Printable View
As I write this, Obama has just reached the platform where, in less than 20 minutes, he will write a new page in history.
Inaugurations always make me very proud -- in some ways they represent the best of what the USA is and represents. This will be our 44th rendition.
Your ceremony quite frankly highlights how dull and boring our UK process is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh
For these 2 hours I genuinely wish I was american..
:shame:
Don't really know how the new boss is going to work out, but for the old one...
Anybody got any links to video?
Why are they treating him like Jesus Chirst? Makes me sick. He's a African American (nothing wrong with it, I'm not racist, just saying), and the deal is....? They are now making such a big deal out of it, acting like he's Jesus Christ who's coming back.
Nevertheless, it's historical, regardless of the fact I don't care much for him.
Good Luck President Obama.
With one sentence it is accomplished. Barack Hussein Obama is President.
Watching on CNN.com
CR
What he has earned are our congratulations and the benefit of the doubt. I hope that he is successful by American standards and avoids the abortion debate. It is a proud day for the United States.
CNN put me on a waiting list, the jerks. Oh well, it's not like they won't be rebroadcasting every darn thing for the next 24 hours. I'll catch it later.
In my attempt to see who was hosting video, I stumbled across this gem, which made me laugh sufficient to spray coffee on my keyboard:
Enjoy being Muslims, America, because that is exactly what you became when Barry spewed his secret snake code all over Abraham Lincoln’s 400-pound brown hellbox, the Bible. Let’s liveblog his declaration of jihad against you people, the whites.
It is not really about him anymore; it is far beyond that now.Quote:
Originally Posted by ||GoTW||Warman||Sldr||-III-||
But it's a good thing regardless, this is truly amazing, America I salute you no way this could happen in any European country, tough but fair :balloon2:Quote:
Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh
edit: cheeky thought, america's first black president might just be the one in charge of a nation in a meltdown that's gonna losen up some tongues at the prestigious business school at the Mugabe University.
Agreed. He now represents Americans as a whole and the office of the presidency, not just his party. A position only held by 43 others in the last 200 years, today is much more about the prestige of the position and ceremony than the man himself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh
I'm stuck in labs most the day, so I'll likely miss the innaguration. Maybe I can catch it tonight on a CNN re-run. :book:
Hehehe, this makes me ashamed of our last presidential inauguration.... :sweatdrop:
Good tone to the speech. Not quite "morning in America" but a very good sense of this moment and how he wishes to go forward.
43 have now sworn that oath and striven to do their best -- mostly -- to uphold it. I wish our new President success.
I finally got the CNN video working, and what was my reward? A University of Chicago middle-aged poet rambling on. That's just brutal, man. That's just wrong.
Oh well, back to work.
Best of luck to you America and your new President.
What the hell was up with that poem though.... Ugh, it was almost as if she just wrote out a list of things see saw in a week and then sprinkled it with a smattering of clichés and odd imagery just for :daisy:s and giggles.
:unitedstates: :unitedstates: :unitedstates:
I've never been prouder to be an American than I am right now. He's not the leader I chose, but he is my leader none the less, and I am honored to have him as my president. I wish him the best of luck, and I will do all I can to respond to his call, to continue down the path, despite the hardships, and pass our legacy of freedom and propserity to the generations that follow.
They say that being a good leader is about the ability to inspire people to do that which their better selves already know that they should do. I would say in that regard, we have an excellent leader. Lemur, you're got to fine a loop of the speech. Maybe it's the emotion of the moment, but it's one of the best, one of the most inspiring, I've ever seen or heard.
As an aside, did anybody else notice CNN's cameras zoom in on Bush when Obama uttered the line about "not sacraficing our principles for our security"? Bush looked like he had swallowed a bug.
:unitedstates: :unitedstates: :unitedstates:
I don't quite know what to say besides "That was epic."
And it was.
I've always thought that Bush did the Patriot Act stuff out of what he felt to be necessity, not out of some love of power or sense of cruelty. I have no doubt he found it a bit galling to have that aspect of his legacy highlighted so poignantly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Corleone
And yes, Don, I agree with you that the media had that shot planned from the moment they read their advance copy of the text. It was the primary reaction shot they highlighted Bush 43 for.
Congratulations US of America. Hopefully things will now take turn to better direction.:yes:
National Park police have estimated the crowd at roughly 2M people.
This means that nearly 1% of the entire country actively chose to show up -- in person -- to watch the innaugural. Impressive.
I have no doubt he found it a bit galling to have that aspect of his legacy highlighted so poignantly.
Hopefully it will encourage future presidents to act more cautiously towards civil liberties... ill probably wait for a video on youtube or something...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ||GoTW||Warman||Sldr||-III-||
It's more of the fact that 60 years ago black people weren't allowed to drink from the same water fountains as white people but now an African American is leading the worlds super power. It's a testimony to the change that has happened in the world since then and the huge steps forward we are taking as people to end intolerance of others.
It's also more significant as it marks the end of a president with one of the lowest approval ratings of all time, who is finally leaving office and marks the day where not just America but the world can start to clear up the economic problems, stop the blood shed in the middle east and finally start to clear up all of the mess the Bush administration made.
Obviously I know that he isn't going to be a miracle maker and he'll do well to fix half those problems but the fact is as an American you should be happy the finally have a leader who wont throw away your civil liberties in the name of anti terror legislation and wont support torture as a means of defence.
Basically be grateful. No matter what you think of Obama surely he can't do as bad as Bush, well it's debatable if that's even possible.
It was indeed an inspiring speech.
I was moved by the appeals to history - as an Irishman, invoking the ancestors and their struggles guarantees a lump to my throat, even if it's other people's ancestors. It struck the right note of solemnity in face of momentous events, and inspiration that those events are small in the light of the sacrifices and achievements of prior generations.
Though many of us over the waters are jealous of how America has re-invented herself again, it is the jealousy of an aged relative truly proud of the achievements of youth. A faint nostalgia rather than an envy. Inaugurations embody that hope and speak to us all.
:bow:
Bush Clinton Bush Obama
:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:
Did the Chief Justice fumble his words?
Yup. Roberts misplaced "faithfully", I believe.
that.... was.... hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
i am SO posting that on my facebook page!:2thumbsup:
:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4:
on a more serious note, i wish president obama the best of luck!
I saw it live on Joost, surprisingly good stream with absolutely no problems.
The speech he held I also found very inspiring, though a bit critical here and there.
The speech of that woman after him was, well, if that's what Lemur meant I agree. :laugh4:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Husar
President Obama's speech was solidly done, with a clear and sober tone. It was not, regrettably, a speech for the ages as were FDR's 2nd, Kennedy's, or Reagan's 1st.
The woman following him was reciting poetry. I will refrain from commenting on either the poesy itself or the oral interpretation. I will only note that it did serve to begin clearing The Mall.
The problem with Obama's speech was that it sounded like the same sales pitch he was dishing out on the campaign trail. A few nice bits were sandwiched in between the 'must mention' bullet points.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh
As to the poet, that was truly bad stuff. I mean truly bad. Kudos to modern artists & poets lowering the bar to previously unimaginable depths. Personally I would have preferred to see a crack addled monkey toss paint at a canvas for 5 minutes. Appropriate or not it certainly would have done wonders to keep the attention of that mammoth crowd.
Yeah, the speech gets a big "meh" from me. Seemed pretty boilerplate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spino
Come on, I thought the poem was comic gold. :laugh4:Quote:
As to the poet, that was truly bad stuff. I mean truly bad.
I've gotta say- Obama, sure he's big government liberal, but I'm willing to take a wait and see approach. Clinton managed to do some good on a few issues and maybe Obama will do the same. But what really creeps me out is the fact that we now have Joe Biden as VP.... every time I think about that, it still makes my skin crawl. :sweatdrop:
I was actually at the Mall for the event. I'll provide a report for you guys in a few hours after I get some rest (up since 3:30 plus an 8-mile walk to get back to my dorm is not conducive to good reporting).
Good luck to Obama and the US. I know Realpolitik and petty interests are always involved at some point, but I hope they will become once again the beacon of hope and freedom they are supposed to be. :2thumbsup:
I believe you, millions wouldn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xiahou
my baby bro was watching "Bob the builder" and then i realized something.
obama and bob have the same slogan: "yes we can."
it would have been funny if obamas slogan had been taken off of the show, and funnier if he dressed up as bob for the inaguration and then said "Barack the builder- can we fix it?!"
just some thoughts.
:laugh4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNXytgKiAHQQuote:
Originally Posted by hooahguy
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...arack+the+buil
Nevertheless, I'd like to wish our new president all the best. :dizzy2::book::dizzy2::yes::beam:
Is that because Europe doesn't have such large numbers or concentrations of them and doesn't have countries with the electoral system that America has ?Quote:
But it's a good thing regardless, this is truly amazing, America I salute you no way this could happen in any European country, tough but fair
As for the inauguration itself....hasn't Aretha got old .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tribesman
True colors?
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I watched it all on TV over here after I finished work. Maybe it`s just because I`m not American but I was quite bored. Anyways, hopefully he`ll do a good job for you lot.
Change?
http://content.usatoday.com/communit.../01/61651854/1
"help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right"
Sounds like the same race victimhood crap we've endured since the 60's. For God's sakes, we just stuck an unqualified black man in the white house, what else can white people do to make "right". :laugh4:
The next four years of, "you can't criticise Obama, that's racist!!!" is going to get old quick.
I do solemnly swear...line, please?
Here's your chance to throw him out on a technicality, Dave, no mulligans. paging Kenneth Starr...~;)
Okay, here are my on-site thoughts.
(Note: Some of it may be rambling, as well as the fact that a lot of it is familiarized with the city's geography. I'll try to pare it down so that people unfamiliar with DC get the idea.)
I woke up at 3:30 AM, and left with a group of friends around 4, which is when the Metro (DC's subway system) opens. Got to the nearest Metro station and the place was packed already. Not a good sign. The first train went by, already completely full. Luckily, the second train was fine so we all squeezed in. After a couple of incidents on the train, we got off at the Farragut North stop, which is a moderate walk away from the Mall.
Got to the Mall and started walking in the direction of the Capitol, passing the Washington Monument as well as a few news HQs. We eventually settled on a spot of dirt and gravel roughly a quarter-mile away from the Capitol, with a good view of a JumboTron screen (in case you remember the overheads, there was one up near the front, and then a row on the opposite side of the Mall. We were behind the first JumboTron in that row). All in all, we were all settled in a bit before 5:30 AM.
It was cold. Gloves, hoods, anything to help block the temperature, came out. One girl had enough of it and went home just as the sun was starting to come up. She was from Upstate NY, too, which gives you an idea of how bad it was.
When we arrived, a good portion of the Mall (closer to the Washingtom Monument) was still open and for the most part people-free. By sunrise, there were people as far back as I could see. I'm told from eyewitnesses that the crowd eventually extended well beyond the Monument and even pushed to the Lincoln Memorial's Reflecting Pool (well over a mile away from the Capitol).
Slowly, time passed. When I wasn't trying to get warm I took a look at the crowd around me. The thing that struck me the most was the ratio of black people to white people, with the whites being heavily outnumbered. When you think of DC, you usually think of all of the politicians and lobbyists related to it, and forget that a large majority of the city's population is black. I was definitely reminded of this fact today. To a man, they all seemed to be wearing Obama gear, and were clearly in a good mood. I'm searching to find the right word for the overall tone they had, and although nothing really matches, I think the closest descriptor is "peaceful vindication". I heard several comments throughout the day that Obama had "finally did it" and that this day was the realization of thousands, if not millions, of dreams. There was no malice, no "time to reverse the tables" sort of thinking. It was all "we did it, things are finally going to be right". I think this general lack of malice is a great sign for the country, as it means that perhaps we've finally closed the book on racism. I can only hope that the feeling stays as the GOP no doubt attempts to oppose the Obama Administration in certain areas.
All in all, the crowd was very liberal, as you might expect. My friends who arrived later were telling me that farther back, by the Monument, you got the crazies and weirdos, like one guy who dressed up like a tree. Closer up front though, where I was, as the dignitaries were introduced, the Democratic figures on the whole got way more applause than the Republican ones did. This held true even for the controversial Democratic people (Pelosi, who got big applause) and the relatively noncontroversial Republicans (a relatively indifferent reaction to Bush 41). Bush 43 was the only person who got openly booed, and there was a small chanting of "na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goo-ood bye" going on.
However - and this, along with the tone of the black crowd gives me a great hope for the future of the country - once Obama was into his speech, and wholeheartedly gave thanks to the outgoing president for his service, the boos turned into applause and some cheers. To me, the applause didn't sound reserved, as if the crowd was clapping only because it was told to. I think the audience, no matter their feelings as to the past eight years, looked deep down and recognized the man's good parts, and (belatedly) saluted him for it. If, as in these two cases, if we can get past our conflict-ridden histories and move on for the good of everyone, then I have hope for our country's future. At the very least, its tone if not his policies.
Obama's speech, while partially focusing on the policies (which, being a fiscal conservative, made me slightly uneasy), also heavily hit on the conclusion I made in the above paragraph, which is exactly what I think he needed to do. For this reason, his speech - while not in the same rhetorical vein as JFK's or the "I Have a Dream" speech - was successful.
I also need to give a special mention to the Rick Warren invocation, which was very powerful and, in my opinion, the best speech of the day. For all the controversy surrounding his appointment, he made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing more than to see Obama do well and the country to prosper, which goes well with what I thought to be the theme of the day. It also takes something, in this day and age, to get two million Americans from all backgrounds, standing, with our heads down, to recite the Lord's Prayer.
Despite all this, the inauguration ended on something of a low note for me. Although the sun warmed us up some, I was still freezing and left immediately following Obama's speech, not bothering to listen to the poet and whatever pastor they had on afterwards. I made a beeline for the nearest Metro station, L'Enfant Plaza, which was massive and I figured would be able to handle the crowd of people. It took me about 20 minutes to get to the nearest station entrance, at which point we (I was separated from my group by this time) were informed by the Army that the entrance was closed and the nearest one was about a block down the street.
Well, it took me about 20 more minutes to get back to the street I was originally on, and I looked ahead and saw something out of a disaster movie where the city was being evacuated. We were going nowhere, and I had no chance of getting to that station in anything remotely resembling good time. So I trek off, fighting through the crowds of people, looking for additional exits from the Mall area. The only problem was that pretty much every single artery was clogged with people. There were all kinds of rumors that the Metro was closed, that it wouldn't be open until the parade was over, etc.
I eventually ended up taking a ridiculously roundabout route, finally getting into the city proper at Foggy Bottom (above the Lincoln Memorial, which is really far away from where I was), and trying to see if the situation at that Metro station was any better. From two blocks away, I saw a huge crowd by it, and figured not to bother. I could have headed east and tried the Farragut North station, where I got on, but I figured the situation wasn't any different there, and besides, my campus was to the northwest. So I just decided to keep on walking and several uphill miles later, I arrived home.
All said, my inauguration experience took around 12 hours, from the time I left (4 AM) to the time I got back and sat down (4 PM). It was a lot to take in for one day, and while I'm glad I went and experienced it, I wish the conditions and planning had been a bit better.
I hope this post was insightful to you from a perspective of someone who was actually there. :bow:
Well I stayed up all night to watch the thing (He was scheduled to take the oath at 4am...) and I have to say it is amazing to see just how many people turned out. For all the flack that Obama took during the campaign about being nothing but rhetoric this just went to show you what his rhetoric was capable of doing. Looking at the faces of the people there you could see the mood of the nation changing from one of hopelessness, to pure hope itself. A national revival such as this is healthy for all nations to undertake regularly and I don't think it could come at a better time for America.
Congratulations President Obama - serve your country and the citizens of the world proudly, truthfully and well.
Gud luck Obama. I wish him luck. I think he has the potential to do a lot of things for ye country.
Thats a song by Steinberg isn't it ?Quote:
True colors?
Thanks for the on the scene report GeneralHankerchief. Too bad you couldn't score one of those steam grates. Did you notice any of the usual array of homeless vagabonds about or did security remove them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tribesman
You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small
But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
See they could have used that as a poem instead of that :daisy: they had at the inauguration .
I would've gone with this.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZEoqjdrcIsQuote:
Originally Posted by Tribesman
GH:
You WALKED from L'Enfant to Hoya High (I'm guessing you meant Georgetown)? In today's weather? SERIOUS Nanook points lad!
Hosa: No, the grates were long claimed before I arrived. But I think it was just normal people who thought ahead; the hobos were nowhere to be seen.
Seamus: Nope, try Tenleytown and American U. :wink:
But it's a good thing regardless, this is truly amazing, America I salute you no way this could happen in any European country, tough but fair
We got a scottish pm... doesn't that count for anything ?
I wish Obama best of luck, im unsure on the guy but my thinking is along the lines of things can only get better...
Shhh.... Let the yanks have their moment, no need to tell them that our immigrant populations are just that - immigrants - who came here only some 30 odd years ago...Quote:
Originally Posted by Tribesman
African americans are just that - americans. Just as american as any other human living there. Actually, a little less american than the indians, but whatever. When you elect, say, and Indian or Arab, then we can talk.
The bottom line is, our africans are immigrants(the jews are our only real "native aliens", and I do believe we've elected them). African Americans are Americans. Being black shouldn't be an issue at all, really. But being an immigrant, ie. coming from one culture and having to learn another culture, etc. is a significantly bigger step.
Though, it could be pointed out that Sarky is Hungarian, and as such an immigrant, much more than Obama ~;)
Well they can't do that , even if the arab or indian gets citizenship they still can't be elected as the office is only open to natural americans .Quote:
African americans are just that - americans. Just as american as any other human living there. Actually, a little less american than the indians, but whatever. When you elect, say, and Indian or Arab, then we can talk.
So for example while Bustamante was a hispanic he could get elected for state governement and could run for president , but Arnie who is "white" could run for state government but not for president .
So while you mention Sarko as an example of a son of an immigrant being elected as President I suppose Ireland can go one better by having had several actual immigrants elected as President and several minorities elected to that office too .
Ireland the banana republic that is the true leader of freedom and beacon of democracy in the western world .
:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4:
You surprise me Strike....Quote:
Originally Posted by Strike For The South
I though you´d go with this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ5SVDYBNrY
;)
Much as I love you Dave, I am deeply relieved that your lot of neo-con religio-corporate *&%$s have been consigned, with the contempt that only history can muster, to the political dustbin.Quote:
Originally Posted by Devastatin Dave
I still think that Obama will be a company man within a year or two and will largely dissapoint.
Your prediction leads to my biggest fear for Mr. O: the teeming masses he mobilized during his campaign, who (wrongly) think he's gonna pay their mortgage and car-payment, and all they gotta do is point to the "I Voted for Obama" pin on their shirt - are gonna be severely disappointed when those payments don't arrive in the next 24 months.Quote:
Originally Posted by Idaho
He never explicitly promised that stuff, but many expect it anyway. How hard will they turn on him?
He's gonna have to continue 'selling' his slow-moving programs (whatever they are) to an impatient public.
That's awesome. I was there yesterday. My electoral politics seminar from last semester headed down to D.C. from Gettysburg at about 4:30. And I'll tell ya the city was packed. It took us maybe two to three hours to get to the mall from Shady Grove. The part of the class that I was with ended up just below and to the right of the Washington Monument. We were on the mound of the monument so we could look out over much of the crowd, though of course not to the capital for some reason. It was awesome. My toes nearly froze off, but the crowd was really excited and aside being nervous that Obama wouldn't make it through the ceremony or that he wouldn't live up to all of the expectations we have for him it was awesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh
Did anyone else notice during the Invocation when the guy said "KinSHASHA!" the whole crowd cracked up at that one.
Also at the end somewhere, I forget exactly what speech it was, but some guy made some rather extreme comments on race including "When the white man can do the right man" or something like that which I think was a bit overboard. But other than that it was an awesome ceremony and experience.
Yesterday was an rather important day in American history and I congratulate the first African American to become President - BUT - I'm a bit suprised by the comments on his speech so far.
I thought It wasn't that great - that it was a bit hackneyed and jumbled, pulling in as many heart warming jibblets as it could in order to satisfy the huddled masses. To be honest, I was expecting more.
I've heard speeches by Obama that I was the first to say were talented beyond contemporary measure - this was nowhere near one of them. It was Ok, better than many speeches that I've heard, but a bit stale.
Anyway, here is a heretical brit's take on it.
link
Yeah those people should just accept that in the richest country in the world, large swathes should have 3rd world levels of poverty, violence and infant mortality :book:Quote:
Originally Posted by KukriKhan
I agree with Idaho & Kukri. Peoples expectations may be unrealistically high, though it's understandable considering recent events. Presidents can do nothing without the cooperation of the Legislature, and financially, this administration is limited in manuever room.Quote:
Originally Posted by KukriKhan
I'll take positive, open and fairminded action & policies to flowery speeches any day.
It's odd. I heard a speech talking about sacrifice, hard work and community spirit, invoking the best of the US values of self-reliance. A speech that highlighted the recent "gimme" culture as being spoilt and oh-so-over.
I'd have called it a sober and conservative speech. He talked about taking a pay-cut to save your neighbour's job. He talked about recognising that a good life doesn't come easy, and never should have done (or appear to have done so). He talked about the best of America being her "never say die", never give up optimism. He offered peace with enemies as long as they unclench their fists and unbending enmity if they choose not to.
Apart from the fiscal bail-outs that pretty much every politician in the Western world seems to be bent on providing, I didn't catch much about hand-outs - but a lot about fixing things by hard work and personal responsibility. He eschewed the false partisanship about big/little government in favour of government that works.
Now all this is just a speech, but it struck me as a very conservative speech that if it had been given by a "Conservative" politician, might well have had that grouping swooning. But then US conservatism has me constantly baffled.
:shrug:
It had inspirational imagery, but lots of practicality too. A good speech for the times.
I agree banquo, at the beginning of his speech he already said something along the lines that it's not a leaser who can drag a country out of the mud, but the people through their hard work and dedication. He didn't get a lot of applause for that though.
Yes, it did have that tone at several points. In fact, you could argue with some effect that only Obama's implicit emphasis on the Federal government as the focus of these efforts runs counter to conservative ideas. Kukri' is suggesting, of course, that while Obama outlined a more reasonable agenda in the tone and issues he addressed, that "restraint" may not play well to a good portion of his voters. There are more than a few who are likely to think (unrealistically) that change delayed past June 2009 is not change at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost
Idaho:
The number of US citizens and residents living in "3rd world" poverty conditions is so small as to be inconsequential. "Poverty" in the USA often carries a standard of living that would be envied by the truly poor in Soweto, Sao Paolo, or Djakarta.
Infant Mortality is very low, and our statistics so scrupulously gathered that it may well be that our actual infant mortality rate is as low or lower than many places that claim to be better but may not be claiming so on equally scrupulous data. Other than those infants who are purposefully killed prior to birth, it is very rare for an infant to die here.
Violence we have, truly, but at "Third World" levels? I suspect not. If we'd change our strategy on stopping drug abuse and addiction, a large portion of that violence may well disappear.
That's a good observation. It's commonly remarked that after two years a "leader" surrounds himself in a transparent bubble. All the yes-men and aids he trusts the most tell him what he wants to hear and he becomes the led.Quote:
Originally Posted by Idaho
For some strange reason, CNN took this headline down pretty quickly:
I wonder if he passed on this one.
This is pretty cool — a satellite image of the crowd at the inauguration.
You see, that’s the point. All through out the campaign his vague rhetoric encourages people to pick out portions they like and use their mind to fill in the gaps. Barack Obama, the man, the president, teaches us a valuable lesson in cognitive biases.Quote:
Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost
Listen to his inaugural address! The man tried to cover the entire spectrum. Compare it to his statements on the stimulus package. Look at his nominees. Finally, look at how .org members are reacting in this thread. Think about their biases and make the determination yourself.
Perhaps some psychologist can explain it better than I but that is the essence of the man.
It's okay, Vladimir, according to Fox News he might not even be President.
I heard that on my right wing radio too ~;) (back to those biases). Technically it's true, but he can take the oath in private to make it "official" if too many people object. Hey, if a technicality will get you off murder charges...but that means Biden is president. No thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
That either the funniest or saddest thing I've ever seen. That man is a genius of comedy (I hope)Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
Yeah, what a bizarre claim...Quote:
Originally Posted by Strike For The South
So America is a Parliamentary system now, right?
No the Western hemisphere is all presidential. (Excluding Canada and Cuba but in all reality, who cares?)
Well, academically, it's an interesting question. I believe Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur both retook their oaths for similar reasons.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
Any challenges to Obama's presidency would likely be heard by the Supreme Court, and it's hard to imagine Robert's would find against Obama since he gave the oath. But nonetheless, constitutional scholars have said that Obama should retake the oath- if nothing else, it would give the conspiracy nuts one less thing to worry about.
hehe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Corleone
I watched the speech on KIRO 7 (Crazed Rabbit, you're probably familiar with that station) on the big-screen in the lobby of my office. The close captioning was turned on, and man, somebody should definitely be fired over that particular piece of :daisy:. I actually broke out laughing a few times because the spelling and contextual errors they made were so comical. I wish I could get a transcript of it. It really bugs me, because it ruined for me what should have been a fairly inspiring moment.
Anyone fool enough to get the mob worked up in such a state simply so he/she can get elected deserves whatever fate they have in store for him. Live by the mob, die by the mob.Quote:
Originally Posted by KukriKhan
Shots fired from the ideological bell tower! The sniper returns! SAVE YOURSELVES!Quote:
Originally Posted by Idaho
Civil war averted.