What an interesting day....

[sgtmac_46]

I am reminded of the line from 'Gladiator' where one Senator says to another, in watching Commodus' Triumph procession approach....

"He Enters Rome Like a Conquering Hero. But What Has He Conquered?"

Indeed......

 

[Cirdan]

Well for one thing unlike Commodus who inherited his office, Obama was elected by the people.

 

[grydth]

Let me see if I can get you Hellary Clinton's phone number... She can answer that.

 

[terryl965]

All any of us can do is sit back and pray he will get this country out of the mess it is in.

 

[Tez3]

One things for sure, those 'trapper' type hats? The ones that tie under the chin? No man, especially military, should ever wear them like that and not expect people to fall about laughing.

I can't help thinking it would be worth lengthening your Presidents time in office by a couple of months to ensure the inauguration happened in spring if not summer, those poor people freezing all that time waiting!

It happened at four in the afternoon our time so only got to see some of the ceremony as I was working, however one of our clerks, a black lady and as English as you could get, was thrilled to bits, she said it was truly exciting. I think whatever Americans think about the politics, America itself has notched itself up in the worlds eyes with this elected leader. I'm not sure if Americans ever realised how despised Bush was in the rest of the world, whether that's fair or not I'm not sure or whether Americans cared or not, he was perceived by many as the very worst type of 'knowall' American who wanted to take over the world one McDonalds at a time. That may be unfair to him but I doubt his role in history is going to be remembered kindly.

 

[Zyaga]

That may be unfair to him but I doubt his role in history is going to be remembered kindly.

Probably not, but we'll all think a little bit better of him when we eventually get somebody worse than him into the office.

That's how it goes right? Everything is a comparison?

 

[MA-Caver]

All any of us can do is sit back and pray he will get this country out of the mess it is in.

Well he's already said that he can't do it alone and we should know not to just "sit back" and let them do it... that's how the hell we got HERE in the first place.
At the risk of sounding like a fascist propaganda "we must all do our part"!

 

[shesulsa]

One things for sure, those 'trapper' type hats? The ones that tie under the chin? No man, especially military, should ever wear them like that and not expect people to fall about laughing.

He's trying to stop smoking ... going through withdrawals and all that. Makes the mind do weird things. :lol2:

I can't help thinking it would be worth lengthening your Presidents time in office by a couple of months to ensure the inauguration happened in spring if not summer, those poor people freezing all that time waiting!

I think they used to do it in March but the transition took too long or something like that.

It happened at four in the afternoon our time so only got to see some of the ceremony as I was working, however one of our clerks, a black lady and as English as you could get, was thrilled to bits, she said it was truly exciting. I think whatever Americans think about the politics, America itself has notched itself up in the worlds eyes with this elected leader. I'm not sure if Americans ever realised how despised Bush was in the rest of the world, whether that's fair or not I'm not sure or whether Americans cared or not, he was perceived by many as the very worst type of 'knowall' American who wanted to take over the world one McDonalds at a time. That may be unfair to him but I doubt his role in history is going to be remembered kindly.

I kept my boys home from school to watch this historic event and to see their sister march in the inaugural parade just feet from the new Prez ( he pointed at her untied shoe ). I thought it was amazing that my youngest was completely unimpressed by the fact that we now have our first black president. He knows a little bit about slavery, he knows a little bit about the civil war, he has heard of the Emancipation Proclomation but knows so very little about racism and segregation and never experienced bussing. He hasn't seen pictures of lynchings, segregated water fountains, knows little about Rosa Parks ... yet.

I lost friends I grew up with to the gang life and some to gang violence who started hating me in their teens because our skin was not the same color - they did what they felt they had to do to stay alive in their neighborhoods or in this world as they perceived it. Jared will likely not experience that on the level I did, and I think it's a testimony to successful imigration and successful campaigns of tolerance that he just thinks the best candidate won. He's only ten years old.

Indeed, it didn't really sink in for me until Joseph Lowery gave the benediction.

[yt]7pEH37JIgBU[/yt]

So.

We have A New President. Time to roll up the sleeves ....

 

[Tez3]

Probably not, but we'll all think a little bit better of him when we eventually get somebody worse than him into the office.

That's how it goes right? Everything is a comparison?

People do compare yes. The comparison is usually done in the light of their own political views and prejudices.

 

[Tez3]

There was a few of those guys wearing those hats lol! And sailors with earmuffs? Bless!

I think the easiest thing in the world is to elect politicians and then sit back and criticise. I know it's something we do here, we elect the government then go about our business ignoring them until something comes up that we don't like then scream blue murder. We tend to think we've done our duty in electing and paying them so we don't actually have to do anything else. As long as things are going our way we carry on ignoring them or we moan a lot to each other but very few people actually do anything until it's too late. So I guess really we should all play our part, the problem may be though finding out what our part is.

I like watching historical things, even when they don't corncern me directly and I'm guessing that this inauguration will effect me indirectly. it's good to know what goes on in other countries and with other cultures..... which actually gives me a thought for another thread especially after someone said on another subject that America and Britain had very different cultures!

 

[sgtmac_46]

Well for one thing unlike Commodus who inherited his office, Obama was elected by the people.

Previous folks have been elected President without the insinuation of being the greatest president who ever lived before even taking the oath of office.

What I fail to grasp is the messianic quality of which the media and others talk about a man who, other than getting elected president, and previously senator, has really done nothing of substance in his entire life.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me, as there are signs the media realizes it's starting to make a mistake with the hype, and trying to tone down expectations....

“People are going to give Obama more time than they would any other new president because they know he is dealing with unprecedented challenges,” said Mark McKinnon, a consultant who worked for a time for Senator John McCain, Mr. Obama’s Republican opponent in the presidential election. “The economic crisis President-elect Obama faces may in some ways help him — it is taking some of the helium out of what would otherwise be stratospheric expectations.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28763030

'unprecedented challenges' and 'stratospheric expectations'.........

 

[sgtmac_46]

That may be unfair to him but I doubt his role in history is going to be remembered kindly.

For the record, Lincoln was despised and had a significant number of the electorate wanting to shoot him...that just IN THE NORTH!

Current popularity has little to do with histories hindsight, which often has to do with outcomes we cannot predict at this point.

 

[shesulsa]

There's really nothing wrong with people becoming inspired to get involved, have hope in a leader, etcetera. After all, weren't you inspired by Dubya - who, btw, failed at business and was only successful in politics at the hand of his daddy et al? Didn't you have hope in Dubya that he would find OBL and finish the terrorists plot against America and bring Democracy on a white horse to the Holy Land?

You had your hopes, we have ours.

 

[sgtmac_46]

I've heard comments from the media guessing what previous President Obama would be channeling in his inauguration speech.......most opinions ranged from FDR to Kennedy.........after listening to his speech yesterday, my first thought was 'JIMMY CARTER'........it had 'Malaise' written all over it!

The left had best hope Obama isn't as much of an overrated empty suit as I am beginning to suspect.........or this could be a very embarrassing long 4 years!

 

[sgtmac_46]

There's really nothing wrong with people becoming inspired to get involved, have hope in a leader, etcetera. After all, weren't you inspired by Dubya - who, btw, failed at business and was only successful in politics at the hand of his daddy et al? Didn't you have hope in Dubya that he would find OBL and finish the terrorists plot against America and bring Democracy on a white horse to the Holy Land?

You had your hopes, we have ours.

No, actually I didn't speak of 'Dubya' in messianic tones......Presidents are human beings, not messiahs. Bush's domestic policies were as liberal as many Democrats in congress, and he never saw a spending bill he didn't like.....he really should have been liked more by the left than he was........9/11 was thrust upon him, or you'd have seen an entirely different presidency.......one I would have universally disagreed with.

I can understand, I guess, how after 8 years of teeth gnashing some folks WOULD be looking for a 'savior' however.....

And as I recall, Bush ENTERED office being attacked by the left.....I guess since we're talking quid pro quo.....Obama deserves the same 'honeymoon'.



For the record, though I vote Republican, as the only choice, my true beliefs are Libertarian.......and the shameless WORSHIP of government figures, as a rule, scares the hell out of me!

 

[Tez3]

For the record, Lincoln was despised and had a significant number of the electorate wanting to shoot him...that just IN THE NORTH!

Current popularity has little to do with histories hindsight, which often has to do with outcomes we cannot predict at this point.

Depends on whos writing the history, Richard the Third is forever thought of as a wicked hunchback king thanks to Elizabethans writing the history after the Tudors stole the throne. He was neither hunchbacked or wicked, in fact he was one of the best kings we had, Richard the Lionheart is thought of as a great English king when he was actually a gay Frenchman who bled England dry with taxes and spent barely any time in the country. King John his brother is thought of as wicked too but was a better king.
I wonder though if Bush will actually be judged on his term in office or whether he will be remembered for his Bushisms which seem to be everywhere over the past few days!

 

[crushing]

Tez3, please don't tell me that you are hinting that Bush may not actually be the gay wicked French hunchback president that those writing about him make him out to be!

 

[Tez3]

Tez3, please don't tell me that you are hinting that Bush may not actually be the gay wicked French hunchback president that those writing about him make him out to be!

ROFL, it would explain his wording!

Princess Di got Charles' name wrong when they got married, though perhaps she should have said Dick Head instead!

 

[Sukerkin]

...and the shameless WORSHIP of government figures, as a rule, scares the hell out of me!

Stepping slightly away from topic for a second just to share a whole-hearted agreement on that very important sentiment.

 

[shesulsa]

I wonder if that counts for "Dittoheads" as well ....