man speak.  I mean, what's the point of covering the story if you don't cover it?

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Now, now.  Don't worry.  Obama won't get killed by an assassin's bullet.  He'll just be silenced by the press, as seen in the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxVUYrZKi-g

oh man, i expect them to be boycotted, picketed,  and sued. really, the only explanation is if they didnt think this was important, or perhaps they didnt think obama was a REAL president for reasons which would make them sound dumber then they already do



oh, and tape, would you consider the united states and the united kingdom to form some kind of trans atlantic united empire? if we can get iceland and jamaca to come along we might get some real government going on

Unify by language and to a lesser extent, ideology. U.K., U.S., South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. Get Oceana really running

[Valynth]

You're just now noticing that the press can do that?  They've been doing it rather well since the 1960's.  Just never as overt as this with as popular an event as this.

I expected the supposedly liberal media to actually let the man speak.  I mean, what's the point of covering the story if you don't cover it?

It's not so much about liberal vs. conservative, it's about them saying "there is no need to adjust your set.  We control all that you see and hear."

Unify by language and to a lesser extent, ideology. U.K., U.S., South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. Get Oceana really running

Meh, the E.U. is desperately trying to do that through emulation of the U.S.  With limited success due to culture/language differences.

And I don't see even the most liberal of policies actually achieving that future.

[Gareeku]

Congratulations, Mr. President.

And Tape? At least the Conservatives aren't in charge. I don't trust them in the slightest. Try to have a little more faith, it might do you some good sometime.

[Cogidubnus]

I'm just a cynic, I guess, when it comes to politics. The words of those sage musicians (Who, you ask?) keep running through my mind. Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss...*strums guitar*

It's not anything about Mr. Obama at all, really. I just don't trust our government any farther than I can throw the Capitol building.

I hope he -can- bring positive change about. But I will wait and see.

[Alondro]

What do people mean when they say Obama 'gets it'.  What exactly is there to 'get'?  I fail to see how following the world's example and the world's opinion means anything.

If history has taught us anything it should be that the world's opinion has generally been foolhardy.  Our nation, if you recall, was rather unpopular during its inception.  Virtually the entire rest of the world was monarchic.

Popularity does not equal good.  I hope Obama will not seat his foreign policy on cow-towing to everyone who doesn't like how we do things.

To those who thought America would never elect a black man, I think that opinion is several decades too old now.  I think it could've happened as early as the 1980's.  It just so happens that neither party put up a black candidate until now.  If anything caused the delay, it was the party leaders' fears of losing rather than the nation's supposed racial intolerance.

But we're still evil and racist!  WERE ARE ALL THE NATIVE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS?!!  RACISM!!!!   

Zinacat for President 2012.   

[Jigsaw Forte]

Allow me to just say the following:

[Sunblink]

It's not anything about Mr. Obama at all, really. I just don't trust our government any farther than I can throw the Capitol building.

But how far can you throw the Capitol building, Cog?

I THOUGHT YOU HAD THE STRENGTH OF FIFTY THOUSAND MEN. YOU LIED TO ME.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Zinacat for President 2012.   

I'd vote for her

[Cogidubnus]

It's not anything about Mr. Obama at all, really. I just don't trust our government any farther than I can throw the Capitol building.

But how far can you throw the Capitol building, Cog?

I THOUGHT YOU HAD THE STRENGTH OF FIFTY THOUSAND MEN. YOU LIED TO ME.

I SHALL RESPOND TO YOUR SPURIOUS CLAIMS, WOMAN

I can only use my tremendous strength if the world is in danger, or if General Hospital is on. And, I'm not missing General Hospital to go move the Capitol, so...