President Obama's Inaugural Speech

Well, I think the speech was very understated. I think he's seen that he needs to scale back the goals his followers (yes, with their adulation of him, I say followers) seem to have set for him.

I'm not thrilled at the first development of putting a 12-day hold on activities at Gitmo. Trials were to start today where several were to plead guilty, now they're on hold. Any bets they might change their mind and see what new stance is taken with them?

And oh, I bet the new employees are loving their salary cap

***yawn*** The speech sounded like a resurrected campaign speech to me.

He ALWAYS cracks me up when he says (and he said it again yesterday)
"We live in the most prosperous, best country in the world, join me as we
re-make America"

I thought his speech was wonderful

That is pretty funny.

I cringed a little bit when he was sworn in. A little bit awkward!

he totally had a brain fart

Roberts screwed up the words. Obama paused to give him time to correct himself. Roberts didn't. Yes, it came off as being ackward but you can't blame that one on Obama.

I liked his speech for the most part. It had more of his campaign stump speeches than what I would have liked, but he did offer a number of points about how he wants to change the current problems (remnants of the exiting administration) with Bush sitting at his side. I wanted to see the look on Bush's face while Obama talked.

Oh yes, that was a very nice way to treat the exiting President, real classy of him.

Especially, since I have read how extremely hard Bush has bent over backwards to help Barack make this as easy a transition as possible.

"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."--President Barack Obama

Yes, we can!

Ahhhh, Beautifully said!

And Obama did it as tactfully as possible. How can anyone possibly talk about the way the country needs to reverse 8 years of bad policy decisions without it coming across as negative to the man at the head of those policies?

The majority of the country voted for change, and Obama wants to deliver that change. That change includes ridding ourselves of the current bad policies. Sorry, but that's not something that can be sugar coated.

And besides, if he had, you'd be criticizing for doing that. Give the man a chance.

I am not sure why that is funny.... Sounds like the truth to me!

"and the non-believers"

Woohoo! That's me! It's nice for someone to recognise that it's not just about different religions - that there's those of us who don't follow a religion, and I get the impression he believes in the separation of church and state.

The speech didn't really have anything new in it, and given that he's said so much already, there wasn't going to be anything new - just a rehash of the things that are most important to him.

I got shivers when they showed the crowd that he was talking to all stretched out. I can't imagine talking to that many people. They reckon there was around 1.8 million people in Washington watching from the various viewing areas. If nothing else, this man has inspired a lot of people, and given a lot of hope to people in one of the roughest times. Let's hope he can deliver!

I don't think he'll be able to implement the changes right away. I think it's going to take time. I just hope the world gives him a chance. I actually feel there is finally some Hope for the future of the US, and I see these changes helping WE, THE PEOPLE, and not just filling the pockets of the FAT CATS in Washington.

Bless your heart carolinalima.

I didn't watch it...I was at work, which was fine with me. I read the transcript later in the day.

Personally, the way he talked about how he really does intend to "re-make" America scares the heck out of me. Sorry, but that's the truth. Either this is the "best, most prosperous" nation, or it needs to be "re-made". I think it's pretty clear where he stands on this, that he truly wants to re-make the country, and that scares me. I think there's a lot of really great things that can be built upon. Maybe it's just a matter of semantics. I hope so, I really really do. But there were a lot of allusions to socialist ideas that is not what this country was founded on.

I'm not saying that there isn't room for improvement - there is, most definitely. I'm not saying that some of Bush's policies shouldn't be reversed - they should. I do think it was extremely disrespectful for him to allude to the idea that Bush destroyed the country in the inaugural speech. There is a time and a place - he did it plenty of times on the campaign trail and that's a big part of what won the election for him. I just didn't think this was the time or place.

I agree with what a few others have said, it sounded like another stump speech with more clouded language to assuage those who aren't completely of the same mindset.

All that being said, I will give the man a chance. I hope that he does come more to the center as most Presidents have (I said most, Bush doesn't really follow that one!). I hope that he does clean up the bureaucracy that plagues the country and the current programs that aren't working. I hope that his ideas work to make the country better and keep all of us safe. I truly do hope...

It's awkward wording. First he says the country is great and then says we need to change (remake) it. It's not really the contradiction it may seem. It's possible for the country to already be great and to still benefit from change.

I agree Heidi, that is just about exactly what Rush said on Hannity tonight.

Yes, this is true. Shame on Obama for having memorized what he was supposed to say!

(I'm being facetious. Also, my comment about it being a little bit awkward was awkward too, though I wasn't being facetious about that. )

no offense, but I pass on your blessing

I don't see it as a contradiction at all either... I think it IS a great country but the current circumstances clearly show that it needs changes.

That is the great thing about our country, we can change, we have changed. Change is good. If this wasn't a country full of people who wanted change we'd still be a British settlement The US has only been a country for a little over 300 years, we are babies when it comes to most of the rest of the world, yet we are the most powerful nation in the world- why do you think that is? We adapt instead of sticking our heads in the sand and hoping our problems go away on their own..... in other words, we change

But change in and of itself isn't necessarily good. The US changed a lot under Bush 43. I would venture a guess you wouldn't say that change was good.

I hope the changes that Obama wants to make are good changes. Sometimes I feel like people want to change just for change's sake. Change can be negative too. Just because it's different doesn't implicitly make it better.

The difference, though, is that in that one part of Obama's rhetoric that he has used before, he doesn't say he wants to "change" America for the better. He says he wants to "re-make" America.

I think that's the main reason I ended up voting for Nader I'd have been lots more comfortable with Obama if he'd just told us what he wanted to change it "to".

It's much ado over nothing. The Bushites got their knickers in a twist over the "Bushisms" thread (under Breaking Mews) and this is their way of retaliating.

I think this falls under the heading of, "Obamaisms" mschauer.

Hmm Roberts did correct himself, but Obama for some reason decided to say the words the way Roberts first said them, scrambled. He should have said "that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States", however he said "that I will execute the office of pres of the US faithfully" Thats why they had to re-do it. I think Roberts screwed up but because Obama was so nervous he said the wrong thing afterwards...

If nothing else, Obama's nervousness was a tad endearing.

I don't see a contradiction either. I know many people whose countries are impoverished, corrupt, etc but still absolutely love their countries and think that their country is great. To me, a country is not just its government, it's the people's ideals, their culture, even the landscape could be something that makes a country great. Re making the country does not mean tearing the constitution and becoming a dictator, he has no power to do that anyway. It just means new policies, upholding our ideals rather than giving them up for safety like Bush has been doing, and all of the other things he listed in his speech...