First of all, how about a big shout out to all those patriots on Wall Street for that rousing vote of confidence in America today – a nice 332 point dump to take the Dow below 8000 for the first time since Christ left Pittsburgh. Way to put country first boys.My favorite part of the speech:
“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.”
My favorite moment of the day: When Sasha Obama gave her dad the big thumbs up after his speech. That one (to borrow a phrase) is just too cute for words. Aretha wasn’t bad, either.
My favorite inauguration moment ever: It was January 1973. Nixon II. No, I didn’t vote for him, but I knew a girl whose dad was a VIP. He was invited to one of the main Inaugural Balls, gave the tickets to her, and she invited me. How could I resist? My date enjoyed an occasional cocktail so we stopped someplace before the Ball. By the time we arrived at the Air & Space Museum she’d pounded down a half dozen tequila shots and at least a couple beers. The Ball was a total bore, so after a couple more shooters we decided to blow that pop stand. My date got impatient waiting in the coat check line and went off solo to help herself. Soon, a security guy was dragging her out. I jumped in and before I knew it we were both being “escorted” out. We were fortunate that it was a more innocent time. If it happened today I be facing life in Guantanamo.
Good luck to us all.
My favorite moment of the day: When Sasha Obama gave her dad the big thumbs up after his speech. That one (to borrow a phrase) is just too cute for words. Aretha wasn’t bad, either.
My favorite inauguration moment ever: It was January 1973. Nixon II. No, I didn’t vote for him, but I knew a girl whose dad was a VIP. He was invited to one of the main Inaugural Balls, gave the tickets to her, and she invited me. How could I resist? My date enjoyed an occasional cocktail so we stopped someplace before the Ball. By the time we arrived at the Air & Space Museum she’d pounded down a half dozen tequila shots and at least a couple beers. The Ball was a total bore, so after a couple more shooters we decided to blow that pop stand. My date got impatient waiting in the coat check line and went off solo to help herself. Soon, a security guy was dragging her out. I jumped in and before I knew it we were both being “escorted” out. We were fortunate that it was a more innocent time. If it happened today I be facing life in Guantanamo.
Good luck to us all.
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22 comments:
I've been drinking champagne, mesmerized by every part of this fabulous celebration.
Maybe I ought to switch to tequila and put on a ball gown!
Yes...we can
Two lines stod out in the speech. Speaking to our enemies he said, "your own people will judge you , not by what you destroy, but by what you build." And then,"to all nations,we will extend our hand , if you unclinch your fist." Outside of that it was a i'll do my part,but you have to get off your ass also speach. good not great.
Its a very happy day. I'm going to jump out of character & have a drink myself. Hopfully with someone who looks & sings just like Aretha. Everyone join me, "you dont need a ticket ,you just get on board."
BTW, i hope Cheney was in a wheelchair because the entire NBA had him bent over a bar stool squealing the nite before.
I thought the speech was great. I thought it was particulary poignant when he put the siege of Khe Sanh on the same footing as Normandy and Gettyburg. With one simple sentence he put every Viet Nam veteran on the same moral and historical footing as every other veteran that took up arms in defense of their country. Nice job!
And that Sasha is indeed too cute for words. My daughter's nuts for her.
I gave BHO a fair shot and listened to his speech, and was unimpressed. Almost disappointed. In fact, I am unimpressed with the inauguration hooplah for ANY president... what a waste of money and resources. Seriously, all the sound and fury, for what? The change of executives, every 4 freakin' years. Imagine if every corporation in America put on (a scale) display of rediculousness every time they gained a new CEO. Appropriate for a monarchy, not for a democratic republic.
Anyway, welcome to the hot seat, Barack. Don't fuck it up.
It’s important to celebrate big things so we all remember they are important. And the peaceful, routine transfer of power is a one of the reasons this country is special. Plus, this is America. We likes to party now and then.
In my waiting room I saw a seventy something retired black man from copperweld cry. It was moving. Those that have used elusiveness of obtaining office as black man an excuse better hear Obama's word.I hope he doesn't get polarized and torn apart by both sides.Oh and the new caddy needs something it looks like a hummer. It looks like something a soviet premier would drive. I'm sure it cost a couple of millions, but how about some flare.Cautiously Optimistic.
Corporations do spend a wad when they change CEOs. It's called a golden parachute. At least we get to participate in the changing of the guard.
If you were around this town these last few days and saw the excitement and joy in the faces of so many who came here, you would not want to do away inauguration hoopla.
Plenty of people worked very hard to help pull off an improbable political feat. Millions of Americans, who have been told they were nobody, stood in the freezing cold for hours to witness something that almost nobody really thought would happen in this country. This, of all inaugurations, was one that deserved a party. When was the last time that nearly 2 million, largely young people, congregated in standing room only frigid weather for hours without anyone getting arrested?
He may be an abject failure as a President but for one brief moment the bs we hear about the US being the greatest turned out to be true. There is no where on earth that a person with Obama's background would rise to become the leader unless he did it at the point of a gun. That alone is reason enough to party.
Something occurred to me this morning... the same people who voted BHO into office also made "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" the number one movie in America this past weekend.
I can understand a little pomp and circumstance, but the amount of money spent on a celebration based on an elected official's racial background really is rediculous. It just proves to me that our country, or possibly even humanity, has not gotten past skin color. Seems the liberals are just using Obama's race as a pot sweetener.
Finally, (and this has nothing to do with anyone here, I am just using Uncle D's blog to vent) I am sick and tired of being accused of being a bigot or a racist when I express my displeasure with BHO being elected president. His color has nothing to do with it! If it were Colin Powell, Alan Keyes or Condi Rice I would have voted for them in a heartbeat. Hell, if BHO was conservative I would have voted for him. But my ideals, hopes and dreams prevent me from hopping on the Obama train. If you were as open minded and progressive as you claim, you would not label me or shun me based solely on my outward political views.
/rant
Nik -- are you speaking about people in general, or people on this blog? I re-read all the comments and didn't catch a hint that you were being accused of racism by anyone here.
If you are referring to society in general, I can appreciate your point. Before deciding to vote for Obama myself, I voiced strong support for McCain occasionally, and on more than one occasion it was suggested to me that I look into my heart to be sure I wasn’t a racist. I was very offended by this, so I may understand how you feel. I suggest that you chalk it up to some peoples’ need to feel morally superior to their fellow man – their failing, not yours -- and move on.
To The Nik: I never got the impression that you had problems with race. But now that you say you'd have voted for Condi Rice I realize your ahh lets see ahhh getting your info from the Dick Cheney newsletter.
No, nobody here - I think most if not all of your blog participants are far too logical to invoke such a base, emotional and meritless argument. But in real life I live in Portland, Oregon, and I am surrounded by both people (friends, coworkers, strangers) and media outlets that accusingly state "here was your opportunity to atone for being a white devil and make good for all the bad your horrible ancestors did to the blacks over the centuries... why wouldn't you vote for Barack other than the fact you are a souless racist? There is no excuse for your blatant bigotry". At least when I had the 'Gun owner. Voter. Nobama' sticker on my Audi nobody bothered me.
Conservatives are about to experience what it feels like to be a second class citizen.
Well, in the People's Republic of Oregon you have to expect that sort of treatment from time to time. I'm surprised your Audi wasn't covered in tofu and burned in a Vegan fertility ceremony.
Nik has my sympathies living there. I have cousins in Portland and Eugene. After going out to a wedding for one of the cousins, my daughter said her cousins are so far left that they make her fellow Manhattanites seem like founding members of the KKK.
She was a bit taken aback when the retired 60+ mother of the bride was rolling joints at the kitchen to take to the wedding.
But then given the solemn occasion of the wedding, she held off firing those rascals up until the reception.
KG - Given that you're in the 60+ category, you shouldn't be that surprised.
In a proper wedding, the ushers are responsible for rolling the pre ceremony joints. Quite a faux pas by the mother.
Nik, You had 2 terms of conservative administration. We've spent our way into the poor house in foreign wars and government has grown, if you agree the military is the government. Colin Powell was sandbagged by the just departed conservative administration as was John McCain. Ms Rice is an enabler for those who helped set the fire which Mr Obama will have to put out. If you didn't hear core American values underlined in the Inauguration Speech, you weren't listening to the same thing I was. Would you rather have Bill O'Reilley or Rush in the Oval Office? I don't know if your definition of conservative is the same as mine?
Four years ago Representative McDermott(D) and colleagues complained about the cost of Bush's second inauguration. They even discussed how many homeless people could have been fed and housed. President Obama's inauguration cost much more but I did not see a single comment on this issue. There must not be as many homeless people now.
Both NBC and ABC did stories about the cost of the inauguration and questioned couldn't this money be better spent. Drudge Report had a link to ABC News just the other day.
It seems as inane now as when the Democrats complained four years ago.
Although I would venture a guess that there are more homeless now than then.
Bird, you reiterate my point. Only a Portland resident would throw propriety out the window at her own daughter's wedding. Her nerves may have been on edge...she had to be worrying what her friends would think about that massive shoulder tattoo of her daughter's becoming somewhat cut off by the straps on the gown. No one would want the pirate’s good eye covered by a strap. Still, this was her only daughter's wedding and she should have left the rolling to the groomsmen. My daughter feels she can't show her face in her East Village neighborhood after such a faux pas.
3 points.
1) A smart speech but should have been way more positive and hopeful. His one chance to lie and act like it's gonna be OK. Plenty of time to be Jimmy Carter in the months ahead.
2) Conservatives who wonder why liberals are now so happy to crap on them ought to consider all the obnoxious gloating they did over last 8 years. When it comes to graciousness, you reap what you sow.
3) How do I get invited to more weedings, I mean weddings, in Oregon?
Ah, I missed the gloating - it must have been drowned out by the endless complaining and bitching by the liberals.
Hankster..."W" was a conservative?!?!?!?
Jeeeeeezusss!
A tax and spend, run up the deficit, grow the government, open the borders, imperialist/interventionist... that's a conservative?
Proof positive, Americans are so marinated in bullshit, they have NO IDEA of where the truth lies.
This nation DESERVES what it gets.
Here is your future:
Recession>depression>civil uprisings from the enlightened, non-sheeple>secession> BHO in second term gets to live his Lincoln fantasy by crushing dissidents>thousands die> the ultimate “change” results in the new United Sheeple of the Amerikas>States are obliterated>BHO fans cream their khakis as they sit cross legged, lock arms and sing “we are one at last.”
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