Watch the video here:
Inaugural Address
By President Barack Hussein Obama
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you've bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.
I thank President Bush for his service to our nation --
(applause) -- as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown
throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The
words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still
waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst
gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has
carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high
office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals
of our forebears and true to our founding documents.
So it has been; so it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our
nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred.
Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and
irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to
make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have
been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too
costly, our schools fail too many -- and each day brings further
evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and
threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and
statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of
confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is
inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They
are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a
short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.
(Applause.)
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear,
unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to
proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the
recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled
our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of Scripture,
the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to
reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry
forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to
generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free,
and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
(Applause.)
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that
greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never
been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path
for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek
only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the
risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but
more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us
up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled
across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in
sweatshops, and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip, and
plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like
Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and
worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life.
They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions,
greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most
prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less
productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less
inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last
week, or last month, or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished.
But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting
off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting
today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again
the work of remaking America. (Applause.)
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of
our economy calls for action, bold and swift. And we will act, not only
to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will
build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that
feed our commerce and bind us together. We'll restore science to its
rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's
quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and
the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform
our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new
age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who
suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their
memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has
already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is
joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics
fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the
stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer
apply.
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too
big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find
jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is
dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where
the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the
public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad
habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can
we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for
good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is
unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye,
the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long
when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has
always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but
on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to
every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest
route to our common good. (Applause.)
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between
our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers -- (applause) -- our
Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine,
drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a
charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light
the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake.
(Applause.)
And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching
today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father
was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man,
woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are
ready to lead once more. (Applause.)
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism
not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and
enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot
protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead they
knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates
from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering
qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles
once more we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort,
even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will
begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned
peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we'll work
tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a
warming planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in
its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing
terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is
stronger and cannot be broken -- you cannot outlast us, and we will
defeat you. (Applause.)
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a
weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus,
and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn
from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter
swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter
stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old
hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve;
that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal
itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of
peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual
interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek
to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West, know that
your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
(Applause.)
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. (Applause.)
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to
make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved
bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy
relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the
suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources
without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change
with it.
As we consider the role that unfolds before us, we remember with
humble gratitude those brave Americans who at this very hour patrol
far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us,
just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the
ages.
We honor them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty,
but because they embody the spirit of service -- a willingness to find
meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet at this moment, a moment that will define a generation,
it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as
government can do, and must do, it is ultimately the faith and
determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It
is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the
selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a
friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is
the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but
also a parent's willingness to nurture a child that finally decides our
fate.
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. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed,
why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join
in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father
less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant
can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. (Applause.)
So let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how
far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of
months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the
shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was
advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At the moment when the
outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation
ordered these words to be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of
winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city
and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America: In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of
our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and
virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms
may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were
tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor
did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon
us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely
to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-barack-obamas-inaugural-address
'A New Birth of Freedom' -- The Third Anniversary of the Inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama
by Sunnyjane
 | |||||||||||
| Dawn breaking over the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, January 20, 2009 |
It was a beautiful January day in the
Nation’s Capitol, crisply cold and vibrantly sunny. It was a day of
pomp and ceremony; luncheons and balls; speeches, prayers, music, and
parades. It was a day of spontaneous laughter and joyful tears.
It was a day that swelled the hearts of Democrats and blew apart the minds of Republicans. What a day!
But most of all, it was...
A Day of Images
Nearly two million people crowded onto the National Mall to witness the inauguration of the forty-fourth President of the United States of America. More than thirty-seven million people in the U.S. watched on television, while twenty-seven million Europeans viewed this historic event. Internet traffic to news outlets, social networking websites, and video streams surged to an all-time record.
President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama attended services at St.
John's Episcopal Church on the morning of the Inauguration...
...before having coffee at the White House with outgoing-President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
The
Obamas and the Bidens viewed this scene as their motorcade wound its
way from the White House to the Capitol for the Inauguration Ceremony.
America's historic Transition of Power had begun: As one of its proudest achievements, the U.S.
government's presidential transition process stands as an example to be
followed by emerging democracies around the world. An unfailingly
peaceful and respectful transition of power at the highest level of
government stands as a key to the ongoing survival of a free democracy.
The lovely
incoming “Ladies” of the Obama Administration, Mrs. Michelle Obama and
Dr. Jill Biden, made their way down the steps of the west
front terrace of the U.S. Capitol. Mrs. Obama firmly held the Lincoln
Bible, on which her husband would place his left hand to take the oath
of office.
A jubilant Vice
President-elect Joe Biden shows his elation with becoming part of the
Obama Administration as he strides toward the bottom of the long
stairway to the podium.
The soon-to-be President begins his walk into history as he...
...takes the final steps toward his family and the American people.
Senator Joseph Robinette Biden takes the Oath of Office to become Vice President of the United States. His left hand rests firmly on a weighty Bible that has been in his family since 1893.
At exactly noon, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts attempted to administer administered the Constitutionally mandated Oath of Office for President of the United States: I
do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the
office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my
ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United
States.
Michelle Obama held the 148-year-old Lincoln Bible
for the swearing-in ceremony. It is the first time it has been used
for a presidential inauguration since it was purchased especially for
Abraham Lincoln's inauguration in 1861.
And as soldiers in Afghanistan watched Mr. Obama take the oath...
And as soldiers in Afghanistan watched Mr. Obama take the oath...
...the cheering crowds in Washington did not contain their enthusiasm for the new Mr. President.
President Barack Obama delivered his Inaugural Address, whose theme was A New Birth of Freedom, a phrase from the Gettysburg Address.
The President referred to ideals expressed by Lincoln
about renewal, continuity and national unity, stressing the need for
shared sacrifice and a new sense of responsibility to answer America's challenges at home and abroad.
And Sasha seemed to think her Dad aced it!
President Obama and Vice President Biden, accompanied by Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden, said
After addressing guests at a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall, it was time for a walk and a parade!
 | |||||||
Thousands marched in President Obama's Inaugural Parade as...
the Obamas and
the Bidens "walked the walk."
First Daughters, seven-year-old Sasha and ten-year-old Malia, had great fun at Dad's parade.
The First Lady gave marchers a thumbs-up and the President made the
“hang loose” sign to the Punahou School Marching Band (his high school)
from the reviewing stand in front of the White House.
While the President and First Lady danced at ten different Inaugural Balls,
Vice President and Mrs. Biden did a little toe-stepping themselves!
What a Day!
An Important Issue is Settled
Out of “an abundance of caution,”
Chief Justice John G. Roberts was ushered into the Map Room of the
White House on Wednesday night to re-administer the oath of office to
President Obama because the original oath on Tuesday had a word out of
sequence. The chief justice was wearing a court robe. “Are you ready
to take the oath?” Roberts asked. “I am,” Obama replied, “and we're going to do it very slowly.”
End Note
Let's make sure there's another Obama inauguration in Washington on January 21, 2013. We need and deserve a president who actually cares about ALL Americans, not just the One Percent.
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