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

[Ivan Seeking]

Woooohoooo! It is 12AM in Washington D.C. and in exactly 12 hours, Obama will be the new President!

It is still hard for me to imagine that this day is possible. I just hope for everyone's sake that all goes well and there are no incidents.

 

[mgb_phys]

A moments silence please for the careers of so many satirists that have now been destroyed...

 

[Mororvia]

I'm going to celebrate by staying inside most of the day and avoiding all of the invaders to the town!

(I live in the DC area)

 

[Cyrus]

I'm heading on the redline metro in a few hours (2 am here, 4 am metro opens)

 

[Astronuc]

Obama Carries Weight of Economic Trauma, Wars Into Inauguration
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20090120/pl_bloomberg/adngxzoyjxoe

Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- American democracy has always promoted a central conceit: Any child can grow up to be president.

For 220 years, the reality has been different, a line of 42 white men.

Today, that string will be broken by a most unlikely individual, a black man born of an African father, with a slight political resume who has described himself as a “skinny guy from the South Side of Chicago with a funny name.”

Barack Hussein Obama, 47, will place his left hand on the Bible of Abraham Lincoln to take the oath of office on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, which slaves helped build. The Lincoln Memorial will be within his gaze.

He will immediately inherit an economic mess so grave that it recalls the Great Depression, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the burden of being first. Obama has signaled he will make audacious moves on all fronts.

. . . .

I'm looking forward to Tuesday afternoon.

 

[phyzmatix]

I'm generally a cynic when it comes to politics and politicians and even I can't help but feel "goosebumpy" about this guy. I sincerely hope that he will be everything you Americans (and indeed the rest of the world) have hoped for.

A powerful country and a powerful economy is driven not by one man, but by a nation. Where Obama perhaps has the potential to become a great man, the very fact that he was elected reflects on the mindset and attitude of the American nation.

I believe that that is where the true power for progress lies: when a nation decides to do something new and different. That to me is the real beauty of the situation and Obama (until he's proven himself) is merely the embodiment of this phenomenal achievement.

I'll definitely be watching the inauguration.

 

[humanino]

May I ask

It is still hard for me to imagine that this day is possible.

What is hard to believe ? Seriously

 

[cristo]

I'm heading on the redline metro in a few hours (2 am here, 4 am metro opens)

Enjoy the celebrations!

 

[jowjowman]

Watching obama's inauguration on CNN-facebook. works quite well.
You don't see Obama much, it's more like a "men in black" parade as of yet.

When Obama left church some spectator yelled out - really loud and repeatedly
"Don't kill the baby". Still wonder what he ment by that. Any ideas?

 

[mgb_phys]

When Obama left church some spectator yelled out - really loud and repeatedly
"Don't kill the baby". Still wonder what he ment by that. Any ideas?

I assume he isn't as anti-abortion as some of his co-religionists would like?

 

[jowjowman]

Of course, how stupid of me, I totally forgot that the abortion subject still is a hot topic
in the US.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

May I askWhat is hard to believe ? Seriously

We have elected someone who is probably the most talented and intelligent President that I have ever seen. After the 2004 election, I had lost all hope for this country.

Do you have any idea what betting odds you would have been given in 2004 that the next President would be a black man named Hussein?

 

[turbo]

Ivan is right. It's as if the US had adopted the Monty Python tag-line "and now for something completely different."

I have watched racial animosities ease over the decades, but even I was surprised and pleased that Obama managed to pull off a win. I hope he can make substantial progress against some of the challenges we face.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

... not to mention that even many black people, including young blacks, have stated that they did not think a black man would be President in their lifetimes. For that reason alone, this is a historic event. The birth defect of America has finally been corrected.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

For those who don't know, the original version of the US Constitution defined a black man to be 3/5 of a person.

 

[misgfool]

We have elected someone who is probably the most talented and intelligent President that I have ever seen. After the 2004 election, I had lost all hope for this country.

Do you have any idea what betting odds you would have been given in 2004 that the next President would be a black man named Hussein?

Your passion towards this person is quite remarkable. But take care if something unexpected happens.

 

[mgb_phys]

For those who don't know, the original version of the US Constitution defined a black man to be 3/5 of a person.

Only for the purpose of calculating election districts.
There was a similair problem with Scotland in 1600 - it had a lot of people but contributed very little tax revenue so they 'adjusted' the number of people. The civil service is still looking into the problem!

Do you think a black man was more/less likely than a white woman? Could Hillary have won it?

 

[lisab]

Only for the purpose of calculating election districts.
There was a similair problem with Scotland in 1600 - it had a lot of people but contributed very little tax revenue so they 'adjusted' the number of people. The civil service is still looking into the problem!

Do you think a black man was more/less likely than a white woman? Could Hillary have won it?

I believe she could have, but the country would not be as united as it is now. The feeling of unity is really amazing...all but the most stubborn right wingers are excited about this day.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Only for the purpose of calculating election districts.

Yes, since they were only slaves, they didn't count as much as a "real person".

There was a similair problem with Scotland in 1600 - it had a lot of people but contributed very little tax revenue so they 'adjusted' the number of people. The civil service is still looking into the problem!

Do you think a black man was more/less likely than a white woman? Could Hillary have won it?

If it wasn't for the phenomenon Obama, we would probably be inaugurating Hillary today.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I believe she could have, but the country would not be as united as it is now. The feeling of unity is really amazing...all but the most stubborn right wingers are excited about this day.

Some hard lefties are unhappy as well. If both extremes are unhappy, we are on the right track.

 

[mgb_phys]

My betting would have been a Republican first black president (Powell?) on the 'nixon going to china' principle.

In the UK the conservatives (right wing) party had the first women leader and the first women prime minister, they also had a number of high ranking women cabinet posts.
The labour (left wing) government had no senior women and had to invent a 'minister for womens affairs' post in order to get any in the cabinet. Even now it is much more traditional at the grass roots than the right wing opposition.

 

[misgfool]

I believe she could have, but the country would not be as united as it is now. The feeling of unity is really amazing...all but the most stubborn right wingers are excited about this day.

I'm starting to get a bit concerned. Forgive me for being blunt, but the man hasn't done anything. How could one be excited already?

 

[moe darklight]

aww, PF chat would've been cool today.

anyway, that pastor guy felt unnecessary, who is he?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Cheney is gone!

 

[mgb_phys]

anyway, that pastor guy felt unnecessary, who is he?

And why are we listening to someone just because he has an imaginary friend?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

In spite of the fact that he has not officially been inaugurated, it is noon in DC, so Obama is now the President.

The nightmare has finally ended.

 

[moe darklight]

Cheney is gone!

no no... it'll simply abandon its current body and attach itself to a new host.

 

[humanino]

We have elected someone who is probably the most talented and intelligent President that I have ever seen. After the 2004 election, I had lost all hope for this country.

To me, this is an historical day for this reason ! I consider giving up my citizenship to become american (really).

Do you have any idea what betting odds you would have been given in 2004 that the next President would be a black man named Hussein?

No, I have not the slightest clue, and only by reading here to I begin to realize. But I truly hope he is not just the first black president. I hope he is the last one. I hope from now one, the candidate will not be blue or green, man or woman, tall or short, fat or skinny, chess or go players, cheese or ice cream lovers... I hope people will think about candidates in terms of ideas and projects only.

 

[mgb_phys]

Thats hopefully the real point.
When JFK was campaigning there was an equal amount of debate/worry/amazement that a catholic could be elected - now nobody even remembers or would understand why that's an issue. Hopefully in 20 years the same thing will apply to a black president.

Of course then there will, one day, be the hope of a Linux rather than Windows mobile using president.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Yes, since they were only slaves, they didn't count as much as a "real person".

'Free' person. Indians counted for nothing at all. You shouldn't get the idea that a slave's vote was worth less than a free person's vote. Slaves didn't vote at all. Rather, slave states were only allowed to claim 3/5 of a person per slave for apportionment of representatives. In this way, the political power of slave states was reduced.

 

[Evo]

This is cool, my company is providing a special link to the live broadcast for us to watch.

 

[turbo]

Obama's speech is a real barn-burner. Loving it.

 

[misgfool]

Obama's speech is a real barn-burner. Loving it.

The speech was impressive.

 

[phyzmatix]

Some hard lefties are unhappy as well. If both extremes are unhappy, we are on the right track.

Well-said Ivan.

 

[LowlyPion]

Like Dorothy boarded the hot air balloon, Bush boards Executive 1 - no longer called Marine 1 - and heads off into history.

Only this twist on the plot sees the witch return to Texas, freeing the Munchkins to rejoice.

 

[Monique]

Congratulations on your new leader. I went home early from work to catch the speech, but I was left sitting in the dark due to a power-outage

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Congratulations on your new president.

 

[cristo]

Congratulations people of America! I watched most of the afternoon's coverage, and I have to say Obama's speech did not disappoint! I was, however, a little surprised at the number of people booing Bush when he was introduced at the beginning. I thought it was very un-American to boo your president!

 

[moe darklight]

yes I was rather disappointed at the booing. A little ironic too because it is exactly the sort of behavior that Obama opposes.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Congratulations people of America! I watched most of the afternoon's coverage, and I have to say Obama's speech did not disappoint! I was, however, a little surprised at the number of people booing Bush when he was introduced at the beginning. I thought it was very un-American to boo your president!

Lucky it wasn't in Philadelphia. They booed Santa.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Congratulations people of America!

Thank you. It is a day for celebration!

I was, however, a little surprised at the number of people booing Bush when he was introduced at the beginning. I thought it was very un-American to boo your president!

While I actually agree in this particular context, I don't think you realize how much he is hated. I personally have never accepted him as my President, nor has my wife. But that is over now.

 

[angel 42]

I’m hopeful for the next coming years, this doesn’t only affecting American people, the whole world is interacting to this candidate like never before, hope the best for you Americans …



42

 

[LowlyPion]

The booing did show a certain lack of grace, but I can't really blame them all that much.

Bush should not be confused into thinking that people were there to see him off and wave good-bye. (He should more advisedly be thankful they were separated from him by enough distance to discourage more shoe throwing.)

The country survived him, now it's time to come out of our shelters and assess the damage and get to rebuilding after the passing of Hurricane George.

The sun is out again.

 

[cristo]

While I actually agree in this particular context, I don't think you realize how much he is hated.

I absolutely do! But regardless, it's not who he is, it's what he represents in the office that he holds. It reminds me of a quote from a random war film "Salute the rank, solider!"

But that is over now.

Indeed it is. Now let's look to the future!

 

[moe darklight]

While I actually agree in this particular context, I don't think you realize how much he is hated. I personally have never accepted him as my President, nor has my wife. But that is over now.

first of all I don't really hate him. I think he is a puppet, a frontman for other people's interests... I kind of feel sorry for the guy, to be honest.

and even if he weren't, I still don't think booing was appropriate. to me, the day we move forward as a society (as human beings, not Americans, which I am not) is the day we stop reacting violently to intellectual disagreements.

In this Obama was very clear and is one of the things that I like about him: while he disagrees on almost everything with Bush and others like him, and will fight many of the ideas they stand for, he will respect them as people and will not belittle them. This is how he ran his campaign, and it will be grand if this is how he runs his presidency, and if this spirit affects people towards that way of thinking.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

To me, this is an historical day for this reason ! I consider giving up my citizenship to become american (really)

Come on over! IIRC, I owe you a beer.

No, I have not the slightest clue, and only by reading here to I begin to realize.

Damned near any odds that you like.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I consider giving up my citizenship to become american (really).

You and millions of others. You'll be welcomed by millions more, once and future countrymen. But don't forget, Obama only gets eight years as President at most. You won't be marrying him, you'll be marrying us. We choose all kinds of Presidents and they may not all be to your taste. Will you still love us if they aren't?

 

[humanino]

Come on over! IIRC, I owe you a beer.

The way I remember it, it was a box of belgium chocolates

Will you still love us if they aren't?

By now, I have realized that French can choose way worse presidents than Americans !

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The way I remember it, it was a box of belgium chocolates

A Frenchman who asks for Belgium chocolates?! Isn't there a French law against that? But now that you mention it, these happen to be the only chocolates that we ever order.
http://www.nirvanachocolates.com/

 

[Ivan Seeking]

There are reports that Ted Kennedy has collapsed at a luncheon.