Inaugural Address Failed to Inspire
The new president gave a nice campaign speech but fell short of historical relevance.
No new president has had a grander stage on Inauguration Day upon which to imprint his vision for America than Barack Obama. The crowds were astonishingly large — certainly more than a million and some estimates were closer to two million.
The dignitaries arrived to varying degrees of enthusiasm. Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were warmly welcomed while the elder President Bush and Barbara received tepid applause. Republican lawmakers were openly booed when announced, but this was to be expected. I would imagine Democrats outnumbered Republicans in the crowd by about 5,000 to 1. The Democrats had been out of power for eight years and they were bound and determined to have a good time — especially if it came at the expense of the GOP.
It was also to be expected that when President Bush arrived at the platform, there would be a demonstration of why President Obama’s grand plans for transforming American politics will probably fall flat on its keister. The boos, catcalls, and hissing that greeted the outgoing president may be considered disrespectful by some and definitely not in keeping with the spirit of the day. But Obama was to prove a little later that his supporters weren’t the only ones who seemed to forget that the campaign was over and he had won.
Rick Warren gave an impassioned but overly long invocation. This part made me think it was written by Obama’s people:
When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches and civility in our attitudes — even when we differ.
“Civility in our attitudes” was something lacking in the classless bunch who had just welcomed President Bush to the stage. It wasn’t the entire crowd that sang “Hey, Hey, goodbye” in a mocking tone. But claiming to be Obama supporters while disrespecting the office he was about to enter made for a rather jarring addition to the festivities.
After Aretha Franklin serenaded the crowd with “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” in her soulful style, Vice President Biden took his oath (a ripple of amusement ran through the crowd when he said his middle name — Robinette). This was followed by one of the most talented groups of musicians ever assembled; Itzhak Perlman on violin, Yo Yo Ma on cello, Garbriela Montero on piano, and Anthony McGill on clarinet played what, to my mind, was an uninspired arrangement by composer/conductor John Williams of a piece by Aaron Copeland. It was flawlessly performed but strangely flat and unemotional for such a grand occasion.
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Rick Moran is PJM Chicago editor; his own blog is Right Wing Nut House.
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104 Comments
1. Mike2:“Most inaugural speeches have been eminently forgettable, so Obama is not necessarily off to a bad start. How he turns some of that rhetoric into reality will determine his success — not whether he crafted a brilliant inaugural address.”
How true. The proof is in the pudding. For the left the real world starts today.
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:28 am 2. fear Obama:—————————————
Who is John Galt?
I usually have a few things to say.
But all I can think of is a funeral procession.
When Obama paused in his speech for applause,
no one did.
You could see the hope and change drain.
When that woman gave the closing prayer?
poem?
epilogue?
dribble? -I looked around for the casket?
My wife put her hands out,
like what the heck is that?
So,
We turned off the historic Inauguration?
And watched a funny 1948 Ronald Reagan movie on channel 132.
That Reagan movie cost about $180,000 dollars to make,
but grossed 45 million.
If congress and Nancy and Harry Reid could get returns like that,
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:41 am 3. Robert Hurley:I might applaud.
I disagree. It was the right speech for the moment. This is a time for meeting the crisis at hand not the time for high flowing rhetoric. Whether it was great or not is for history to decide. We are too close to it. It was the occasion that was great. He was elected not because he was black but because the majority of us believed he was the right person to lead us in these perilous times. Is he perfect? No one is. He will make mistakes, but his instincts are a match for what the majority of us are hungering for to lead us out of this morass that Bush lead us into.
Jan 21, 2009 - 4:14 am 4. RE:Obama’s failure to organize a community or select an honorable church gives me little confidence in his ability to organize a nation or support the right side in an international dispute.
Now all we can do is see how much mileage he gets out of his contradictory platitudes. At some point he will actually have to be specific and do something. Wall Street appears terrified by the prospect.
Jan 21, 2009 - 4:59 am 5. John K:President Obama gave an awful speech that was uninspiring. I was very much insulted by Reverend Joseph Lowery who proved himself to be nothing but a racist. I was hoping for something that would help unify people instead of divide them. This will be a long 4 years.
Jan 21, 2009 - 5:07 am 6. Paul - Indiana:Obama gave his usual speech.
Jan 21, 2009 - 5:11 am 7. vb:It was nice of Obama to ention a bit of history in his speech. It would be meaningful if he would challenge the education community (this means you, Bill Ayers) to rethink the way they are teaching history in our schools. I bet he will vote present on this.
Jan 21, 2009 - 5:22 am 8. petena:Comments by a bunch of racists. His speech was inspiring if you just listen to his words. YOU are the dividers he was talking about. If the shoe fits, wear it.
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:04 am 9. Broadsword:“He was elected not because he was black but because the majority of us believed he was the right person to lead us.” Oh nonsense, he was elected because he was not President Bush and people believed in magic words and incantations, and because the hardest question he was ever asked was, “How are you feeling today Senator?” And you won’t like this, but he would not have stood a chance of election were he other than a certain skin color with only some six weeks experience as a US Senator. And no, this isn’t sour grapes. I have had it with all the attention focused on externals, black, white, Latino, ferrigno, pastichio, Lesbos or Homogonizia and on an on to the exclusion of character and virtue. (Note the adulation for Timothy Geitner: He’s smart, we need him. Ignore the tax stuff you or I could not be excused from by saying, “Ooops, sorry.”) And the speech, specifically, said very little to nothing, with mixed metaphors and tangled verbage. Nothing there either to cheer or sneer. He might as well have said, “I picked your number, 144 because it exactly totals my age and Frodo’s together.” And that …poem. “Somewhere…someone…is…gagging…while…asparagus grows…white and pale…beneath bits of shingle…from the great…bird…beating forever…and flowers discuss…greeting cards…with mileage arrangements…” Who knew Edgar Guest has a lineage?
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:20 am 10. SaraforAmerica:Obama’s Inauguration swelled with references to “Simple Gifts”, and ridding ourselves of “childish things”, while the One promised to give the children what they want (housing, healthcare) & celebrity filled parties costing $170 million. Socialists are very good at preaching responsibility to the producers. Work harder, so we’ll have more money to redistribute.
As we will soon see, the money won’t only go to our neighborhoods, our cities and states, but to far flung places around the globe, as Obama sets the stage for his next performance as Global Leader. Eschew nice things, fellow citizens, while Michelle parades in her designer gowns. It’s all about loving each other, how much do you love? Here’s how you show it: Work Harder Comrade!
The Era of Responsibility? More like the Era of Hypocrisy, starting with a waste of $170 million.
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:28 am 11. ThinkingPerson:As much as I distrust Obama, I truly believed he would take the occasion and give a rousing, heart pounding speech. He’s known for his oratory skills right? Besides the depressing negativity he harped on at the beginning, there was nothing else noteworthy. Yawn. He gave a better one when he won the party nomination. I do find it odd that petena (Re #
is the one here doing the dividing by calling everyone racists. I guess a liberal can never change their spots even when called to do just that by Obama. Petena…did you not hear his speech at all?
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:41 am 12. Dave:“Comments by a bunch of racists.” Get ready for this kind of inane comment for the next 4 years. Attacking President Bush – good. Criticizing President Obama – racist. It is that kind of vapid idiocy that divides America.
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:46 am 13. Tom H:to #9 et al – MLK Jr is rolling in his grave – BHO was elected because he is black, period. And that goes against everything I understand MLK Jr stood for. Unqualified, unprepared, corrupt Chicago political machine, all went under the bus because he is black. If this president is an historic anything, it is an historic culmination of Affirmative Action.
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:53 am 14. dougf:I think that knee-jerk ANTI-Something is distasteful no matter who does it, so I feel that giving the new president time to actually DO something before critiquing WHAT he is doing is the proper course of action. Why ‘conservatives’ might want to act just like the ‘progressive’ idiots we have suffered for the past 8 years is beyond me. Personal insults and attacks on tangential targets are at best unseemly, especially at a time of National Crisis.
That said however, Mr. Obama’s speech was both VERY tedious and sometimes disturbing. He said nothing really, and did his usual verbal dance in saying it. When he did say something concrete he was, IMO, WRONG.
“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.”
That passage is just so deliberately clueless and wish-fulfillment oriented that one hardly knows where to start. In the prime example he uses about facing down fascism, it was NOT ideas that defeated it, and it was NOT ‘the tempering qualities of humility and restraint’ that generated effective tactics.
It was bombs, bullets, and assorted hard men who killed the enemy is vast numbers and laid waste to his homelands. Not to mention the Russians who bled the prime fascist power white on the Eastern Front. No ‘humility or restraint’ there. None at all. What history does this guy read ?
This is what troubles me about the the new President. I think he really believes this revisionist soft-power meme, and instead of ‘teaching’ his mindless droogies something about how HISTORY really works, he just took the opportunity to cement their delusions more firmly into place.
Not an impressive speech to be candid. And not a very impressive start. Coupled with the likely format of his TRILLION DOLLAR deficit plans, I am willing to predict, unless he shows some major examples of actually having(and not just just talking) an ‘A’ game, he will be an Epic Fail as CIC. And that is NOT a ‘good thing’.
Not now.
Talking just ain’t going to get the job done. Especially when the ‘talk’ is so often completely wrong.
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:55 am 15. Eric Florack:That it was expected doesn’t say much for the Democrats. Reverse the roles, and consider what would be said if the reaction of a Republican crowd to a Democrat ex-president were the same as what we were witness to yesterday. Not that we’d expect it to happen, which is perhaps part of the point.
Has it really gotten down to “We expect low class behavior from Democrats”?
Did anyone catch the (Offkey) rendition of Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him) Goodbye” when Bush took the podium?
That’s just low class. I mean, maybe… maybe it’s acceptable at a sporting event, such as a hockey game…(Though it’s always truck me as unsportsman- like) but at an an inauguration? Sorry, that’s low class, bordering on NO class.
These same people will be the first ones screaming that we’re not being ‘polite’ and ‘fair’ and ‘respectful’ when any question… any question at all, arises from the right about Obama. They’ll be the ones saying the Presidency should sheild the office holder from such attacks. Yet, look at what they do themselves when the tables are reversed.
As ye sew, so shall ye reap.
And the moderates wonder what’s happened to civility?
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:56 am 16. SoTypical:Pajamasmedia has something negative to say about Obama’s speech?! Say it ain’t so!
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:57 am 17. ThinkingPerson:I’ve said it before but it bears repeating (especially for those calling for Obama to be given a chance to inact his “hope and change”)…..
I will show as much respect to Obama as the liberal Democrats did to Bush. No more, no less.
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:05 am 18. fear Obama:Bush should have used that speech at the 9/11 WTC.
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:13 am 19. gcblues:Osama bin Laden would have surrendered just out of sheer terror.
no
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:23 am 20. Dan Smith:i was not inspired. i cannot listen to this unaccomplished jerk.
if i try, all i hear is wahhh wahhh wahh wahhh wahhh.
getting old is a blessing.
Thanks for not mentioning the sophomoric poem.
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:31 am 21. Roger L Simon:Let’s be honest. At this point, speeches – pro or con – count for diddley at this point. Who cares? As the lady sang, “Don’t talk of love, etc…. show me!”
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:33 am 22. mk:It was a nice, if somewhat pedestrian speech. But the rubber does not meet the road as it were with speeches. We’ll see what goes down now that he’s President and has to make the big decisions…..
I hope he meets the most people’s expectations. However, I suspect he’s only going to meet mine.
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:34 am 23. Maggie:Obama made the worst inaugural speech EVER. Interesting to compare it to the speech Bush made when he arrived in Midland. Bush’s speech was full of hope and good cheer and prompted much applause. Needless to say Bush’s speech did not include any cheap shots.
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:39 am 24. relam:In the next four years there will be and endless tide of applause, praise, and spin intended to float the boat of the new administration. Try as they may. Spin as they may. They will exhaust themselves even while they loose their jobs, forclose on their houses and stand in government lines of various kinds. One commenter RH said the majority of us chose BHO. His rise to the top has been paved by corruption of the mist dreadful kind. He no doubt wants to be viewed as a great president. That my friends is not possible without first becoming a good man. It is now time to define the change we have previously heard repeated over and over again. I have only the slightest of faith that this man is capable of change for the better.
Jan 21, 2009 - 7:56 am 25. Robert Hurley:I think you should all get behind the ticket of Sara Palin and Joe the Plumber for 2012. In the meantime Obama and the Deocratic Congress will enact their program. The amount of whining here is amazing- You lost – Obama’s approval rating are over 80% – Deal with it. No mass suicide though
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:13 am 26. Fantom:What do you expect from an empty suit? B.O. is just a corrupt pol from Chicago. There is no greatness in this racist President we now have.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:17 am 27. Jim Baker:The poem was terrible and the so called prayer was racist. Obama arranged for both of these morons to be there. So far, Obama is a racist who reads terrible poetry, eh? Just getting warmed up for my logical dialogs with Obamanation. I agree with #17. If Obama makes a decision based on incorrect information, I will call him a liar. If Obama claims to have won a battle, I will claim he thinks he won the war. When Obama tries to prosecute a war, I will claim that America has lost and that Obama is wasting our money. When Obama fumbles a word in a press conference, I will call him a dumbass and claim that he lacks intellectual curiosity. When Obama attempts to respond to any terrorist attack, I will claim that he is smart enough to be responsible for the attack. When Obama calls for the resignation of even one US attorney, I will call him a hypocrite. And, when it finally comes time for the inauguration of s new President to replace Obama, I will be there to jeer at Obama.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:21 am 28. AnninCA:I liked the speech much better than his past speeches. He made sense.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:25 am 29. Don:This is fun already. We get to turn the tables and pick apart the President for the next four years! I see the libs on this page already getting all poopy pants about it. I will do my best to show this administration and the Democratic party absolutely no respect, just like you all have done since 2000. Enjoy, and I can’t wait to hear your excuses for the crap sandwich we are all about to eat. Heal the nation my rear end, what comes around goes around.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:25 am 30. Ann141:It’s too bad Rick Warren didn’t have a pre-coronation copy of the benediction. It would have freed him up to consider praying, “O Lord, we ask that you will give the blacks the ability to embrace the right.”
Wait a minute. That wouldn’t have worked. That would have created a hue and outcry from the ALCU.
Oh, my. I’m so confused.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:27 am 31. cedarford:Maggie:
Obama made the worst inaugural speech EVER. Interesting to compare it to the speech Bush made when he arrived in Midland. Bush’s speech was full of hope and good cheer and prompted much applause.
In case you have been oblivious to anything but the “Evildoer Terrahist” threat that killed about 3100 Americans in the last 10 years (a one in a million risk) – 6 in 10 Americans have seen their saivings, home equity, stocks go down by 40% the last year. Jobless numbers are predicted to go over 10%. America is in quick decline, our global reputation trashed, and our debt doubled in the last 8 years.
Bush arrived in entirely different circumstances, inheriting a “surplus”, the world at peace, America respected, faith in free trade and free markets and miracle technology intact, delusions the Corporatists were ethical. No wonder the Fool was so full of hope and good cheer.
Obama walks into a colossal mess. This was no time for brainless smiles & Happy Talk. This is a serious somber time, and Obama gave a serious somber talk purposefully reflecting with the times we now find ourselves in. As Obama said, it will take years to repair the damage…
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:30 am 32. Paul - Indiana:Petena – the shoe don’t fit.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:39 am 33. Jim Baker:Correction, Cedarford. By your logic that should have been ( one in one-hundred thousand risk ).
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:42 am 34. Fantom:Are we out of Gitmo yet? Out of Iraq yet? Where is Bin Laden. What is B.O. waiting on. Oh and B.O. where is my check you promised. B.O. is lying and Americans are dying. Not to mention B.O. has the economy on the wrong track. Job losses and Americans hurting and what does B.O. do? He throws a 150 million dollar party.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:43 am 35. BC:Obama gave a pretty darn good speech, and you would have to be a clueless, petty moron to have actually listened to it and think otherwise. I kind of like the bit that went, “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.”
If some of the comments here are any indicators, getting people to put aside their childish behavior may not be so easy….
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:52 am 36. Anton:What concerned me the most was “remake America”, into what I ask?
If Obama’s past associates are any clue it will look like the USSR when he is done.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:54 am 37. vb:Cedarford,
You delude yourself about international goodwill. That only exists if we elect the right (left) person. Bush wasn’t given a chance internationally, and the post 9/11 support is a myth.
Jan 21, 2009 - 8:56 am 38. The Historian:AN UNPRECEDENTED INAUGURATION
This one was unique in many ways.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/january-20-2009.html
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:00 am 39. ThinkingPerson:#25 Robert Hurley….Your poetic comment about us “getting over it” because “we lost” is ridiculous! If you didn’t know or have forgotten he was sworn in as President of ALL OF US, not just his dreamy-eyed, besotted followers. Your days of “we won!” are over. So, either join the discussion at hand or go back into hibernation until the next election.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:02 am 40. Jim Baker:BC,
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:16 am 41. Bilgeman:Guilty as charged. I listened to the speech and was not impressed and therefore, I am a clueless, petty moron who won’t put aside his childish behavior. If A and B are true, then D is true. My bad.
#24 Robert Hurley:
“You lost – Obama’s approval rating are over 80% – Deal with it.”
I’m dealing with it…the cat hasn’t done ANYTHING yet, (except choose his staf and his cabinet, and ALREADY the Left is starting to whinge).
Do you remember George Herbert Walker Bush’s approval ratings in February of 1991?
By February of 1993, he was out of a job.
Enjoy your moment in the sun, chap.
Hope we have a quiet couple of hurricane seasons…all it’ll take is one.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:16 am 42. Terry Gain:“He was elected not because he was black but because the majority of us believed he was the right person to lead us in these perilous times.” Hurley
Partially true and scary as hell. The majority didn’t think. The majority chose an inexperienced and naïve politician who did everything in his power to get his country to concede oil-rich Iraqi to Al Qaeda and Iran. Unbelievable. If he had had his way the United States would have chased Al Qaeda out of the wasteland of Afghanistan only to turn tail when Al Qaeda established a new sanctuary in Iraq. Even Al Qaeda’s taunts that they were establishing a new caliphate in Iraq were not enough to convince this narcissist that he was wrong.
Well, he was wrong and there is no reason to believe he won’t be wrong about how to handle the next big issue.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:29 am 43. Steve P.:Tom H: “to #9 et al – MLK Jr is rolling in his grave – BHO was elected because he is black, period. And that goes against everything I understand MLK Jr stood for. Unqualified, unprepared, corrupt Chicago political machine, all went under the bus because he is black. If this president is an historic anything, it is an historic culmination of Affirmative Action.”
Tom H., you’re a moron. If Obama had been white, he would have won by an even larger margin, because lots more racists like you probably would have voted for him. You really think that a white democrat would have lost to McCain in this political climate? If you really believe that, then calling you a moron is generous. Barack Obama, on the other hand, is a very intelligent guy who ran an ingenious campaign to become your president. Affirmative Action may get you in the door to a low-level job, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll keep it and it surely doesn’t get you the Presidency of the United States. But hell, if Affirmative Action can get us an Obama in the White House instead of a Bush, I say bring it on!
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:31 am 44. Terry Gain:“In case you have been oblivious to anything but the “Evildoer Terrahist” threat that killed about 3100 Americans in the last 10 years (a one in a million risk)”
Ah yes, deal with terrorosm as a law enforcement problem. Clinton tried that and the rest is history. This problem is not going away. The enemy is weaker but more determined than we are.
Obama inherits a mess. True, but only the economically naive believe that his trillion dollar solution will make it better.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:41 am 45. Terry Gain:“If Obama had been white, he would”…not have gotten the time of day from the media.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:43 am 46. mishu:because lots more racists like you probably would have voted for him.
What a pathetic, stale charge. And yet we have four more years to go.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:50 am 47. Jim Baker:Tom H, face it bub, you have been generously proclaimed to be a moron and a racist by the inestimable Steve P. Do not try to discuss the matter with him. It is written.
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:52 am 48. rhoids:All presidential speeches have an element of inspiration. Obama’s was no different. As the TV cameras panned the crowd, you could see jubilation among those in attendance. When the camera focused on an elderly Afro-American, you could see it in his eyes, I’ve heard this same bulls**t before. Only time will tell if change will matter to real world problems.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:04 am 49. cfbleachers:The speech, sorry to say…was tired, mired and uninspired.
It lacked energy and for the “historic” moment this was primed to be, it was more a drone than a driver of emotions.
The immediate dissonance one would feel, if one were the slightest bit objective on the topics, was of the extended hand to all despots, dictators and dirtbags who stand in potential opposition to us around the world, and the back of the hand to the loyal opposition here at home, who stand ready to begin this new era of “unity”. Hard to unite behind a slap in the face.
Whether that was based upon appeasement to the Gramscian trash that booed, hissed and catcalled, is unknown. It was unseemly nonetheless. As for why the Gramscian trash feel the need to continue to focus not on the object of their fawning and instead upon the object of their mindless derangement…one can only assume that if you spend your life swimming in a cesspool, if you stop swimming…you drown in the gulpfuls of your own waste.
For a “uniter” of people, basking in the “historic” moment…the speech never found its footing, its tone or its timing. Like a movie that has poor editing, it moved from plot point to plot point…but not seamlessly. The DAY was inspiring for African Americans and for those who have latched onto the Obama Express. But the memo didn’t match the moment.
It was too forced, too hyped, too scripted, too stage directed. It lacked spontaneous combustion. It lacked oxygen.
This is not a failing of character or of skill as an orator. I believe that President Obama has the former, if he chooses to tap into it and has the latter in vast and stirring quantities.
As Roger said, yesterday was about speeches. Today is about work. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:06 am 50. piggle:“Obama walks into a colossal mess”
And the fear is, cedarford, he may not be the man to guide America out of it.
But on balance, it wasn’t a great speech but it was a dismal piece of music from John Williams and it was an awful poem at the end. Not entirely the new president’s fault that he asked people to do something and they fell down on the task. Oh, and sorry guys, but for me the muslims got elevated a little too much in the list of religions. It was almost as if BO was saying; we’re scared, don’t hurt us.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:15 am 51. hp:Robert Hurley I disagree
of course, you do. see, the thing is, go back and read any number of rick’s posts before now. for him to be saying this, wow. the address must seriously have been a FAIL.
taking that historic moment to diss pres. bush as is being reported netwide shows as much class as the hey, heyers. shall (rightfully) presume the piece was authored by the wife.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:18 am 52. Judy, NYC:i have not seen or heard reported the part of the speech that said “we are a nation of christians and muslims (long pause) jews and hindus..”. having repeated that obaminaton, what more is there to say. he is my president, i remember saying, and i support him fully. today, i agree with the comments stating it will be a long four years. yes, and i fear, a very scary one. meet you on the road to perdition.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:21 am 53. J Clark:I was disappointed that Pres Obama actually trashed Pres Bush throughout the inauguration day. Pres Bush did protect this country and conducted himself professionally when referring to Pres Obama. Pres Bush actually gave many kind words and blessings towards Pres Obama. I would be really curious if Pres Obama ever gave any positive support for His former Pres.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:25 am 54. Chris in Toronto:#49 cfbleachers: thanks. Personally, I couldn’t bring myself to watch the whole over-hyped event. So I’m glad you did because your take on things is always, to my mind, objective.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:27 am 55. fear Obama:From his own people and a
British newspaper:
I hate to tell you we told you so.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:30 am 56. Delia:Funny how racists are the first ones to play the race card to the HILT.
Four years of anyone having an opposing view or unflattering opinion of “The One” being instantly branded a racist. Truly pathetic.
Obama’s speech inspired…YAWNS.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:43 am 57. PISTON HONDA:MR. HURLEY,
DON’T EVEN BRING APPROVAL RATINGS INTO THIS, HE HASN’T EVEN DONE ANYTHING YET. EVERYONE OF MY WIVES THOUGHT I WAS A GOOD HUSBAND IMMEDIATELY AFTER I SAID MY VOWS. HECK, ON OUR HONEYMOONS I WAS PROBABLY PUSHING 93% APPROVAL – BEAT THAT OBAMA.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:47 am 58. Robert Hurley:Piston:
You have a hellofa track record. You just might be comparing apples and oranges though.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:54 am 59. Robert Hurley:Judy – Sounds like you know a lot about perdition – been there?
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:59 am 60. ThinkingPerson:#43 Steve P….Why do liberals always name call? Why are we racists because we don’t swoon over Obama? Why is it wrong to point out that this might not be what MLK had in mind? Wouldn’t MLK agree that one should look beyond race? Why can you not do that? C’mon Steve….aren’t you more evolved than that?
Jan 21, 2009 - 11:03 am 61. Carl Gordon:Obama get sworn in today with nary a rifle shot, or for that matter, a cheap shot being fired. Bonus points: Whence I got up this morning, I saw GW being, as close as we’re likely to see, frog marched out the front door. I cranked up the volume and could swear I heard somebody mutter “And don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out!”. The only thing that would have (at this time) made me happier about this occurrence is if a shower of shoes had cascaded off his empty noggin. I certainly would have risked the inevitable frost bite had I been in attendance, to fling my never-been-washed 10 year old Nikes that I keep in the back of my closet for just such an occasion.
After what we’ve all been through in just this last year, with the election and all the horsesh*t being flung willy-nilly by so-called pundits that should know better, I feel a sense of some amount of “closure”, yet a nagging irritation I haven’t experienced since the time I sat on a red ant hill, tugs at my essence, leaving me with a sense of unsettling ennui. It’s, of course, over the intellectual aptitude of the voting public, those easily swayed and manipulated pinheads that seem to thwart and bedevil the good intentions of those of us who take the time to actually understand the issues, and their accomplices, the “pundits”, those slack-jawed mouth-breathing dopes that not only posses nary a clue, but inexplicably have the power to influence other dopes. In just the last year alone…..
They think Tim Russert was a great journalist. They think progressive taxation is socialism. They’re hopping mad about an auto industry bailout that cost a squirt of piss compared to a Wall Street heist of galactic dimensions, due to a housing crash they somehow have blamed on minorities. They think Iraq is better off now than before we invaded, and don’t understand why they’re so ungrateful. It took them six years to figure out what a total douche-bag Bush is, but they think Obama will instantly make it all better, and are ready to climb up his colon if it doesn’t happen by next Friday. They deem it hunky dory that we conduct national policy debates via 8-second clips from “The View” by people that couldn’t find their respective asses with both hands and a map. They think God zapped humans into existence a few thousand years ago, although their appendix and wisdom teeth disagree. They like watching vicious brainless *ssholes insult each other on TV. They think it’s their patriotic duty to spend money they don’t have on crap they don’t need. They think Hillary lost because of sexism, when it’s actually because she’s just a bad liar. They support gun rights, because firing one gives them a chubby. They cuddle falsehoods and resent enlightenment. They think the fact that 43% of whites could stomach voting for an incredibly charismatic and eloquent light-skinned black guy who was raised by white people means racism is over. 1 in 100 of them are in jail, and they think it should be more. They are shallow, inconsiderate, afraid, brand-conscious, sedentary, and totally self-obsessed. And worst of all: They are American.
The father of all this modern stupidity, Rush Limbaugh, spins reflexively, never struggling with issues or logic, because he knows ultimately his conclusions must favor Repugs, and his only task is finding a way to get there. He may or may not actually believe what he’s saying, but it’s beside the point and it’s off topic. His job is not to say what he thinks, but to instruct his listeners on what they should think. If the facts don’t agree, he can always change them, as his “ditto heads” are already armed against the contrary evidence with the childish all-purpose “liberal media bias” attack. “Rush is right,” as the slogan goes, and all those nerdy reporters in the “drive by media” are lying, because they secretly love terrorists and other unpatriotic America haters. It’s this creepily worshipful, breathtakingly infantile abdication of intellect to a blatantly dishonest hypocrite that makes Limbaugh’s audience so goddamn sad and pathetic. These useless, insecure, failures of men look to Rush as the champion of their impotent rage, helping them to externalize responsibility for their own deficiencies, pinning the blame on those darn liberals and their racial and gender equality. And, sadly, they vote.
Jan 21, 2009 - 11:12 am 62. ThinkingPerson:#61 Carl Gordon…Just a guess here, but are you a member of the Rachel Maddow/Joy Behar fan club? They are ever so much more evolved than Rush right? Liberals are so predictable.
Jan 21, 2009 - 11:48 am 63. fear Obama:Thank you PJM for cleaning up one of my bad words.
Sorry,
I will make that correction next time.
*** grin ***
Jan 21, 2009 - 12:03 pm 64. Ann:I heard last night on NPR that Obama considered FDR’s first inaugural address to be “clunky” and “uninspired”. I think the FDR speech is going to hold up better historically than Obama’s.
Jan 21, 2009 - 12:38 pm 65. BC:To Jim Baker: Kudos for your “honesty.”
Jan 21, 2009 - 12:54 pm 66. Jo:LOL. The liberal comments in here are hilarious.
I note that liberals can basically only come up with ONE thing that Obama has done in the past that makes him great….run a good campaign.
Need I remind you that it’s EASY to run a great campaign WHEN THE MEDIA IS COMPLETELY ON YOUR SIDE TOOTING YOUR HORN!!
So without that, the campaign would have been typical. You know what that means? That means Obama has NEVER done anything worthy of mentioning. And in 4 years he still won’t have.
Period.
Jan 21, 2009 - 12:58 pm 67. Jim Baker:Thank you BC for your benevolent understanding. I feel better now. Sheesh.
Jan 21, 2009 - 12:58 pm 68. Fishleg Murphy:Terrible speech…offensive “reverend”…a big ZERO poetess….michelle wearing some kind of thing made out of drapes…and a set-up usurper to OUR Presidential Seat…it was all I thought it would be. Thanks for tossing out our Constitution,libs.
Jan 21, 2009 - 1:49 pm 69. Karin:Great job,dorks.
Carl, your copy/paste skills are truly astounding.
I would like Obama better (or at least despise him less) if he had taken some time to be a serious scholar of history and economics, particularly of the 20th century. Really study different and objective sources and reflect on what has succeeded and what has failed in the last century. It’s really right in front of our faces. His law degree just does not impress me as they are a dime a dozen.
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:00 pm 70. susan:thinking person
people like robert hurley aren’t able to join any discussion. Their single-celled brain only allows them to fawn in awe of zerobama, that’s all they have been doing for months now, that’s how those low lives go on.
It’s like talking constantly to a 5 year old kid. Thing is that a normal kid grows, but the obamatrons don’t.
But I am happy that their very intelligent strategy will be to overplay to death the race card, at some point the word “racist” will be totally empty of any significance and therefore null.
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:27 pm 71. Pat J:I heard bits and pieces of it. But was the mission of the speech to inspire? More like, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:29 pm 72. Mike Jefferson:A nice campaign speech? Who are you kidding? Obamas speech was overly angry, pessimistic, and patronizing. How dare a pipsqueak of no merit stand up and lecture the American people.
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:37 pm 73. jw:Obama said, “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.”
Obama is either an ignoramus or blinded by his biases. Earlier generations “faced down fascism” by defeating the German National Socialists (Nazis) and their allies by war, bullets, tanks, bombs, etc., not with “sturdy alliances and enduring convictions,” nor did the Allies all share the same convictions, the USSR certainly did not share the same convictions as did Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and the United States; they only shared the same enemy.
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:41 pm 74. paul_unalaska:Obama said nothing about the fundamental American value of liberty. What about the Declaration of Independence which lists some rights given to all of us by our Creator, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? No, Obama wants unity, no political disagreements, hard work. Shades of Lenin!
Re: #61 Carl Gordon – I ‘love’ your conjecture opus. It reminds me of articles written in Time magazine. You know. No facts, names, dates, considerations for improvement or remedy. Just phony, emotionless drivel. Similar to Obama’s inauguration speech yesterday.
Back to reality. The ‘..ready lead once more.’ comment of Obama’s speech was extremely insulting, IMO.
What have we been doing for 232 + years! We lead, take into account the mistakes made, remedy or change the problem altogether and move on.
Leading is making the difficult decisions whereas it may not be the popular path for the modus operandi.
Discussing the motivations regarding involvement in Iraq. Newsflash: 22 other pieces of evidence, besides WMD are on the table. Not to mention, we now have 2 neighboring ally countries in SA and Iraq to assist and take the reins of future entanglements. Imagine if we had to contend with Iran or Pakistan while contending with unsafe airspace in Iraq today. Our bases would be set up in SA. meaning our logistics would always have to work around Iraq.. a nightmare in the making. That’s leading!
The U.S. backing, initially in the least, Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Hamas’ ‘Gov’t Reps’ hiding behind civilians, in hiding altogether! Setting up missile launch sites, munitions at/in schools, hospitals and other public places. Phony medical procedures on ‘injured’ adults & children (I about lost my lunch when watching those ‘doctored’ videos). Austria’s president being the only country in the EU supporting Israel’s ‘About time’! mission. That’s leading!
Keith Bishop, offensive player for the Denver Broncos saying prior to the Broncos team going 98 yards in the 4th quarter of the ‘87 AFCCG vs the Browns, ultimately scoring and win in OT, ‘We got ‘em right where we want ‘em.’ That’s leading! (Sorry, Broncos fan here)
Lastly, I love the commenter’s screaching of ‘Racism’ when not agreeing with their ideology. That knee-jerk reaction is petty and is ridiculously used out of context. Please, Steve P, petena, et al., Come up with a more thought provoking rebuttal. Really, it’s like discussing thermal dynamics with a 3 year old..
Jan 21, 2009 - 2:47 pm 75. Ann141:Racism accusations should become so completely passe now. He was not only elected “in spite of” the fact the he was black. He was elected only BECAUSE he was black.
Of course, blacks who practice racism are feeling the power it gives them (added to their professional victimhood), I doubt they’re going to let it go any time soon.
Obamination: Day 2
Jan 21, 2009 - 3:22 pm 76. Cybergeezer:Obama sucks; He’s showing his incompetence and inexperience. He’s been too busy trying to live the life of an American Black man, so he can relate to his constituents. They are the first to lose, but will they admit it?
Jan 21, 2009 - 3:39 pm 77. Cybergeezer:How long will it take for the American black man to realize that patronizing him is actually denigrating him?
Jan 21, 2009 - 3:41 pm 78. Tom H:Steve P – thank you, coming from you that can only be considered a compliment. You are the perfect poster child for a generation of mindless, self-indulgent dolts who are going to end up, thanks to our educational system, running things in a few years. If I can vote for Alan keyes, who had not a chance to win, but consider the O a product of your corrupt style over substance culture, and I’m a racist, why does it not make you a racist for the same reasons??
Jan 21, 2009 - 3:49 pm 79. jerryofva:I think Obama gave a pretty good inaugural address. Good but not his best. His not so subtle attack on the past administration’s conduct of the war was not only gratuitous but was historically ignorant as well. I don’t want to seem petty at this happy time but perhaps President Obama should have spent more time reading President Lincoln’s executive orders issues during the Civil War than his dinner menu before decrying former President Bush’s “shredding” of our civil liberties during the past eight years of war. Come to think of it, he should also read President Wilson’s and Roosevelt’s executive orders affecting civil liberties during WWI and WWII. Actually, I recommend everybody should read those documents. They would be amazed at how little their rights have been infringed during the Bush years compared to other wars especially since the enemy resides within our borders.
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:32 pm 80. Steve Bourg:….full of contradictory statements. This speech was probably, almost certainly by all accounts, written by his speechwriter, the 28-year-old hotshot who thinks he knows all the right things to say. And he does. But they have no meaning because they’re too fluffy, or contradict each other too often, or oftentimes they don’t even make sense. He (they) had 2 months to write this speech, and they didn’t put a damn bit of detail of how people should be more responsible, or how govt will prop them up less so they’ll have to be more responsible, or how govt needs to be more responsible and use taxpayers’ dollars more wisely, and maybe LESS of our dollars. And there wasn’t a damn thing to make us hear that Obama wants to make the private sector more vibrant, make our Capitalism work better by itself by freeing up the over-control of govt. Jesus, we are toast under this guy and Pelosi/Reid!
Jan 21, 2009 - 6:50 pm 81. DaveinPhoenix:This guy SAID he was gonna pay my mortgage and gimme free money…where’s MY MONEY !!!!!????? I WANT MY MONEY !!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh !!!!!! GIMME MY MONEY OR I’m gonnaaaa…..hold my breath ’till I turn blue !!!
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:03 pm 82. vivo:50. piggle:
“Obama walks into a colossal mess”
“And the fear is, cedarford, he may not be the man to guide America out of it.”
This USA will get out of it if ALL or most of its citizens deal with it. The man is the orchestra conductor. The good musicians will play well, all others will stay on their chairs and some will fall. Who are YOU?
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:05 pm 83. Robert Hurley:Susan – Where have you been – we have been waiting for your scintillating intellect to shed light on the major questions of the day. Still looking for Obama’s birth certificate?
Jan 21, 2009 - 9:07 pm 84. MaryB:I almost dozed during his speech. Then the poet made her appearance and that finished it for me. Turned off the t.v. and went about my day, unfazed by anyone’s greatness.
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:03 pm 85. Harsh Reality:Oh no, Obama failed to impress Dick Moran, the most factually-challenged, pseudo intellectual, mental midget on Pajamas Media. It’s a strangely weak critique.
A little too weak. Is this article your limp effort to fool the conservative readers into the false belief that you aren’t the usual biased liberal, Dick?
We aren’t that stupid, buddy.
Jan 21, 2009 - 11:53 pm 86. Ann141:Rick Moran, I am chagrined to now observe that you are among the millions (I would guess) who have forgotten or never knew that the phrase is “I couldN’T care less”, not “I COULD care less”.
The phrase expressed as you put it implies that you still do care, if indeed there’s still room to care “less”.
Now I would like to say I couldn’t care less about this, but I care very much. We are losing the language, and I think that matters.
Jan 22, 2009 - 5:51 am 87. Ann141:9.Broadsword….I love your poetry! Your words are more fun to think about than whatzername’s list!!! “greeting cards with mileage arrangements”……that has potential. Thanks for the giggle.
Day 3
Jan 22, 2009 - 5:56 am 88. Ann141:I don’t believe I have ever heard a dhimmicrat quote Scripture unless it was used for their own political benefit and out of context.
It turns my stomach because I know they can count on having people in their audience who get warm fuzzies because “aww…..did you hear that…?…he quoted the Bible.”
But this is the same mulatto who claims to be a Christian who, when asked by his daughter what happens after we die, said he didn’t know. So excuse me if I’m not impressed with his knowledge (not) and use of Scripture.
Jan 22, 2009 - 6:05 am 89. Cybergeezer:I like puppet shows; This one shall not disappoint me.
Jan 22, 2009 - 6:26 am 90. Robert Hurley:Ann 141 Fro a Christian you have a very elastic definition of your obligations to tell the truth, seek justice and love your enemies.
Jan 22, 2009 - 6:48 am 91. Robert Hurley:This idea that Obama was elected because he was black is arrant nonsense. People vote for the whole package, the person, his experiences, his or her ideas, the direction the voters believe he or she will set the country on. Subtract any part and you have a different candidate. A black person with a different program would not have been elected. This idea is a way of avoiding the acceptance of the reality that the majority of voters believed that Obama was the right person who advocated the right policies for these difficult times. You are free to disagree with what he wants to do and to fight for your programs, but the absence of logic about why he was elected weaken the rest of your case
Jan 22, 2009 - 6:55 am 92. ThinkingPerson:#91 Robert Hurley….Ah, you have shown your weak underbelly my friend. Let me point out how…. Your words..[..."People vote for the whole package, the person, his experiences, his or her ideas, the direction the voters believe he or she will set the country on. Subtract any part and you have a different candidate....."]
Do tell Robert. What were those experiences and ideas of Obama that made him the “whole package”. I’ll list the first one to save you some time…community organizer. Okay, now it’s your turn.
What a lame argument from an Obama sympathizer. You voted for a blank slate not on anything of substance.
Jan 22, 2009 - 7:24 am 93. scottwayne:For those other southerners reading this, at what point and time do we succeed from this most unholy union?
Jan 22, 2009 - 8:29 am 94. Ann141:90.RobertHurley…I am desperately hoping for justice on all sides. As far as I am aware, nothing I have said is untrue. Loving my enemies does not require me to roll over for them, be lied to and stand by while they lie to and about my country. Scriptural Christianity has never required brainless acquiescence to things that are untrue and destructive.
I freely acknowledge that in the midst of very strong opinions, I have occasionally basically driven off the proverbal cliff in some thread or other simply because I am so fed up and so furious at what is happening to the level of comprehension in our country. Maybe I’ll turn dhimmicrat, because then I can just say:
…”I made a mistake” (when I evaded paying taxes)
…”I misspoke” (when I deliberatly lied)
…”I didn’t do something” (when I did)
…”I was not notified of the facts” (when I authorized release of people who kill people)
…”it was humor” (when I make racist remarks on national TV)
Yeah, that’s it. If I ever do decide to deliberately lie, kill babies and deliberately, pulicly verbalize hatred to other races, I’ll just turn dhimmi(crat) first…that way it’ll be ok, right?
And of course, you will again exhibit the liberal PC gift of insisting that “Christians are supposed to be….(insert your choice…loving, peaceful, sweet, silent…)” thereby shutting down freedom of speech.
You guys have been good at this over the years, I’ll grant you that. I’m just not playing that game any more, even though I may occasionally phrase something in such a way that you get the opportunity you crave.
Jan 22, 2009 - 9:37 am 95. susan:“Susan – Where have you been – we have been waiting for your scintillating intellect to shed light on the major questions of the day. Still looking for Obama’s birth certificate?”
unlike yourself, parasiting on the welfare check, i do work.
secondly, i was never into searching for the birth certificate. The fraud is yours, idiot, not mine.
The simple fact that there’s something fishy is that his magnificent university papers were never disclosed, that’s because i bet it’s written Barry Soetoro, Indonesian.
Other than that, the crap is all yours, deal with it.
(together with your andropause, of course)
Jan 22, 2009 - 10:48 am 96. The Historian:BLACK AMERICANS SUFFER FROM DISCONNECT
Obama didn’t change America. It’s been this great all along.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/some-americans-finally-discover-their.html
Jan 22, 2009 - 3:31 pm 97. paul_unalaska:Thinking Person, I’ll give Robert Hurley a hand in pointing out the ‘many experiences’ Obama possesses to keep the hot potato moving.
-Community Organizer
-The Congo Aid Bill
Glad to see that bill helping the DRC so well.
Wait, Obama did that? I thought he voted ‘Present’ on that vote, too. Wow, mind blow…
Jan 22, 2009 - 5:42 pm 98. zeezil:I especially liked the part when he mentioned action global warming to the million of his fans freezing their tuckus off. I guess he hasn’t kept up with the news where its been determined the earth has been cooling for the last 10 years and will continue to do so. Oh, and BTW…carbon dioxide, the boegyman of the Democrats global warming arguement, has nothing to do with global warming. Don’t those Democrat plans for carbon taxes and massive cap and trade restrictions and taxes look foolish now?
Jan 22, 2009 - 8:08 pm 99. Paul - Indiana:#98, Zeezil. How does the messiah explain how Mars is warming? I didn’t think that Martians could afford SUVs.
Jan 23, 2009 - 9:20 am 100. Cybergeezer:“His Emptiness” is exposing his juvenile personality. Any day now he’s going to start dressing like a rapper and get body guards to match.
Jan 24, 2009 - 6:10 am 101. hp:BC Obama gave a pretty darn good speech, and you would have to be a clueless, petty moron to have actually listened to it and think otherwise. I kind of like the bit that went, “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.”
If some of the comments here are any indicators, getting people to put aside their childish behavior may not be so easy….
me, too. goes spectacularly with the following excerpt, lingualfied by your president post said highlighted “childish” remark:
I won, I will trump you on that.
this isn’t like pre-election, kids. you know, where the mocking and bashing was relentless behind closed doors, far from the non-partisan documenting eye and ear.
for the next four years:
every. single. word. uttered. goes. on. record.
oo-hoo-hoo! i think i just felt me a tingle.
Jan 24, 2009 - 11:26 am 102. TrueDemocrat:Hurley, he was elected because he is black. In #3 you state it was the occassion that was great, he was not elected because he was black. So what was so great about the occassion? He is black!! So far anti life, pork, more pork, pro terrorist for AG, a tax cheat, and all the vileness you guys said about Hillary in the primaries. No waterboarding but OK to send Hellfire missiles at Freedom Fighters in Pakistan, a country that Congress has not approved war against!!! A cold blooded massacre in Pakistan of Freedom Fighters and innocent civilians.
Obama is a war criminal and his entire administration should be orosecuted for these war crimes.
Peace.
Jan 24, 2009 - 6:07 pm 103. Matthew:I taped it and I plan to burn it to DVD, but I won’t watch any of the inauguration for a couple of years, when I can put it in an historical context. These things are always more interesting in hindsight – all those high falutin’ sentiments will just sound jarring if he hasn’t delivered. I went back and watched the debates again after the election, and I found them much more enlightening the second time around. I apologise to all those who fell that the GOP wuz robbed, but the dems really cleaned up in those debates. Obama owned mccain. Obama looked presidential, mccain looked exhausted. I recommend another viewing to see what I mean.
Jan 24, 2009 - 7:05 pm 104. IntellectualHonesty:I am glad we have PJM political on XM. Our country was founded on the open availability of varying ideas. Ideas that are honest and impassioned. However I was disappointed when I heard someone on the show say “I noted that Barack Obama did not use his middle name. He said Barack H. Obama”, which if he had really watched the taking of oath would have heard the full name “Barack Hussein Obama” being said both by Chief Justice Roberts and also by Obama. To be taken seriously it is important the we are intellectually honest. That is the only way conservatism can come back. People need to believe that we are not just knee-jerk opposition but a legitimate voice for impassioned, honest, new, fresh ideas. I hope Roger L. Simon, makes sure that the show contains more intellectually honest opinions.
Jan 25, 2009 - 8:32 am