Obama's First Inaugural Speech
By Michael J.W. Stickings
[For all of our Inauguration '09 coverage, click here.]
Some initial thoughts:
-- I would not call it one of Obama's bravura performances -- it was not as strong as his election-night speech -- but it was the right speech for the occasion, full of bold, high-minded rhetoric and yet sufficiently sober in light of the challenging times and the challenges ahead, grounded in American history and lifted up by American ideals, an appreciation of the current reality as well as of the possibility of a better future, a call to unity and sacrifice as well as an ode to liberty. I didn't quite get the chills, as I have from many of his other speeches, but there is no denying the magnificent solemnity of the occasion (the whole inauguration has been a pretty awesome spectacle).
-- Much of the speech, especially early on, was directed, indirectly, at Bush, at the failures of his presidency. And how fitting it was for Bush to be there to hear it. (It's not just post-partisan change that Obama offers, remember, it's change from Bush.) Key passage: "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America." Why today? Because Bush was still in office yesterday.
-- Also: "As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," a rebuke of Bush's national security policies.
-- And: "Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions," another rebuke.
-- This personal note was one of the most powerful parts of the speech: "This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." It is truly an incredible day for America," one that many, just a generation ago, if not more recently, could hardly have seen coming.
-- Obama's call to sacrifice reminded me (fondly) of Bill Clinton in '92: "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."
-- Chait: "The reference to 'stale political arguments' sounds like a slap at both the right and the left. But in fact it's only a slap at the right. Conservatives are the only ones who think the size of government is an end rather than a means. Liberals are the ones who only care about what works." As Carl put it a short while ago, it's safe to be a liberal again.
-- I noticed the reference to "non-believers," as did Fogg and Cohn. It's about time we were given the respect we deserve.
-- The theme: progress through overcoming -- the overcoming of hardship and adversity, the American "journey," the need for "big plans," for "what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose."
-- It was, on the whole, the speech and everything surrounding it, well, amazing. But now comes the hard part...
[For all of our Inauguration '09 coverage, click here.]
Some initial thoughts:
-- I would not call it one of Obama's bravura performances -- it was not as strong as his election-night speech -- but it was the right speech for the occasion, full of bold, high-minded rhetoric and yet sufficiently sober in light of the challenging times and the challenges ahead, grounded in American history and lifted up by American ideals, an appreciation of the current reality as well as of the possibility of a better future, a call to unity and sacrifice as well as an ode to liberty. I didn't quite get the chills, as I have from many of his other speeches, but there is no denying the magnificent solemnity of the occasion (the whole inauguration has been a pretty awesome spectacle).
-- Much of the speech, especially early on, was directed, indirectly, at Bush, at the failures of his presidency. And how fitting it was for Bush to be there to hear it. (It's not just post-partisan change that Obama offers, remember, it's change from Bush.) Key passage: "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America." Why today? Because Bush was still in office yesterday.
-- Also: "As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," a rebuke of Bush's national security policies.
-- And: "Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions," another rebuke.
-- This personal note was one of the most powerful parts of the speech: "This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." It is truly an incredible day for America," one that many, just a generation ago, if not more recently, could hardly have seen coming.
-- Obama's call to sacrifice reminded me (fondly) of Bill Clinton in '92: "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."
-- Chait: "The reference to 'stale political arguments' sounds like a slap at both the right and the left. But in fact it's only a slap at the right. Conservatives are the only ones who think the size of government is an end rather than a means. Liberals are the ones who only care about what works." As Carl put it a short while ago, it's safe to be a liberal again.
-- I noticed the reference to "non-believers," as did Fogg and Cohn. It's about time we were given the respect we deserve.
-- The theme: progress through overcoming -- the overcoming of hardship and adversity, the American "journey," the need for "big plans," for "what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose."
-- It was, on the whole, the speech and everything surrounding it, well, amazing. But now comes the hard part...
Labels: Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Obama inauguration
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
1:45 PM
6 Comments:
Obama again failed to condemn the Israeli government for using U.S. weapons to commit war crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza at his Big Media-hyped inauguration/"coronation".
Nor did Obama apologize to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan for the war crimes committed by the Pentagon in those countries since 2001 or indicate that he would order the Pentagon to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Iraq by February 1, 2009--despite his 2008 campaign rhetoric about being an "anti-war candidate."
Anti-war activists in the United States and other countries want some immediate action to end Obama's War in Iran & Afghanistan--not 16 months more of pompous platitudes and more U.S. troops in Afghanistan from the militaristic U.S. white corporate power structure's newest Commander-in-Chief.
By
b.f., at 1:41 AM
I agree that Obama needs to roundly condemn Israel, and further, stop funding the slaughter. But, I do not think his inauguration speech was the place to do that. As for apologizing for America's "war crimes," I think his closure of Guantanimo will achieve that. Obama will undoubtedly address the UN in short order. THAT is a speech I don't want to miss!!
By
bilinguru, at 3:51 AM
Interesting... condemn Isreal for responding to the thousands of rockets that have been launched into their country by terrorist extremists over the past three years. Empty Guantanimo and send them back to fight? Long four years to come, but I guess you can continue to blame it all on Republicans or Bush even with Democrats in charge of Congress and now the Presidency.
By
Anonymous, at 12:36 PM
Obama's middle name will rescue America.
By
Philip I, at 6:28 PM
My reaction to the speech when I was listening to it along with 2 million other fellow Americans who weirdly decided to brave the crowds and the cold to witness this historic event was far different than my reaction when I read the transcript in the comfort of my warm home with my warmer dog at my side.
When I first heard the speech, I was taken by how humble the man and his words appeared to be. I didn't really hear much soaring rhetoric so much as a somber ackowledgement that although it was a day to celebrate, we have more tough times coming ahead. The crowd around me seemed to feel similarly; while they cheered and wept when Obama took his oath, they were oddly silent during his speech, except for the occasional "uh huh" and "got that right."
Reading the speech later, I was surprised at the lack of polish his words seemed to have. I'm not sure taking potshots at the previous administration was necessary. I was pleased by his references to Hindus and nonbelievers but those are personal reactions as I am both; if I were a Buddhist I might have felt left out. And I thought the themes of sacrifice and hope v. fear were appropriate and struck a chord that America has needed to hear quite badly. All in all, the speech was okay, but not the greatest string of words I've ever heard put together.
By
Anonymous, at 2:42 PM
My reaction to the speech when I was listening to it along with 2 million other fellow Americans who weirdly decided to brave the crowds and the cold to witness this historic event was far different than my reaction when I read the transcript in the comfort of my warm home with my warmer dog at my side.
When I first heard the speech, I was taken by how humble the man and his words appeared to be. I didn't really hear much soaring rhetoric so much as a somber ackowledgement that although it was a day to celebrate, we have more tough times coming ahead. The crowd around me seemed to feel similarly; while they cheered and wept when Obama took his oath, they were oddly silent during his speech, except for the occasional "uh huh" and "got that right."
Reading the speech later, I was surprised at the lack of polish his words seemed to have. I'm not sure taking potshots at the previous administration was necessary. I was pleased by his references to Hindus and nonbelievers but those are personal reactions as I am both; if I were a Buddhist I might have felt left out. And I thought the themes of sacrifice and hope v. fear were appropriate and struck a chord that America has needed to hear quite badly. All in all, the speech was okay, but not the greatest string of words I've ever heard put together.
By
heart, at 6:47 AM
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