who's watching the inauguration?

soulsinging

norm wrote:

eh....not bad....i guess i was expecting a jfk type moment...

I suspect that people at JFK's inauguration had the same thought. It's a boring ceremony. And there's nothing like revisionist history. I'm guessing JFK's inauguration speech wasn't being hailed as one of the greatest speeches ever until after he was dead. Until then, it was just another inauguration speech. But we all want life to mirror our movies.

decides2dream

Heineken Helen wrote:

mine isn't much better tbh.

I find the huge religious element quite weird though. Considering the vast demographics of America that American's love to go on about

agreed.
i don't remember that in the past, but then again, it's been a long time since i watched an inauguration. i didn't watch bush's. i really dislike the mixing of religion and government, always have, and always will. however, even within the context of religious freedom, we always had some parts of religion mixed in from day one....so it is what it is. i DID like how obama mentioned a few religions, including NON-believers, as all being equal, american, etc.


it was a good speech imo. it's an inaugural speech, i don't know what people expect from that, or not. i thought it was well-written, well-spoken and quite appropriate content.

IGotShit76

decides2dream wrote:

Heineken Helen wrote:

mine isn't much better tbh.

I find the huge religious element quite weird though. Considering the vast demographics of America that American's love to go on about

agreed.
i don't remember that in the past, but then again, it's been a long time since i watched an inauguration. i didn't watch bush's. i really dislike the mixing of religion and government, always have, and always will. however, even within the context of religious freedom, we always had some parts of religion mixed in from day one....so it is what it is. i DID like how obama mentioned a few religions, including NON-believers, as all being equal, american, etc.


it was a good speech imo. it's an inaugural speech, i don't know what people expect from that, or not. i thought it was well-written, well-spoken and quite appropriate content.

Yeah the religious thing is a bit too much for me. Different culture maybe ... I will never understand what religion has to do with politics.

mca47

mickeyrat wrote:

norm wrote:

ok so it's past noon...gwb is not prez anymore but ob hasn't been sworn....BIDEN IS PREZ!!! :P

Nope done deal, although he did kinda flub it.

Actually, CNN was saying it was Roberts who flubbed it and not Obama. Roberts actually switched around the words of that line.

blackredyellow

soulsinging wrote:

norm wrote:

eh....not bad....i guess i was expecting a jfk type moment...

I suspect that people at JFK's inauguration had the same thought. It's a boring ceremony. And there's nothing like revisionist history. I'm guessing JFK's inauguration speech wasn't being hailed as one of the greatest speeches ever until after he was dead. Until then, it was just another inauguration speech. But we all want life to mirror our movies.

I agree... If Obama's presidency turns out very well (or has movie-caliber moments), years from now there will be some clips of this speech in a movie with dramatic music and camera angles/montage shots, and some of the same lines will feel much more inspirational and emotional.

decides2dream

IGotShit-76 wrote:

Yeah the religious thing is a bit too much for me. Different culture maybe ... I will never understand what religion has to do with politics.

well, nothing of course. exactly.
however, i won't let that take away from today...and hopefully the promise for a better tomorrow. it IS a historic day....and people can joke about 'change' all they want, couldn't care less....i do look forward to seeing what comes next, and at least from his words, it seems obama means to create, work towards, a lot of positive change. will see what happens, but i am hopeful and optimistic...and soooo happy to see the door close on bush, finally!

intodeep

I was happy that when he started mentioning religions (christians, muslums, hindu, jews) that he threw in non believers.

As a non believer it is not often we are refered to when people start talking about that stuff.

norm

blackredyellow wrote:

soulsinging wrote:

norm wrote:

eh....not bad....i guess i was expecting a jfk type moment...

I suspect that people at JFK's inauguration had the same thought. It's a boring ceremony. And there's nothing like revisionist history. I'm guessing JFK's inauguration speech wasn't being hailed as one of the greatest speeches ever until after he was dead. Until then, it was just another inauguration speech. But we all want life to mirror our movies.

I agree... If Obama's presidency turns out very well (or has movie-caliber moments), years from now there will be some clips of this speech in a movie with dramatic music and camera angles/montage shots, and some of the same lines will feel much more inspirational and emotional.

of course history will put it in context but i was just thinking back to the 2 obama speeches i really liked - grant park and the 04 convention....this one just didn't have that feel...perhaps he's saving the good stuff for the state of the union

mickeyrat

norm wrote:

of course history will put it in context but i was just thinking back to the 2 obama speeches i really liked - grant park and the 04 convention....this one just didn't have that feel...perhaps he's saving the good stuff for the state of the union

Start out with "people we are fucked! Now here is how I see us unfucking ourselves."

decides2dream

intodeep wrote:

I was happy that when he started mentioning religions (christians, muslums, hindu, jews) that he threw in non believers.

As a non believer it is not often we are refered to when people start talking about that stuff.

EXACTLY!
i said the same thing earlier. i remember listening to his speech and picking up on that immediately. was good to hear. even with all the 'god' and religion in there. some recognition of this is always a good thing. the day we can actually keep religion....politics....government...sperate......would be great. i see no *need* to say, or hear, god save, or protect, these united states....ever. but that's just me.



norm/cutback/tim ...i agree, the grant park speech was more powerful, but i think an inaugural speech is just not the same, ya know? i also think grant park was the firs,t more emotionally historic speech for him, imo anyway. now he's laying it out......the work we face, and will do, etc. i thought it completely appropriate, and inspirational at least at times.

The Juggler

the jeagler's brother is in attendance. got there at 5am

Heineken Helen

mca47 wrote:

mickeyrat wrote:

norm wrote:

ok so it's past noon...gwb is not prez anymore but ob hasn't been sworn....BIDEN IS PREZ!!! :P

Nope done deal, although he did kinda flub it.

Actually, CNN was saying it was Roberts who flubbed it and not Obama. Roberts actually switched around the words of that line.

I'd agree with that... cos he spoke over him and it seemed like he was trying to put him off or something

mickeyrat

true. I think also that bidens was different. I think they should be the same?

mickeyrat

Wrong I was . Simple and short. I was thinking of the oath I took to join the US Navy.

soulsinging

blackredyellow wrote:

soulsinging wrote:

norm wrote:

eh....not bad....i guess i was expecting a jfk type moment...

I suspect that people at JFK's inauguration had the same thought. It's a boring ceremony. And there's nothing like revisionist history. I'm guessing JFK's inauguration speech wasn't being hailed as one of the greatest speeches ever until after he was dead. Until then, it was just another inauguration speech. But we all want life to mirror our movies.

I agree... If Obama's presidency turns out very well (or has movie-caliber moments), years from now there will be some clips of this speech in a movie with dramatic music and camera angles/montage shots, and some of the same lines will feel much more inspirational and emotional.

Exactly. If he's a dud, nobody will remember this. If he's assassinated or has a great presidency, I can already see Denzel onscreen with swelling strings and tears in the crowd saying "We are ready to lead again!"

Great speeches are all about context and melodramatic sentiment, and nothing helps that like cheap nostalgia.

justam

I was watching his speech. I found the number of people there overwhelming!! The crowd went all the way back to the monument. Two million people the news people said... :shock:

Wobbie

I thought the speech was a little underwhelming, but had a nice finishing flourish.... which I have already forgotten.

In a subtle way, Barack was (deservedly) bashing the crap out of the Bush years. GWB looked a bit uncomfortable. Again, deservedly so.

leafs4ever

imalive wrote:

I thought the speech was a little underwhelming, but had a nice finishing flourish.... which I have already forgotten.

In a subtle way, Barack was (deservedly) bashing the crap out of the Bush years. GWB looked a bit uncomfortable. Again, deservedly so.

I actually thought it was a pretty powerful speach and thought Obama did a great job.

I noticed the bashing of Bush aswell, but i thought i saw Bush smiling in the background as if he had no idea what Obama was saying.

Heineken Helen

leafs4ever wrote:

imalive wrote:

I thought the speech was a little underwhelming, but had a nice finishing flourish.... which I have already forgotten.

In a subtle way, Barack was (deservedly) bashing the crap out of the Bush years. GWB looked a bit uncomfortable. Again, deservedly so.

I actually thought it was a pretty powerful speach and thought Obama did a great job.

I noticed the bashing of Bush aswell, but i thought i saw Bush smiling in the background as if he had no idea what Obama was saying.

He was probably thinking about the book his wife read to him earlier... my little bear!

chiquimonkey

i watched it here on campus in sproul plaza on the jumbo-tron with what seemed to be a billion people, was a blast! i thought his speech was solid and sober. no real catch phrases or anything, but i found it moving. seeing the crowds in DC blew me away....i wanna go back now!