Inauguration Day 2021: Obama's 12-Hour Countdown in Washington D.C.

[Evo]

A number of Presidents never held public office. Dwight D. Eisenhower is a recent one, US military, NATO, to President.

 

[BobG]

Are you saying for certain that Obama's achievements will shadow Lincoln's?

No. I said: "The exact same statement could be made of Lincoln, when he became President."

So if by some measure, Obama has done nothing because he hasn't even finished one term in (US) Congress, then prior to being elected, Lincoln had done nothing either, by that same measure.

It's odds or luck, or are they the same thing?

Predicting the success or failure of a President by their amount of previous political experience seems to be a very inexact science. We have a very small sample size covering some vastly different periods of time.

We'll just have to see what happens. So far, William Henry Harrison's accomplishments outshine Obama's. Harrison had a much longer inauguration address.

 

[Gokul43201]

We have a very small sample size covering some vastly different periods of time.

Ignoring the minor issue of sample size, it would appear that the odds of anyone outliving a Presidential term if sworn in at an age greater than 68 is only 50%. That's an argument against picking McCain.

On the other hand, the average post-inaugural lifespan for the above sample is nearly 12 years. So, on the average, McCain would have lasted long enough for two Cleveland-like terms.

 

[BobG]

A number of Presidents never held public office. Dwight D. Eisenhower is a recent one, US military, NATO, to President.

Obama at least equals Eisenhower in the uniqueness of his name. They're the only two Presidents whose surnames didn't originate from the British Isles.

 

[mgb_phys]

It's a good job that DHS weren't around then - nobody with a German name would have been able to travel to the inauguration.

 

[BobG]

Maybe a better question than whether a person would have expected a black President before a woman President is whether a person would have expected a name like Obama before a name like Giuliani.

 

[Gokul43201]

Obama at least equals Eisenhower in the uniqueness of his name. They're the only two Presidents whose surnames didn't originate from the British Isles.

Roosevelt = field of roses (Dutch).

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The fact that Obama got elected is evidence of his brilliance. He organized the most successful fund raising campaign in history. He then made mince meat of the powerful Clinton machine and took down an old Washington pro who was willing to sell-out for a victory.

I am reminded of a comment made by Monica Crowley early in the primaries when she predicted that Hillary would club the baby seal to death, or something along those lines. Seems that like many who underestimated Obama, she was full of whale blubber. Why didn't she see it? Because like many people she is so full of partisan hooey that she is incapable of recognizing true political genius.

Early on, while I found him very appealing as a candidate, I too thought that Obama could not win. I thought he simply had too many strikes against him - his color, his name, his lack of political history, the Clinton machine. But in spite of virtually insurmountable odds, Obama went on to a enjoy a definitive victory. Anyone who thinks he won on rhetoric alone is oblivious to the facts of life.

 

[mgb_phys]

Don't forget Martin Van Buren

Hillary would club the baby seal to death

I always thought she was a prime example of the old quote that; "anybody that wants to be $POSITION that much - shouldn't be allowed to"

 

[misgfool]

A number of Presidents never held public office. Dwight D. Eisenhower is a recent one, US military, NATO, to President.

Are we talking in geological time scale?

 

[BobG]

Roosevelt = field of roses (Dutch).

Don't forget Martin Van Buren

Geez, you guys are killing me here. How could I know Roosevelt was Dutch when they drop the 'Van' that normally goes in front of it.

His first name was Martin? I thought his first name was Van, kind of like that Halen guy that sings.

Uh, maybe I'll just stop now.

Or actually look at a list of Presidents. I didn't think of Van Buren's name at all.

 

[mgb_phys]

Van Buren is interesting, he was the first president to be born after the revolution and so the first 'natural born american' one.

 

[Gokul43201]

Speaking of names and of the "natural born" clause, one of the strongest proponents of the clause, John Jay (the first Chief Justice of the USSC), is presumed to have insisted on its inclusion out of a suspicion towards the loyalty (or lack thereof) of a highly decorated German officer who was Inspector General of the Continental Army: a Baron by the name of Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Madrich Estonich Valvonet Candor von Steuben.

 

[mgb_phys]

I thought he just knew his history.
Supposedly Edward I (medieval king of England) as part of a peace treaty with wales agreed that he would not impose any ruler on them that spoke English. So he put his baby son in charge.
So the "natural born" clause was to stop the British putting a recently Americanized puppet in the white house.

Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Madrich Estonich Valvonet Candor von Steuben.

That could explain the American habit of putting the names of their generals on little name tags on their chest - it would make this guy bullet proof.

 

[Redbelly98]

Obama at least equals Eisenhower in the uniqueness of his name. They're the only two Presidents whose surnames didn't originate from the British Isles.

Really? I could have sworn O'Bama was Irish.

 

[mgb_phys]

Really? I could have sworn O'Bama was Irish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I love the song mgb. And I love the love.

Really? I could have sworn O'Bama was Irish.

I thought this was interesting.

Barack has Arabic, African and Swahili origins with general definitions of "blessed". Barack in Arabic means blessed one and is pronounced as Berik. The Hebrew form of this name would be Baruch, which also mean "blessed" (Barak, which is a Hebrew name meaning "lightning,"[1] is not etymologically related). A more literal Swahili definition is blessing, prosperity and abundance.[2]

http://wiki.name.com/en/Barack

The name Obama is said to be a Luo name (male) from Western Kenya. The name may be derived from "obam," meaning "bending" or "leaning." Obama is also surname in Japan and Equatorial Guinea.[1] In Japanese it means "little beach."[2]

http://wiki.name.com/en/Obama

I thought "Palin" meant "little beach"... must have been something else.

 

[mgb_phys]

I love the song mgb. And I love the love.

I love the way nobody (outside Ireland) realizes that they are taking the mick out of the Irish - not out of Obama.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I love the way nobody (outside Ireland) realizes that they are taking the mick out of the Irish - not out of Obama.

taking the mick out of the Irish? Ich verstehe das nicht.

 

[mgb_phys]

Inauguration -so good they did it twice.
Apparently Chief Justice Roberts didn't say 'simon says' so they had to do it again -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7843881.stm

 

[phyzmatix]

Inauguration -so good they did it twice.
Apparently Chief Justice Roberts didn't say 'simon says' so they had to do it again -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7843881.stm

Rather safe than sorry huh?

 

[LowlyPion]

Inauguration -so good they did it twice.
Apparently Chief Justice Roberts didn't say 'simon says' so they had to do it again -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7843881.stm

What did he have to do? Repeat after me? Then read a card? That was his entire part for the day? And he blew it?

Amazingly Obama was Mr. Cool. He knew the guy just choked up a hair ball and waited for him to correct his flub. Given the number of things that Obama managed flawlessly and with humor and aplomb throughout the entire long ritual day, Roberts came off as an unprepared twit. And nominally he's supposed to be our Chief Justice? Oy. Another Bush screw up to remind the Nation of his Presidency for decades to come. And all to assuage his NeoCon ideologue buddies? Double Oy.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Joe's joke about Roberts didn't seem to go off well with Obama today.

 

[LowlyPion]

Joe's joke about Roberts didn't seem to go off well with Obama today.

I think Obama is not one to tear down others. I think his preference is to work cooperatively. I think Joe is however not yet cured of his partisan fever.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That's the way that I read it as well.

Joe's probably going to spend a good bit of time in the woodshed over the next eight years.

 

[LowlyPion]

That's the way that I read it as well.

Joe's probably going to spend a good bit of time in the woodshed over the next eight years.

I don't think so. Obama is a generous spirit. And I rather suspect that the grace he would show his opponents he would also in good measure extend to his friends.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I don't think so. Obama is a generous spirit. And I rather suspect that the grace he would show his opponents he would also in good measure extend to his friends.

Sure, perhaps I didn't say that the right way. Biden has always had a problem self-censoring. Unless they keep him tucked away, there will certainly be many more Biden moments.

I really like Biden. He has always struck me as someone that I would like to meet and have a talk with over coffee.

 

[BobG]

Joe's joke about Roberts didn't seem to go off well with Obama today.

Joe, Joe, Joe.

Just remember that, perhaps, your most famous quote could be, "Yes."

Or, alternatively, you could accumulate even more famous quotes than Dan Quayle.

Ah, heck, when I think about it, I'd hate to see Joe Biden be disciplined on the world stage and restrain his legendary loquaciousness. I say: Go for it! Dan Quayle is history.

 

[Redbelly98]

What did he have to do? Repeat after me? Then read a card? That was his entire part for the day? And he blew it?

Or perhaps he knew exactly what he was doing ...

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/uc/20090122/ltt090122.gif​

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[BobG]

Or perhaps he knew exactly what he was doing ...

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/uc/20090122/ltt090122.gif​

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Except Roberts would have to recuse himself from the case. It would be up to the other 8 Supreme Court Justices.