Brude Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 With or without the oath, the President changes over at 12:00 noon no matter what, so Obama was President before he took the oath, when the clock struck noon. Worse comes to worst, he can just say the oath in a back room somewhere as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwordoftheMorning Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I'll go out on a limb here and state the amount of hope, idealism and joy I feel at this day prolly dwarfs that of most of the board. (And yes, it's cause I'm Black. lol ) To paraphrase Michelle Obama, I DO finally feel that the American dream so treasured by millions finally includes me and mine. That the invisible barriers that limited how high a Black person could dream no longer exist. I have never, ever, ever been prouder of my country. To see us make a change that many if not most would have spoken out on as totally unrealistic, not just 50 years ago, or 20 years ago, hell FOUR years ago ... To see that myth destroyed is more gratifiying than most anything in my life short the birth of my kid or grandkid. Yes, the gross hypocrisy of Warren's speech galled me. Just goes to show there is just one of the first decisions Obama's made that I will never agree with. There will be more I'm sure. The Poet ? omg .... what utter claptrap. lol Glad she has a day job. The 'stumble' as it will always be known, was a great moment. He is not a saint, or a perfect man. If thats the worst mistake he and his team make over even the next 100 days, we'd all consider ourselves blessed. The speech was right on point. Straight-up honest is what we'd call it in the hood. No sugar coating, it's gonna take all of us stepping up and its still gonna be a tough row to hoe. Time to get busy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IheartTesla Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Tempra' post='1655443' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.19']Comments like that should not be uttered on a day of celebration. They are completely inappropriate.[/quote] Inappropriate? Did the pope die or something? No, a man was sworn in to an elected office. I feel perfectly comfortable being nauseated by religious ceremony in what is supposed to be a secular state. Not that Warren did any favors by his heavily Christian oriented invocation. I'll never understand why he's so popular. I'll accentuate the positive by saying Lowery was great. And congratulate Obama for doing what I didnt think was possible nary a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellis Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Unfortunately, because of a staff meeting that for reasons unclear was deemed more important than the inauguration, I missed most of it. Watching replays now. Did catch the poem. I wasn't sure whether it was the oral presentation of it, whether it would work better on paper. But it didn't sound much like a poem. Glad I wasn't the only one who though this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annelise Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='SwordoftheMorning' post='1655472' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.34']The speech was right on point. Straight-up honest is what we'd call it in the hood. No sugar coating, it's gonna take all of us stepping up and its still gonna be a tough row to hoe. Time to get busy![/quote] I agree. So far I've only read it, had a crisis so I missed watching it live. I didn't see it on youtube yet, will check back later for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deluge Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 The religiosity didn't bother me that much, I just went out and smoked during the prayer and the benediction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datepalm Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Lucky Pierre' post='1655413' date='Jan 20 2009, 20.02']Did anyone else get misty eyed seeing the helicopter with the Bush clan in it leaving. I felt badly for the guy... just a little....[/quote] Maybe not quite misty eyed, but I thought the moment when Obama went something like "i'd like to thank the outgoing administration" and then determindely stared at them as the crowd took just a bit too long to actually come up with a cheer was both a little pathetic and quite amusing. (maybe its just me) And Washington does look very lovely. I've seen it in films lots, but its usually getting blown up. Never realised all the famous stuff is basically in the same place. Congradulations, Americans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf2375 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Starkess' post='1655431' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.12']I did clap when he included "nonbelievers" in his litany of faiths, and everyone at my table gave me a funny look and I just shrugged and said "Hey, sometimes they forget about us!"[/quote] I didn't clap, but when he said that I did say "Wow, I'm impressed" which got a few looks for the same reason. Missed the inauguration and most of his speech, only caught the last 5 min or so; there were about 300 people in the cafe watching and he got a very significant round of applause. Even some people I know that are fervent Repubs were applauding - not much, but it's a start. Did like that choice that it was "non believer" rather than athiest/agnostic. OK, celebration over Mr President, it's your show now, lets see what you have. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deluge Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Oh, and also, did anyone else hear about the extent of the security there? Intense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarGalley Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Datepalm' post='1655493' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.53']And Washington does look very lovely. I've seen it in films lots, but its usually getting blown up. Never realised all the famous stuff is basically in the same place.[/quote] Washington is quite lovely, especially the area around the Lincoln Memorial imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Tempra' post='1655443' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.19']I don't have many grievances with your statement. But Saying you're "nauseated" at the religiosity of the event is intolerant. That is extremely negative on a day that we as a people should be coming together. But some people will always find a way to divide us. Shocking and pathetic. Comments like that should not be uttered on a day of celebration. They are completely inappropriate.[/quote] Please. After years of warrantless wiretapping, suspension of habeaus corpus, illegal detentions, torture, corruption, arrogance and disastrous foreign policy, I find it both perplexing and hilarious that you can work up shock over a (valid, IMO) complain about Rick Warren. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Progressive Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 A milestone in US history. Obama's political capital is extremely high right now, he'll be able to pass many of his agenda with a complying Congress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potsherds Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='TrackerNeil' post='1655502' date='Jan 20 2009, 19.02']Please. After years of warrantless wiretapping, suspension of habeaus corpus, illegal detentions, torture, corruption, arrogance and disastrous foreign policy, I find it both perplexing and hilarious that you can work up shock over a (valid, IMO) complain about Rick Warren. :rolleyes:[/quote] Actually, I think he might have been addressing me, I don't think TP said he was 'nauseated' by Rick Warren. If you were addressing me Tempra, with all sincerity, your opinion means less to me than nearly anyone else on this forum, and this particular post only reinforces that. Don't waste your time with me, I care not at all what you think or say. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempra Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='TrackerNeil' post='1655502' date='Jan 20 2009, 14.02']Please. After years of warrantless wiretapping, suspension of habeaus corpus, illegal detentions, torture, corruption, arrogance and disastrous foreign policy, I find it both perplexing and hilarious that you can work up shock over a (valid, IMO) complain about Rick Warren. :rolleyes:[/quote] It has nothing to do with complaints against Warren. It has to do with attacks on the 'religiosity' of the event. That's an attack on religion. I don't care that TP, or anyone, disagrees with Warren. But Potsherds comments were inappropriate. If you feel nauseated over religion itself, learn some manners and keep that thought to yourself on this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teri Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Greywolf2375' post='1655496' date='Jan 20 2009, 10.54']Did like that choice that it was "non believer" rather than athiest/agnostic.[/quote] I didn't; it defines a group in terms of what they don't believe rather than what they do. Plus putting the nonbelievers last, and by themselves rather than paired with another group, still makes them seem like they're given only grudging recognition. I think it would have been best to phrase it as "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Buddhists and secular humanists, Hindus and Jews", thus including secularity more plainly in the mainstream, and by putting a religion more in the minority in the middle of the list and one with more American adherents at the end, making clear that the order of mention was not value laden. But, hey, it's a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwordoftheMorning Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Tempra' post='1655517' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.12']It has nothing to do with complaints against Warren. It has to do with attacks on the 'religiosity' of the event. That's an attack on religion. I don't care that TP, or anyone, disagrees with Warren. But Potsherds comments were inappropriate. If you feel nauseated over religion itself, learn some manners and keep that thought to yourself on this day.[/quote] Potsherd didn't say she was "nauseated over religion", she said the "religiousty" of a secular event. I'm in the camp of Americans that wince when I see it happening, but have come to expect it. All in all, it coulda been worse, so I can overlook it. There are those that choose not to, and thats a valid expression. But to state her viewpoint is an "attack on religion" is completely incorrect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potsherds Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Teri' post='1655526' date='Jan 20 2009, 20.18']I didn't; it defines a group in terms of what they don't believe rather than what they do. Plus putting the nonbelievers last, and by themselves rather than paired with another group, still makes them seem like they're given only grudging recognition. I think it would have been best to phrase it as "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Buddhists and secular humanists, Hindus and Jews", thus including secularity more plainly in the mainstream, and by putting a religion more in the minority in the middle of the list and one with more American adherents at the end, making clear that the order of mention was not value laden. But, hey, it's a start.[/quote] Yeah, I have to agree. Identifying us as non-believers identifies us by what we lack that others have, and negatively so. I would rather that he included more nuance than Teri recommends, such as 'skeptics, secular humanists, non-religious, etc....' something like that. That we were included was a start, but the ceremony was so laden with the Christian deity that it's kind of a joke that anyone else was included at all. I really have a problem with so much of one particular religion included in a state ceremony for a so-called secular country. Did my tax-money pay for that? :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt' post='1655509' date='Jan 20 2009, 14.08']A milestone in US history. Obama's political capital is extremely high right now, he'll be able to pass many of his agenda with a complying Congress.[/quote] Let's hope so. With strong Democratic majorities in Congress and Barack Obama firmly in place in the White House, it's time to aggressively pursue a progressive agenda. We should reach out to the opposition where possible, but when the issue is sufficiently important (health care) we need to make the best legislation we can and then ram it through. Republicans who want to obstruct should be steamrolled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime L Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I've said it before, but I'm looking forward to [i]years[/i] of Obama speeches. Didn't think he said anything especially meaningful or unexpected in this speech but his skill at delivery makes him a riveting speaker. On the rhetorical highway, moving from Bush to him, is like upgrading from a Yugo to a Maserati. Really it is. Casts into stark relief the extent his predecessor butchered this language, and how, no, it really doesn't have to be this way. Also like that we're back to having the coolest head of state in the world. Feels pretty good, I'm not going to lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitestripe Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I liked it. Hope and change, it's what we need. I went home to snuggle with my honey on the couch and watched on CNN. Some a$$hole in my neighborhood is flying their American flag upside down and at half-mast today. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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