2009 Inauguration Thread

Thanks for the reprint!  I kept getting interrupted too, so it's nice to be able to just sit quietly and read it.  They announced that this was the most widely watched TV event worldwide in the entire history of TV. That's amazing when you consider that in a lot of places it happened in the middle of the night or the very wee hours of the morning.

Joyce

Cita

You are either a true American in every sense of the word, or at least one of the most skilled politicians we've seen in recent memory!

I hope he's both.

 Oh dear, Sen Ted Kennedy has suffered a seizure at the luncheon...

 That was a great speech. He sure knows how to deliver.

I've seen Retha in concert and she's a bit too much the diva for me -- but she's respected.  But the chamber music brought tears to my eyes -- he had a Jew, a black, an Asian, and a white doing a simple, VERY historic piece of music.  Unless I miss my history, "Simple Things" was a Quaker song "It's a gift to be simple, it's a gift to be free ..." and the words are incredibly inspiring. 

Incredibly inspiring -- it's the first inauguration I've watched in many years and it's the first real hope I've felt in a long long time.

marty_ga

 Oh dear, Sen Ted Kennedy has suffered a seizure at the luncheon...

I saw that when I was working out at the gym. How sad. I hope he's okay.

One of my best friends hates Obama and has made it very publicly clear on her Facebook page. She is not happy with the amount of $$ spent on this inauguration. I countered that with all the $$ Bush has wasted on this unnecessarily foolish war (not to mention all the lives lost), coupled with the fact that much of the money has been donated AND the fact that he is our first black president ~ I'm okay with it. This is a president who has to come behind and fix everything that Bush broke. Let's give him his glory!! It is a very happy day in our little household!!! :)

P.S. My friend basically said that our friendship can't survive if we continue to talk politics because, "We will never agree." I told her that that's what's great about this country, we are all entitled to our opinions and freedom of speech and good friends understand that sometimes you have to agree to disagree and leave it at that!

rwbeagles

OOOh Lookit Aretha! Girlfriend got her CHURCH hat on people...hold onto your seats!

Funny, I was thinking the same thing! Does that woman have a voice to die for or what?

I watched this morning absolutely spellbound.  The man is an amazing speaker and has a presence about him.  FDR has always been my favorite president, hands down, but I think Obama will surpass him!

Yes when a sister puts on the Church hat, you have to know she is on some sort of mission LOL. I loved it...her song was my favorite part, aside from just watching the whole family interact...his little girls are too cute.

eta: I saw Edward Kennedy was taken ill/seizured...what a shame. I wish him and his family well. He is apparently quite ill in general right now, so I am sure this is a big concern.

 Maybe I'm just not a poetic person although I have always appreciated SOME poetry, and I don't like to be critical, but to me it sounded like a second grader stumbling through a read-out-loud session in school.  I just didn't get it...at all... 

Callie, I agree with you about the music...it was just beautiful.  There was a hymn in there and it has escaped my mind now, but I caught it at the time, and it was a very appropriate choice.

I loved the benediction, even though at first I had some doubts.  All in all it was a very nice inauguration, and I wish him the best in these very difficult times.  

edited to add the hymn was "All Creatures of our God and King."  How beautiful!

rwbeagles

his little girls are too cute.

Were those not the cutest outfits on those girls??!! 

they ALL looked wonderful I think. The kiddos are stylin'! The new buzz is about what they'll wear for the swanky Ball tonight.

rwbeagles

Yes when a sister puts on the Church hat, you have to know she is on some sort of mission LOL. I loved it...her song was my favorite part, aside from just watching the whole family interact...his little girls are too cute.

 

eta: I saw Edward Kennedy was taken ill/seizured...what a shame. I wish him and his family well. He is apparently quite ill in general right now, so I am sure this is a big concern.

ABC just updated - apparently he is ok and will be released in the A.M from the hospital.  They blamed it on fatigue, but I'm sure it's related to his illness.  At any rate, it looks like things are stable for the moment.

Sunshinegirl

One of my best friends hates Obama and has made it very publicly clear on her Facebook page. She is not happy with the amount of $$ spent on this inauguration. I countered that with all the $$ Bush has wasted on this unnecessarily foolish war (not to mention all the lives lost), coupled with the fact that much of the money has been donated AND the fact that he is our first black president ~ I'm okay with it. This is a president who has to come behind and fix everything that Bush broke. Let's give him his glory!! It is a very happy day in our little household!!! :)

What's her problem?  You're right, it's paid for via it's own fund with donated money.  It's not like taxpayers are footing the bill.  Even the balls are paid for by donors, people who want to donate for THAT event or don't donate.  I'd bet the only thing America as a collective entity is paying for is the security, but that's because there are millions of people there, not because Pres Obama demanded it.

I just don't get why people are so upset over the magnitude of this event.  It's not just about Obama it's about everyone!  People drove thousands of miles to stand out there in the cold all day.  No one forced them and no one paid them.  If there wasn't a U2 tour coming up I would have been there standing on the mall as well.  It's about us, not just him.

spiritdogs

ABC just updated - apparently he is ok and will be released in the A.M from the hospital.  They blamed it on fatigue, but I'm sure it's related to his illness.  At any rate, it looks like things are stable for the moment.

Oh good Anne thank you for that. I hadn't checked the latest. That is good for he and his family both.