Congratulations America.

[Fish]

Congratulations with your new president, I know we have to wait what he is going to mean for you and us (outside the US), but for the moment a well-meant hurray?:yep:

[SteamWake]

Ill remain cautiously optimistic.

[TDK1044]

If he can deliver most of what he promises then he'll be a great president.

He has a healthy majority in Congress to work with. Now we'll get to see if his eloquence is matched by his ability to deliver. :D

[Onkel Neal]

(As one American) Thank you. America's tradition of the peaceful transfer of power continues in proud fashion. I wish the best to the new President, just as the the former President, he has a lot to manage. USA!:up:

[Biggles]

Indeed. The king is dead. Long live the king!:p :D ;)

[Enigma]

A fantastic afternoon leaves my highly optimistic. Godspeed, Mr. President!:up:

http://hugemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/shepard-fairey-barack-obama.jpg

[ReallyDedPoet]

Congrats, a new chapter for the USA.
Good luck from your northern neighbor :yep::up:


RDP

[Dowly]

Congrats, America! :up:

[Konovalov]

(As one American)America's tradition of the peaceful transfer of power continues in proud fashion.
Well said. :up:

And good luck to the new President. He has one hell of a to do list to get through.

[UnderseaLcpl]

I guess we'll see how it works out. TY Fish:up:

[Jimbuna]

Wishing you all the best for the future...from the other side of the pond. :sunny:

[HunterICX]

Congratulations USA!:up:

HunterICX

[Oberon]

Congrats, pretty impressed with his speech, rather blunt and not sugar-coating the situation, hopefully his way of speech will reflect in the way he carries on in office.
However, a fantastic event, good to see a good turn-out despite the temperatures.

[AVGWarhawk]

Thanks for the kudos gents. Although many did not vote for Obama, he will unify the country, both supporters and non-supporters. Planly obvious by the crowds. That is what is called for at the moment and down the road. Although we feel refreshed and renewed, I only hope the rest of the world feels the same. The task at hand will not be easy. Obern liked the speech, said it was not full of flowers, yes, the dogma of Washington...some of the flowers and sugarcoating. This is what needs to be overcome. But, yes, the task at hand was dealt without the sugar or the flowers. This speech was much different than past speeches, it looked like he has done some serious study of past history. Where we succeeded and where we failed. A great foundation so as not to repeat where we have failed. He has been given the key to the city, I think he will liven up the town. Godspeed to Obama and God Bless America.

As a side note, today I went to the IMAX theater and watched International Space Station (3D). It is beyond me how many countries can cooperate, make pieces of the station, deploy them via shuttle or Russian rocket yet here on terra-firma, we can not agree on anything. It is astonishing.

[PeriscopeDepth]

I have to admit I am younger and don't remember Bush II's initial inauguration at all, or if I even paid attention to it. Do these things always get so much media attention and celebration, or would you say this year's inauguration stands out more? I was somewhat flabbergasted by all the hoopola.

Seems to me it's kind of like the Christmas Eve Mass of American politics, if you know what I mean.

PD

[Sea Demon]

No congratulations are needed. We've been doing this a long time. I am not optimistic about this new President. Nor do I think I will support his domestic policies if he goes the "big government" song and dance. If he does the typical Dem "raise taxes", rapid government growth, and weakens national security bit, I certainly will oppose. But I will give him the courtesy and respect he is due. I certainly wish the left-wing trash would have shown the same courtesy to our last President. Even just half as much. Fortunately for the country, we have more class than those lowlifes and bottom-feeders of the left.

If Mr. Obama does well, I will give him credit. But if he screws up, I won't be shy about complaining about it. Suck it up weenies. It's your turn now. The ball's in your court. The fix is up to you. And Mr. Obama will fail if he does what most of his voters want. I hope for his sake...he knows that.

[Enigma]

Showing class as always, Demon.....

Suck it up weenies. It's your turn now. The ball's in your court. The fix is up to you.
You've clearly, yet unsurprisingly, missed the point. It's up to all of us. All of us. The partisans full of hatred *ahem* will be left behind under a successful President of any political stripe, and rightly so.

This thread had a nice tone to match a good day up until now. Lets go back to our originally scheduled programming....

[baggygreen]

im just glad the inaugration went off without a hitch :up:

I wanna hear what his plan is the the 'new' financial system of which he spoke ( a few weeks back now, obviously not in his speech - the writer of which he owes a great deal). Needa know which shares to put my money into ;)

[August]

im just glad the inaugration went off without a hitch :up:

I wanna hear what his plan is the the 'new' financial system of which he spoke. Needa know which shares to put my money into ;)

You can't go wrong buying land...:yep:

[Sea Demon]

Showing class as always, Demon.....

Suck it up weenies. It's your turn now. The ball's in your court. The fix is up to you.
You've clearly, yet unsurprisingly, missed the point. It's up to all of us. All of us. The partisans full of hatred *ahem* will be left behind under a successful President of any political stripe, and rightly so.

This thread had a nice tone to match a good day up until now. Lets go back to our originally scheduled programming....

Nonsense, Enigma. You miss the point entirely. It was up to all of us when Mr. Bush was President as well. Left-wing trash simply decided not to participate. And were feverishly hateful and disrespectful for years. Now these same bottom feeding buffoons want peace and harmony? Forget it chump! The Democrats at this point will have to put up or shut up. The buck stops at Mr. Obama's desk. We won't give the same disrespect, nor will we make childish comparisons to Hitler with Obama. And I will root for Obama when it comes to the war effort and dealing with the terrorist threat that hasn't gone away now that he has been "ordained".

Sorry bud, you won't shut anybody up. His presidency begins right now despite all the hoopla. Suck it up. The only partisans of hatred have come from the left of the past 8 years. I don't see that level of discord for Obama from the right. But there will be plenty of discontent and dissent. Get used to it.

[baggygreen]

im just glad the inaugration went off without a hitch :up:

I wanna hear what his plan is the the 'new' financial system of which he spoke. Needa know which shares to put my money into ;)
You can't go wrong buying land...:yep:ugh, please don't mention land. Trying to organise land and a builder with my fiancee at the moment, and its a headache beyond belief!

[Falkirion]

Congrats to America, glad to see nobody decided to pull an assassination attempt on his first day in office.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Showing class as always, Demon.....

Suck it up weenies. It's your turn now. The ball's in your court. The fix is up to you.
You've clearly, yet unsurprisingly, missed the point. It's up to all of us. All of us. The partisans full of hatred *ahem* will be left behind under a successful President of any political stripe, and rightly so.

This thread had a nice tone to match a good day up until now. Lets go back to our originally scheduled programming....

Nonsense, Enigma. You miss the point entirely. It was up to all of us when Mr. Bush was President as well. Left-wing trash simply decided not to participate. And were feverishly hateful and disrespectful for years. Now these same bottom feeding buffoons want peace and harmony? Forget it chump! The Democrats at this point will have to put up or shut up. The buck stops at Mr. Obama's desk. We won't give the same disrespect, nor will we make childish comparisons to Hitler with Obama. And I will root for Obama when it comes to the war effort and dealing with the terrorist threat that hasn't gone away now that he has been "ordained".

Sorry bud, you won't shut anybody up. His presidency begins right now despite all the hoopla. Suck it up. The only partisans of hatred have come from the left of the past 8 years. I don't see that level of discord for Obama from the right. But there will be plenty of discontent and dissent. Get used to it.

I'd be careful about assuming where "the buck stops". FDR led this country into unmitigated economic and foreign policy failure for 12 years, and he's considered one of the greatest presidents in history. Woodrow Wilson was directly responsible for the harsh terms of the Versailles treaty, which laid the foundations of ww2. JFK saved us from the Cuban missile crisis, and also started it by placing missiles in Turkey. All of them are considered to be some of the greatest presidents we ever had.

Like President Bush, in the first 6 years of his administration (and aguably, in the last 2) , I think you'll be shocked as to how little President Obama's policies and their effects have to do with his image.

[Skybird]

It could only become better, and the man is inspiring, which could activate a lot of support and action from his nation's people - and as a matter of fact already has. I do not expect him being able to fulfill all the interstellar expectations people have because of him, nor do I mistake popularity with efficiency, and so I will wait and see and judge him by what he does, and what he aims for in deed and intention. He certainly deserves a fair chance to prove himself.

I wish him luck, and I wish us all more realistic expectations. It is not guaranteed to become a great presidency indeed, for the problems are monumental, and probably never before had an American president to accept such a heavy burden like Obama (I include the civial war era and WWII in that assessment) - but it has had a promising overture to become right that. There is a solid chance - not a guarantee, but right that: a solid chance. Now Americans should help him to make something out of it. If he is left to himself, he necessarily must fail.

[longam]

Becoming the President of the United States of America is like having a child, you don't get any sleep for 4 years.

God's Speed Sir!

[Skybird]

I have to admit I am younger and don't remember Bush II's initial inauguration at all, or if I even paid attention to it. Do these things always get so much media attention and celebration, or would you say this year's inauguration stands out more?
It does, really. Bush' limousine was left standing undecided in the middle of the road for ten minutes because of protests and small riots. The whole event was much more "intimate", not plagued by too much consensus, to put mildly. That it was also raining just gave the right theatralic scene to the overall telling of the story.

Check videos at youtube on Bush inauguration 2001, I don't link you directly since I think it is time to leave Bush behind in the darkness of history and forget about that guy, but I saw some real nasty ones there. There was plenty of protest from day one on, and the inauguration day saw plenty of partly violent riots. No comparison at all to the optimism and enthusiasm you have seen today. Today it was a people's celebration, with people feeling relived and feeling almost liberated from a heavy burden. Americans even celebrated in German cities, and probably still do so.

The speeches 2001 and 2009 also do not compare in inspiration and message. Today it was a highlight (I have just read it in full), 8 years ago it was lame and boring (I've read it yesterday).

[Enigma]

Nonsense, Enigma. You miss the point entirely. It was up to all of us when Mr. Bush was President as well. Left-wing trash simply decided not to participate. And were feverishly hateful and disrespectful for years. Now these same bottom feeding buffoons want peace and harmony? Forget it chump! The Democrats at this point will have to put up or shut up. The buck stops at Mr. Obama's desk. We won't give the same disrespect, nor will we make childish comparisons to Hitler with Obama. And I will root for Obama when it comes to the war effort and dealing with the terrorist threat that hasn't gone away now that he has been "ordained".

Sorry bud, you won't shut anybody up. His presidency begins right now despite all the hoopla. Suck it up. The only partisans of hatred have come from the left of the past 8 years. I don't see that level of discord for Obama from the right. But there will be plenty of discontent and dissent. Get used to it.

I don't need to shut anybody up. If you watched TV today, you see where the chips lie. Republicans and their unwavering supporters, right or wrong, were told to shut up in the elections. It speaks for itself.


Bush approval rating in 2000 = 73%. What is it now? (See, I was one of those people that supported Mr. Bush once upon a time. He lost my support. you are the in the 25%, the fringe, if you will, that still think he was a good President.)
And with all that "hatred" from the left, he managed to get re-elected? :lol: What a joke. Guess that argument just doesn't hold water, does it, sunshine. :sunny:

Other than that, I have nothing to say to this misguided, maniacal rant.

[heartc]

Based on my own opinion, I would have prefered John McCain. A former naval aviator, opting for a second Tour of Duty, then a POW who refused to be release early, based on the code "first in, first out", in spite of his "pedigree", thus earning a long time in sole confinement - there was nothing I ever heard about him from his political enemies that would have deconsturcted his character, which means there was NO way to do so. In my view, what better kind of president could you wish for? Who doesn't only
*talk*, but instead already gave *proof* of his dedication to his country?

On the other hand though, I'm also happy with President Obama. For three reasons:

1. Me being a German, and seeing how the Bush government was REALLY totally INEPT and maybe even just UNINTERESTED in COMMUNICATING their policy and reasoning behind it properly towards Europe, had me ended up in a constant struggle trying to explain it. Not neccessarily justify it - sometimes just trying to explain. You see, almost the complete media landscape here is rather left. Rather left from a German / European point of view. From an American point of view, it isn't "rather left", instead you would say it's downright commie ****, all of it.
So, while I myself - if I lived in a vacuum - would have prefered a Republican President, namely John McCain, I'm on the other hand happy with President Obama because I have no doubt that his Presidency will lead to renewed and more positive US-German relations. Which is exactly what I was trying to achieve at least in my limited environment when I tried to get Bush's points accross WHILE YOUR STATE DEPARTMENT or foreign service didn't give a **** about how America is recieved by her allies / affiliates. I'm a friend of the United States, and I whish to even go and live there at some point, but I'm also a German. I love my country, and it made me sick over all those years in the past to see the hatred that has formed intself in this country towards the US. So I hope having a Dem' President in the US, and now especially Pres. Obama, will at least not worsen the relationship any further. Note that I surely do not agree on the reasons of this hostilitiy that was engineered here against the US over the last few years - it's just that those "engineers" will have a much harder time to continue their Anti-American agenda with Pres. Obama than they had with Pres. W. Bush.

2. Always when I tried to tell something good about America, like, her being the oldest democracy in the modern world, people told me, "Hey look, there's a lot of racists over there!!!11!!. The Black guys still don't have a chance" (never mind that e.g. in Munich, you have clubs where all the foreigners go who are not interested in learning German, and clubs where all the Germans, or where all the rich folk go, who are not intersted in talking to anyone who doesn't drive a BMW Z4 or similar), and while they are at it, they also use to come up with that "genocide on the Indians (=Native Americans)" kind of thing.
I was always trying to tell them that, yes, there might still be racists in the US, but the general climate has long changed, and there were many people in the past who fought for that, and because America is a country based on the idea of FREE PEOPLE, they can achieve things that leave racism behind. Well, people here wouldn't believe me and think I'm just talking out of my ass.
So now that you guys voted a "black" man into office, I hope that this Anti-American prejudice is now finally gone for good. I'm not saying that there are no people in the US who might have a problem with that. I'm saying that all countries have people with prejudices EVERYWHERE. But you, America, have now proven AGAIN, and this time IN FULL THROTTLE, that the FREEDOM and OPPORTUNITY you guys keep talking about, is NOT just a mere word in your country. With this vote, you did put a full shove of SAND into the mouths of those who belittled and ridiculed your idea of FREEDOM from ashore, who - most of the time - were not able to grasp that because they are ACTUAL racists themselvses.

3. I believe Mr. President Obama is an honest broker. While, again, I myself would have prefered McCain, I think that President Obama is not a lieing fool either. The only thing I'm afraid of is that he might steer your country into a one way road that many contries in Europe have long walked and hit the wall at the end of that road. But you are dynamic, you give him a chance, and you watch it. Give him that chance, and see what he comes up with. I don't believe you will watch your country be destroyed - hell, it's why you guys left Europe, after all. Because you wanted to try something else. And you did good so far. If he starts running you aground, you will vote him or his agenda away in time. You are the oldest functioning democracy in the modern world. And you brought that democracy back to a lot of other countries, even if they don't want to admit that out of a wrong understood sense of pride.

Be proud of your President.
Be proud of your country.
And, most importantly, be proud of your people. Because you are who made America.

And don't listen to those who hate you. Envy is the original human sin.


<S!>

http://flo-darmstadt.com/images/GermanAmericanFlag%20logo.jpg

[OneToughHerring]

Congratulations USA and all that.

I can't sleep since I have the flu and some fever so I'm pretty tired so forgive typing mistakes.

heartc,

for being "the oldest democracy" (not sure if that's the truth) USA has a strange way of giving the president lots of power. And with the US being a significant nation in the world, 'the leader of the free world' as they say, it means that this one person has huge power overall.

So, does it make much sense to go that way? I mean isn't democracy and parlamentarism etc. about taking the power away from 'dieties', godlike-figures, pharaos and kaisers etc. and giving the power to the people? Or if not the people then at least some of their chosen people?

And the thing about US presidents, it's as if come election time the crimes of the previous president just kind of vanish like they never existed. What is this about? Overall US popularity is at the lowest it's been maybe ever. And it'll take a lot more than just Barry to fix that.

edit. And I'm not "Stinking drunk in Trinidad" like my avatar text says. Wish I was, I really just have a flu.

[Sea Demon]

I don't need to shut anybody up. If you watched TV today, you see where the chips lie. Republicans and their unwavering supporters, right or wrong, were told to shut up in the elections. It speaks for itself.


Bush approval rating in 2000 = 73%. What is it now? (See, I was one of those people that supported Mr. Bush once upon a time. He lost my support. you are the in the 25%, the fringe, if you will, that still think he was a good President.)
And with all that "hatred" from the left, he managed to get re-elected? :lol: What a joke. Guess that argument just doesn't hold water, does it, sunshine. :sunny:

Other than that, I have nothing to say to this misguided, maniacal rant.

Hysteria is what I currently see. For all this hysteria, he has yet to actually do anything. In the "How Obama got elected" vid it clearly showed the ignorance of those who voted for Obama in a clear statistical random sample. Amazingly, most Obamites polled thought that Republicans controlled Congress. Despite Bush's approval ratings, the Democrats running Congress rated much lower. If the voters of Obama had any common sense and actual knowledge about who has been holding the purse strings, perhaps they would have known who to punish. They didn't. Unfortunately they proved to be too stupid to know what the hell was going on. Get used to the judging of Obama's performance. It begins today.

You of course may continue to flow in your hero worship if you please.

You guys on the left wing fringes calling for all this unity now really crack me up. Republicans have been calling for unity since 9/11/01. You're dangerously late to the party.

You're merely a joke. Just how much depends on how many promises Mr. Obama breaks to his voters. So far we're continuing Mr. Bush's war, continuing Mr. Bush's tax initiatives, and Obama's wavering about Gitmo. The only thing that remains to be seen is if his voters are wise enough to catch on. I'm putting money on it that they don't. You haven't shown that you haven't a clue about some of the continuity. Go figure.

[August]

Congratulations USA and all that.
Yeah thanks and all that... :roll:

[heartc]

Congratulations USA and all that.

I can't sleep since I have the flu and some fever so I'm pretty tired so forgive typing mistakes.

heartc,

for being "the oldest democracy" (not sure if that's the truth) USA has a strange way of giving the president lots of power. And with the US being a significant nation in the world, 'the leader of the free world' as they say, it means that this one person has huge power overall.

So, does it make much sense to go that way? I mean isn't democracy and parlamentarism etc. about taking the power away from 'dieties', godlike-figures, pharaos and kaisers etc. and giving the power to the people? Or if not the people then at least some of their chosen people?

And the thing about US presidents, it's as if come election time the crimes of the previous president just kind of vanish like they never existed. What is this about? Overall US popularity is at the lowest it's been maybe ever. And it'll take a lot more than just Barry to fix that.

edit. And I'm not "Stinking drunk in Trinidad" like my avatar text says. Wish I was, I really just have a flu.#

Maybe you should inform yourself better before you ascribe the President of the U.S. "god-like power". It doesn't work like that over there.

As to the "crimes of the previous president" - well, if I wouldn't think you are still young, and thus not evil but rather disinformed, I wouldn't have been bothered to even respond at all. Of course, next you will tell me you are 50+. Who knows? That's the thing with the internet. Either way, let's just say that I don't want to talk about these "crimes of the previous president", OK? When I said I myself would have prefered McCain, you should get the drift where I come from. Regardless, it is hard to discuss the Bush policy even in person. It is near impossible to do so on "the Internets", especially when you already start off with an entry like that ("crimes") and half the world following it - half of which are from places that almost define themselves through hatred towards the US - will jump into the discussion at every second word.

Let's just say I have no interest to enter into that discussion. Not because I dislike you, but because I'm tired. I used to run these discussions in real life as well as the net, and a few years of that is about enough. It's over now. Bush is gone, so be happy. I didn't make my above posting because I wanted to discuss the points I made there. I made my posting because I wanted to *give* my points. But I will not discuss them - for the *nth* time.
If you indeed believe that W. Bush was a criminal - well, then yeah, you should have a good feeling about a United States of America for the simple fact that by their constitution no President can BE ELECTED for office more often than TWICE. They came up with that idea exactly because otherwise they could have stayed in Europe. In my eyes, that makes all the "Bush = Hitler" (and, by proxy, US = Dictatorship) talk of a number of confused Europeans seem more than just sad. It makes them look pretty dumb instead.

I'm too tired for this crap. Please try find somebody else to discuss the "criminal US". I'm sure you'll find plenty.

[OneToughHerring]

August,

Well sorry if I sound insensitive about your time of celebrations. It's just that I'd rather celebrate the accomplishments of your prez and not the ritualistic part of the whole thing.

heartc,

well, I didn't meant to begin an epic debate, I just wanted to comment on that one thing you wrote about US being the oldest democracy. Just said what was on my mind about the whole hoopla, I hope I still have the right to do that.

[breadcatcher101]

I always thought we were a republic. Whatever. Sometimes it seems to make no difference.

Thank all of you from outside the USA for your words.

I have been a member here for a few months now and find that most of you have a brain and although a lot don't agree it is handled in a polite manner--most of the time-- and it is not like some forums where it is more like 49 monkeys screaming from the tops of branches.

[AVGWarhawk]

Congrats to America, glad to see nobody decided to pull an assassination attempt on his first day in office.

CIA picked up a guy a few days ago who was blogging just that.

[Stealth Hunter]

I always thought we were a republic. Whatever. Sometimes it seems to make no difference.

We were a republic 200 years ago, but anymore we're kind of a mix in a blurry soup of doctrines and motives.

[Onkel Neal]

Actually there's a big difference between the conservative, traditional Republican people who turned out for Bush's inaugurations and these Democrat supporters who swamped the capitol for the Obama's inauguration. If there are going to be violent protests and no class boo'ing at an inauguration, we know where it comes from. You don't expect Republicans to protest and riot during a Democratic (or any) Presidential inauguration, do you? :)

These rioters and protesters are brainless retards who always aim for the wrong target. Always massing at a IMF summit or a G-8 summit... There was an outrageous, truly henious crime that took place recently, where are the protesters? Drunk on their Obama Kool-aide, I suppose.

[kiwi_2005]

First time ive watched it on tv, i bet that helicopter the president will use is armored to the teeth with out of this world protection +50 anti terrroist armor with -13% pro-arcane steadyshot sniper defectors :p Sry just having a mmo moment.

Congrats America has a Black President. Amazing, pie in the face for those doubters including myself.:)

[SandyCaesar]

Based on my own opinion, I would have prefered John McCain. A former naval aviator, opting for a second Tour of Duty, then a POW who refused to be release early, based on the code "first in, first out", in spite of his "pedigree", thus earning a long time in sole confinement - there was nothing I ever heard about him from his political enemies that would have deconsturcted his character, which means there was NO way to do so. In my view, what better kind of president could you wish for? Who doesn't only
*talk*, but instead already gave *proof* of his dedication to his country?

On the other hand though, I'm also happy with President Obama. For three reasons:

1. Me being a German, and seeing how the Bush government was REALLY totally INEPT and maybe even just UNINTERESTED in COMMUNICATING their policy and reasoning behind it properly towards Europe, had me ended up in a constant struggle trying to explain it. Not neccessarily justify it - sometimes just trying to explain. You see, almost the complete media landscape here is rather left. Rather left from a German / European point of view. From an American point of view, it isn't "rather left", instead you would say it's downright commie ****, all of it.
So, while I myself - if I lived in a vacuum - would have prefered a Republican President, namely John McCain, I'm on the other hand happy with President Obama because I have no doubt that his Presidency will lead to renewed and more positive US-German relations. Which is exactly what I was trying to achieve at least in my limited environment when I tried to get Bush's points accross WHILE YOUR STATE DEPARTMENT or foreign service didn't give a **** about how America is recieved by her allies / affiliates. I'm a friend of the United States, and I whish to even go and live there at some point, but I'm also a German. I love my country, and it made me sick over all those years in the past to see the hatred that has formed intself in this country towards the US. So I hope having a Dem' President in the US, and now especially Pres. Obama, will at least not worsen the relationship any further. Note that I surely do not agree on the reasons of this hostilitiy that was engineered here against the US over the last few years - it's just that those "engineers" will have a much harder time to continue their Anti-American agenda with Pres. Obama than they had with Pres. W. Bush.

2. Always when I tried to tell something good about America, like, her being the oldest democracy in the modern world, people told me, "Hey look, there's a lot of racists over there!!!11!!. The Black guys still don't have a chance" (never mind that e.g. in Munich, you have clubs where all the foreigners go who are not interested in learning German, and clubs where all the Germans, or where all the rich folk go, who are not intersted in talking to anyone who doesn't drive a BMW Z4 or similar), and while they are at it, they also use to come up with that "genocide on the Indians (=Native Americans)" kind of thing.
I was always trying to tell them that, yes, there might still be racists in the US, but the general climate has long changed, and there were many people in the past who fought for that, and because America is a country based on the idea of FREE PEOPLE, they can achieve things that leave racism behind. Well, people here wouldn't believe me and think I'm just talking out of my ass.
So now that you guys voted a "black" man into office, I hope that this Anti-American prejudice is now finally gone for good. I'm not saying that there are no people in the US who might have a problem with that. I'm saying that all countries have people with prejudices EVERYWHERE. But you, America, have now proven AGAIN, and this time IN FULL THROTTLE, that the FREEDOM and OPPORTUNITY you guys keep talking about, is NOT just a mere word in your country. With this vote, you did put a full shove of SAND into the mouths of those who belittled and ridiculed your idea of FREEDOM from ashore, who - most of the time - were not able to grasp that because they are ACTUAL racists themselvses.

3. I believe Mr. President Obama is an honest broker. While, again, I myself would have prefered McCain, I think that President Obama is not a lieing fool either. The only thing I'm afraid of is that he might steer your country into a one way road that many contries in Europe have long walked and hit the wall at the end of that road. But you are dynamic, you give him a chance, and you watch it. Give him that chance, and see what he comes up with. I don't believe you will watch your country be destroyed - hell, it's why you guys left Europe, after all. Because you wanted to try something else. And you did good so far. If he starts running you aground, you will vote him or his agenda away in time. You are the oldest functioning democracy in the modern world. And you brought that democracy back to a lot of other countries, even if they don't want to admit that out of a wrong understood sense of pride.

Be proud of your President.
Be proud of your country.
And, most importantly, be proud of your people. Because you are who made America.

And don't listen to those who hate you. Envy is the original human sin.


<S!>

http://flo-darmstadt.com/images/GermanAmericanFlag%20logo.jpg

Thank you, just for that. There's a point of view that I've never seen before!

And yes, we're probably all being extremely enthusiastic, perhaps overly so. However, this is a turning point, whether or not you believe that Mr. Obama will or will not accomplish his stated goals. Aren't we all entitled to at least hope that what tomorrow holds in store will be better than today? Maybe historians will look back and see Obama as the second Lincoln, or maybe as the second Harding. But that's the future. Right now, at this occasion, there is the definite potential for something great to happen--and just because we like to focus on that doesn't mean we're blind to the possibility of disaster.

So here's to the hope of the next four years; may they be better than what we have faced.

[Enigma]

Seadeamon,

Waaaah.

Sincerely,

Enigma.

[Sea Demon]

Seadeamon,

Waaaah.

Sincerely,

Enigma.

I give your rebuttal a D-. Same old nonsense. Different hour. :roll:

[Tchocky]

Might as well post the speech.

********************************************

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. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

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. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

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 short-cuts 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 ploughed 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. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

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. 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. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

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 - 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 the 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 we are ready to lead once more. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the 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 spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologise 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, 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. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif

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 - honesty and hard work, 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 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. Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

[Bewolf]

Watched the whole process live via internet streaming. The man certainly is inspiring, even though his speech was pretty much what was to be expected.

Congrats to that new President nevertheless. This was history in the making, what comes in the future has to be seen now.

[Digital_Trucker]

Republicans and their unwavering supporters, right or wrong, were told to shut up in the elections. It speaks for itself.
As far as the popular vote goes, that statement makes no sense. A 7% margin is hardly being told to shut up (especially when you consider the unprecedented amount of money spent to win the election). Slightly less than 53% of the popular vote is hardly a landslide.

[Konovalov]

Slightly less than 53% of the popular vote is hardly a landslide.
Agreed. Just a clear majority. Obama won significantly more of the electoral college vote compared to the previous President George W Bush (both elections) and similar numbers to Clinton. On the popular vote Clinton never managed to reach 50% while G W Bush won 50.7% of the popular vote back in 2004.

[Skybird]

Next consider turnouts at the polls.

Obama got the highest poll in 100 years, 66% of all people who legally could vote, went to the elections. At Bush's second vote, he only got 55% of possible voters going to the polls. Kennedy had a poll rate of 63%, second to that of Obama.

It all means that Obama in total numbers got significantly more American people voting for him than any president before him, at least since a very long time.

All that is history now. I think Americans are well-advised to leave these quarrels behind now. I would even say it is of the essence, and several decisions and acts by Obama clearly demonstrate that he also sees it like this. The man is in office now, period. That means a solid chance for something better in the future - so let's make something of it.

[TDK1044]

So much hostility and the guy hasn't finished dancing yet. Too funny! :D

Obama is eloquent and charismatic. He's also pretty smart, and he has managed to inspire a lot of young Americans to become politically aware and to not tolerate their Government as being a bunch of out of touch old farts out for their own good and controlled by lobbyists.

I think the message is that it doesn't much matter whether your Government is big or small, what matters is that it understands and meets the needs of the people who it's there to serve.

There are huge issues to deal with, and making the kind of changes that Obama talks about will take a decade or longer.

Let's see where we are four years from now. :)

[Kapt Z]

Congratulations with your new president, I know we have to wait what he is going to mean for you and us (outside the US), but for the moment a well-meant hurray?:yep:

A very special day indeed. I wish I could have been there.:D

[Onkel Neal]

Slightly less than 53% of the popular vote is hardly a landslide.
Agreed. Just a clear majority. Obama won significantly more of the electoral college vote compared to the previous President George W Bush (both elections) and similar numbers to Clinton. On the popular vote Clinton never managed to reach 50% while G W Bush won 50.7% of the popular vote back in 2004.

Without googling it, I think Clinton only garnered 45% or so in his election, but that was due to the presence of Perot as an Ind. candidate siphoning off ~15% of the vote.

he has managed to inspire a lot of young Americans to become politically aware and to not tolerate their Government as being a bunch of out of touch old farts out for their own good and controlled by lobbyists.


yeah, just think if one of the Jonas bros. or Hannah Montana were to be elected President :arrgh!:

I found Obama's inaugural adress interesting. It was not elequent or poetic, it was a little untraditional (it took shots at the previous administration, something inauguaral speeches don't do), and it mixed some very substantial traditional American values in it, such as celebrating risk-takers and accepting self-responsibility.

Peggy Noonan's analysis of Obama's speech. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123248758908299555.html)

[TDK1044]

yeah, just think if one of the Jonas bros. or Hannah Montana were to be elected President :arrgh!:


We live in an era, Neal, where people can tell you who won American Idol but have no idea who their State representatives are. These people serve on jurys and get to vote. Sad but true.

Obama was smart enough to tap into the way that young Americans communicate and learn. It's not by watching CNN or Fox News, or God forbid by reading newspapers....its by Blogging, Texting, E-mailing, IMing etc.

Once you understand and tap into that mind set, and then you're also smart enough to offer the middle class voters a scenario where they can always look to Government to solve their problems in life with Grants, Loans, Mortgages etc, you create an environment where it will be very difficult for any Republican to get elected President over the next 20 years.

I think the Obama strategy is brilliant. You tap into and motivate the youth of the Country like no other politician ever has, and then you give their parents the drug of never having to look out for themselves because there's always some Government Department there to help them.

The best play on human nature I've ever seen...and it'll work too.

[AVGWarhawk]

Noonan's analysis is good and I believe accurate. I strongly agree with Noonan that Obama is getting his daily security briefings, this was evident with his tone weeks ago and change of plans in most instances. There are more problems than the general public are allowed to see. In short, Obama has been enlightened to many problems that he was not privy too before winning the election. It paints a much different picture.

You know what though, here we have a young guy, multitasks, concerned, ready to go full steam ahead and has the energy to do so. That is a good thing.

[OneToughHerring]

One question remains...wtf had Chief Justice Roberts been drinking before he decided to show up? I mean, how many mistakes did he make? The guy who is supposed to swear in the new president...fugs up royally. I mean, that had to be on purpose, they are still that bitter about the whole thing so they tried to mess with the oath.

"I will execute the office of the President to the United States faithfully"?

[AVGWarhawk]

One question remains...wtf had Chief Justice Roberts been drinking before he decided to show up? I mean, how many mistakes did he make? The guy who is supposed to swear in the new president...fugs up royally. I mean, that had to be on purpose, they are still that bitter about the whole thing so they tried to mess with the oath.

"I will execute the office of the President to the United States faithfully"?

I do not think anyone is bitter, specifically Roberts. I think he was freezing his butt off in front of 2 million people. There will be mistakes.

[Konovalov]

Noonan's analysis is good and I believe accurate. I strongly agree with Noonan that Obama is getting his daily security briefings, this was evident with his tone weeks ago and change of plans in most instances. There are more problems than the general public are allowed to see. In short, Obama has been enlightened to many problems that he was not privy too before winning the election. It paints a much different picture.

You know what though, here we have a young guy, multitasks, concerned, ready to go full steam ahead and has the energy to do so. That is a good thing.
Agree with your thoughts on P Noonan's analysis of the Obama speech. Also agree with the rest of what you said there. :)

[Skybird]

I'm not into chasing shadows. The judge made a simple (and harmless) mistake of the kind that is just human. And Obamas tongue also fumbled as a conseqeunce - and the man smiled, a bit nervous, too. It gave the whole scene a sympathetic touch. After all he is still just a human. It made me smiling - not gloating, but in good will.

[TDK1044]

"Senator, repeat after me....I Barack Hussein Obama take you to be my wedded wife.....no, hang on that's not right...."

[Konovalov]

I do not think anyone is bitter, specifically Roberts. I think he was freezing his butt off in front of 2 million people. There will be mistakes.
Yep. :yep: Amazing what the freezing cold can do to ones thought processes. I wonder if President Obama has re-read the oath since that slip-up on the part of the Chief Justice. Just read this article (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5560165.ece)in the Times which asks the question: "Is Barack Obama really the President of the United States?" I have no doubts. The bloke is the 44th Pres.

The Fox News guys weren't so sure however if Obama had become President: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_LUtNway9x4

[Biggles]

The Fox News guys weren't so sure however if Obama had become President: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_LUtNway9x4

Still in denial, I guess;)

[TDK1044]

Obama became the president at noon before the oath was even read. FOX News should have a better understanding of constitutional law.

[Skybird]

FOX News should have a better understanding of constitutional law.Should they? I mean it's FOX.

[AVGWarhawk]

"Senator, repeat after me....I Barack Hussein Obama take you to be my wedded wife.....no, hang on that's not right...."

That is exactly what it was like and smirks/smiles and a few giggles=a mistake or two. Just humans being humans. Let's face it, it was an historical event, first black President and here is Chief Justice in the thick of it to get it done. You tell me, would your head not be spinning a little bit? Mine sure would. Your image forever in the history books....FOREVER...holding the Bible swearing in the first black President.

[SteamWake]

Next consider turnouts at the polls.

Obama got the highest poll in 100 years,

Yea but a goodly portion of the turnout was there to try (however futile) to stop the mania. Then you had your "Anyone but bush" contingent.

Lets not say the record turnout was only because it was Barry.

[TDK1044]

To a lot of the swing voters who usually decide elections, Obama represented hope and a new approach to how things should be done. John McCain represented business as usual.

it's as simple as that really.

[ReallyDedPoet]

To a lot of the swing voters who usually decide elections, Obama represented hope and a new approach to how things should be done. John McCain represented business as usual.

it's as simple as that really.

Yeah, plus Obama mobilized many who never took part in the voting process before, because of being disenchanted with the way things had always been done.
Cookie-cutter politics so to speak.


RDP

[AVGWarhawk]

To a lot of the swing voters who usually decide elections, Obama represented hope and a new approach to how things should be done. John McCain represented business as usual.

it's as simple as that really.
Yeah, plus Obama mobilized many who never took part in the voting process before, because of being disenchanted with the way things had always been done.
Cookie-cutter politics so to speak.


RDP

To further that notion, major cities were targeted. Contained within these major cities numerically speaking, are home to black Americans. The states that did the swinging were the states these major cities were concentrated on to get out the black vote. An example, Philly PA. That city was hit hard. Brilliant actually. I hope he runs the country just as crafty and as brilliantly as he did his campaign.

[Enigma]

I give your rebuttal a D-.

Like I give a ****.

[breadcatcher101]

Obama became the president at noon before the oath was even read. FOX News should have a better understanding of constitutional law.

Maybe they do, he had to re-take it.

[Stealth Hunter]

Obama became the president at noon before the oath was even read. FOX News should have a better understanding of constitutional law.

Maybe they do, he had to re-take it.

Actually, he didn't have to retake it if he didn't want to...

Their reporting quality is quite poor, like how they insinuated Al Franken had been part of some Democrat scandal.

[breadcatcher101]

Not "had been", but "is".

We will see how that one turns out, one scandal of many to come.

[Skybird]

Next consider turnouts at the polls.

Obama got the highest poll in 100 years,

Yea but a goodly portion of the turnout was there to try (however futile) to stop the mania. Then you had your "Anyone but bush" contingent.

Lets not say the record turnout was only because it was Barry.
So what? It still remains to be the highest turnout since 100 years. Some may want to argue that it has been that just becasue "anyone but bush", which says something about bush then (who was not to be elcted anyway), but I disagree. It has been the Obama-factor. The mystery X. The holy black light! :lol: Whatever, his popularity and inspiring effect is beyond any serious doubt. It seems that even Kennedy is left a bit pale beside him. :lol:

That also indicates the risk: I cannot remember any western politician ever getting put on such a high monument, like Obama, not even Kennedy, it seems to me. But I also think that Kennedy's presidency was carried by the inspiration he caused, but in political and factual effect, the Kennedy presidency imo is massively overestimated. I hope it goes different with Obama, and first indications say: it will go different indeed. He had a head-start into work from the week on he won the election in November, and in the past two weeks unfolded a breathtaking ammount of preparatory work. He was a sprinter in forming his cabinet. Whatever one thinks about Obama, one thing nobody can accuse him of: laziness. At the same time he does not give the impression to be an egomanic hectic know-it-all like Sarkozy is. that he studied the law in Harvard only can help him to avoid hip-fired laws createwd on the fast lane that are so invalid that the high Court sacks them (a hobby german politicians have developed over the past years: I don't know how man of their quickly created, unripe laws have been sacked by the constitutional Court again meanwhile). This is most obvious with the very complx and dangerous constellation of hidden legal traps and risks to creat unwanted precendets concerning the disolving of Gitmo. He will close it, I am sure, but he seems to have become aware meanwhile that maybe it will cost him more time than just 90 days in order to find out how to do it without creating new constitutional and legal damages. The problem is not a political one, but a legal one. And shows again what a damn mess Gitmo is - it is so messy that you even cannot easily get rid of it. :doh:

[breadcatcher101]

It was a good turnout. Probably less than 100 or so actually missed work.

[OneToughHerring]

Obama became the president at noon before the oath was even read. FOX News should have a better understanding of constitutional law.
Maybe they do, he had to re-take it.
Actually, he didn't have to retake it if he didn't want to...

Their reporting quality is quite poor, like how they insinuated Al Franken had been part of some Democrat scandal.
Well according to news he is going to re-take the oath. I wonder if it will be Chief Justice Roberts again giving him the oath or someone who is actually sane.

[Tchocky]

Retook the oath last night.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/01/21/obama_oath/index.html

[AVGWarhawk]

Retook the oath last night.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/01/21/obama_oath/index.html

Now they are belly aching because there was no Bible with this one. :roll: How about we just get someone to edit the oath on the Capital steps and dub in the oath from last night? Just a bit of movie magic and lets move on with it. :smug:

[Skybird]

Retook the oath last night.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/01/21/obama_oath/index.html

Now they are belly aching because there was no Bible with this one. :roll: How about we just get someone to edit the oath on the Capital steps and dub in the oath from last night? Just a bit of movie magic and lets move on with it. :smug:
Give Industrial Light and Magic a call, and you're done. :smug:

Seriously, they are focussing on this superficial verbalism too much. It's not the words but the spirit in which they are spoken, that counts. And spirit is not in doubt here.