Obama

[Bobbie En Tejas]

I note that he has had to be inaugurated again due to a slip-up on the wording.This time in a back room at the White House.If it had been done that way initially without the hype I for one would find him more believable.That is not the American Way though.

To be honest, I found the slip to be in his favour - nerves and only human - the other guy must bear some responsibility.

Actually, Landover, it IS the American way. There is no misunderstanding that there has been a change of administrations.

Just to note, our constitution calls for the oath to be worded exactly. Obama didn't stop because he was nervous and slipped up. He stopped because he knew what the oath was supposed to be, and Justice John Roberts had memorized the oath instead of reading it. He was the one who made it mistake.

It is written like that so that no one can leave anything out of the oath. To prevent any problems in the future, it was good it was redone.

His speech however lacked fire - surely the sign of a true orator.

The fire was in the words, not in the shouting or dramatics.

Love the new icons

[Govangirl]

I note that he has had to be inaugurated again due to a slip-up on the wording.This time in a back room at the White House.If it had been done that way initially without the hype I for one would find him more believable.That is not the American Way though.

Bobbie, hen - no wonder you don't come on here so much now! I've said it before and I'll say it again: How do you keep your patience at some of the ignorant tripe posted on here?

We have years of campaigning for this historic moment and the 'American Way' should be to hide in a back room in the White House and deny that moment to the millions of people who voted and campaigned and took part in the struggle for that historic moment?

Is that the ENGLISH way then, Roger?

[Govangirl]

No no no no. I'm prepared to give him a chance - typical female upstart, old indeed.

See Ionns, old man, that's what this 'typical female upstart' expected of you in the first place. Even after your many years of campaigning for a better life for the underdog, you still have hope that things can change and I KNOW you would wait and see what kind of change Obama can bring. Maybe he will be a Blair but if we lose hope we have nothing. So give in to your optimistic side and stop trying to cover it up with stirring. I don't give a fig if Roger doesn't have any hope for Obama but I would be shocked and saddened if you were not prepared to give him a chance. So thanks for clarifying that.

[Ranald]

Obama is a politician. He also happens to be black. I've got no more or no less hope for him than any other "world leader". I won't slate him or praise him until he's actually had a chance to make a difference. Sure, it's great that Americans seem to have been able to put race to one side and hopefully that will act as an example to everyone but wasn't there a ground-breaking female prime minister over here a few years ago? Don't want to start that debate again but that election didn't necessarily herald great things for everyone just because Maggie was a woman.

Yes it's a historic presidency but it's not going to make him a better or worse president just because he's the first black or mixed race person to hold the office. Talkers talk and do-ers do. This is his chance to be a do-er so we'll see how it goes.

There are plenty issues facing America and the rest of the world so once it gets down to the nitty gritty it doesn't really matter what his heritage or skin colour is.

Watching the inauguration coverage on the BBC the other night I noticed they had a reporter in his father's home village in Kenya and someone they interviewed there seemed to think that because the new President of a foreign country is black that he'd be putting an end to all their problems. It worries me that they'll be left sorely disappointed but as I said let's wait and see.

And I don't think Roger's point about "The American Way" was in any sense a dig at Obama, more an observation of the razzamatazz that goes along with all big occasions over there. Plenty of style, hopefully there will be a lot of substance to back it up this time.

[LANDROVER ROGER]

Thanks Ranald.That was the point I was trying to make.Perhaps not very well.The back room was a minor attempt at humour.Perhaps with hindsight I should have used a smiley but I could not find a"tongue-in-cheek"one.Sorry GG.

[Govangirl]

Ranald, his colour hasn't been mentioned!

[Ranald]

Ranald, his colour hasn't been mentioned!

Sorry, didn't realise I could only post about things other people had mentioned. Was just making my own observations on the situation and the coverage I watched. Silly me

[History]

When Maggie Thatcher's honeymoon period with the British public was over one MP was heard to say that it would be a long time before anther woman PM would get in because of the mess she had made. He didn't mention the havoc that any male PM's pre Maggie had created.

I think if you make history the way Obama has done the scrutiny and critiscism is more intense and also gives the cynics fuel for there "told you so" attitude if things don't work out..

[Lossit Lass]

I note that he has had to be inaugurated again due to a slip-up on the wording.This time in a back room at the White House.If it had been done that way initially without the hype I for one would find him more believable.That is not the American Way though.

Just to note, our constitution calls for the oath to be worded exactly. Obama didn't stop because he was nervous and slipped up. He stopped because he knew what the oath was supposed to be, and Justice John Roberts had memorized the oath instead of reading it. He was the one who made it mistake.

Glad you pointed that out...I read Roger's post & was on my way to clear it up myself

& personally, I hate all the nit-picking...by so many including Americans...you can always count on it for sure &, damn, does it get OLD That goes for Biden's subsequent jab at Roberts...it was a totally unnecessary, childish extending of an uncomfortable moment for Roberts & Obama, especially given their history. But I love Obama's (non)reaction, so characteristic of him...good man!!!!

His speech however lacked fire - surely the sign of a true orator.

What I gathered from the low-key speech was that it emphasizes our need to focus on the (oh, so many) issues at hand, the enormous amount of mess we're drowning in, the urgent need to get on with things right away...even during an inauguration speech. That this was the culminating moment we had waited & worked 2+ years to get to. It was another way of 'downsizing' our 'big' ways, being more conservative all around. That will be the legacy of his speech.
& as it would appear, if he had been all flowery & poetic he would have certainly been chastised for it!! Just can't win, as they say

Not to mention it was absolutely unnecessary to rally us...we were already there!!!!!!!!!!

[Lossit Lass]

Yes it's a historic presidency but it's not going to make him a better or worse president just because he's the first black or mixed race person to hold the office. Talkers talk and do-ers do. This is his chance to be a do-er so we'll see how it goes.
There are plenty issues facing America and the rest of the world so once it gets down to the nitty gritty it doesn't really matter what his heritage or skin colour is..

There are actually 2 main views of his presidency...1st is the hope & promise he gives us, that all of us working TOGETHER, with him, can start the climb out of this despair...which has nothing to do with his color, obviously. 2nd IS the undeniable, beautiful fact that he is our 1st black/mixed race president, that WE voted for, which in & of itself gives us hope for erasing nasty racial lines in our culture...among all races.

And, of course no one knows where things will go from here. We couldn't know that, & didn't when we cast our ballot for him, but that didn't cause hesitation for anyone. That's just a given with regard to EVERY 1st term president & election. Now when people re-elect a president (Bush) who has already proven he is not cutting it (Bush) & is in fact making thing SOOOO much worse for our country & the world (Bush)...well, there is just no excuse for that.

Watching the inauguration coverage on the BBC the other night I noticed they had a reporter in his father's home village in Kenya and someone they interviewed there seemed to think that because the new President of a foreign country is black that he'd be putting an end to all their problems. It worries me that they'll be left sorely disappointed but as I said let's wait and see.

I doubt he is disillusioned...just high on hope. I imagine he gets that Obama's election isn't going to change things overnight. But for future generations, if we make the most of this new era, things look extremely bright.

[ionnsaigh]

I sincerely hope ( with all my heart ) that Barrack can somehow overcome - not only the problems of America, but help to secure a world - free at last - from poverty disease war .
Go for it Man.

[Lossit Lass]

I sincerely hope ( with all my heart ) that Barrack can somehow overcome - not only the problems of America, but help to secure a world - free at last - from poverty disease war .
Go for it Man.

now THAT'S more like it

[EMDEE]

I sincerely hope ( with all my heart ) that Barrack can somehow overcome - not only the problems of America, but help to secure a world - free at last - from poverty disease war .
Go for it Man.

now THAT'S more like it

Aye, gie the man a chance!

[ionnsaigh]

I'm more than impressed by the impending closure of Guantanamo, and the recognition of the Geneva Convention. The lifting of the ban on funding organisations, who don't exclude abortion - will hopefully reduce the suffering of many women, and girls in the so called - least developed countries. His indirect intervention into stem cell research - must be his greatest achievement so far - less than a week into the job.
Go Man go - stay man stay.
EMDEE'S back - Oh no.

[LANDROVER ROGER]

I need to clarify my original point.I am not knocking the man or his capabilities.I wish him good luck for the future.It was just the surrounding hype that got right up my nose.