The inaugural was everything a Washington inaugural should be. Maybe that's my problem with it.
The most historic candidate our country has ever seen, the candidate of change, in essence started his first day with the most expensive version of more of the same.
Obama is unequivocal the man for the job but what if...
Upon winning the election he promptly promised to completely re-vamp the inaugural. All he wanted was the oath at the Capital, a speech from the Oval Office, and then a meeting with economic advisers at 12:30.
He would then promise that parties would come when the work is done and $150 million dollars could be better spent elsewhere.
The rhetoric, as it has been since we were introduced to Obama was breathtaking, however I was left feeling that the event was missing substance. Not substance of language, or balloons, or flags, but substance of action.
The country is gripped in the greatest economic slump since the Great Depression and I was left wondering if any advisor suggested to Obama that he just get to work. His premise for the re-vamp would have been that after 4 years as president if I deserve a party, and as a country we deserve a party, then we can party, but our era of responsibility begins now.
Some will say that the historic moment was worth the pomp and circumstance, but to me the historic moment was and will always be his journey and his promise of something new.
He could have told the millions who made the journey to celebrate our country by volunteering in their community. He could have donated the millions spent on security, inagural balls and parades to charities in his new hometown. He could have exemplified his pledge that we have work to do.
An era of responsibility beings today and I would not have been at all disappointed to see it begin yesterday.
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The Oath heard round the world: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/CNN_Roberts_screwed_up_oath_of_0120.html
From The New York Times:
"Just as President Obama was calling for an improved communications infrastructure in his inauguration speech, the demand for video of the events in Washington was weighing heavily on the Internet. Many visitors to news sites reported having trouble getting a consistent video stream."
"Akamai, which helps many media companies keep up with visitor demand on their Web sites, noted a 54 percent spike in worldwide Internet traffic tied to people hunting down the speech online."
"Shortly after the inauguration finished, Akamai collected its data and declared that the inauguration resulted in the most simultaneous video streams in the company’s history. More than 7 million video streams were being watched at 12:15 p.m. Eastern time."
From Dow Jones:
"The new president of the United States said in his inaugural address that Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath."
"That's wrong. Forty-three Americans, including Obama, have taken the oath of office."
"One president, Grover Cleveland, served two terms, separated by Benjamin Harrison's. Cleveland is counted as both the 22nd and the 24th president."
From Obama:
"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."
"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done."
