Inauguration day is here! I have the day off work and I’m glued to the television. I love the interviews with people on the street who made it to Wash. D.C. and are reveling in the spirit of the city. The temperature is 17 degrees there, yet millions of people are in the street already, many hours ahead of the swearing in.
You can’t help getting swept up in the excitement. An incredible historic event is about to happen.
As I watch this unfold, people say things that bear reporting:
Colin Powell on departing GWB (a final rattling off of the talking points): He kept us safe since 9-11, although that’s not to say it won’t happen again. (That’s the first time I’ve heard someone add the last part, and I was a little startled by it. And let me repeat what I heard elsewhere, keeping us safe on all the days except 9-11 is about like a girl saying I’m a virgin except for that one time.)
Bob Woodward (on MSNBC) on the challenges Obama faces: When Obama walks into the Oval Office tomorrow, it will be as if George Bush left it full of hand grenades with the pins pulled.
Please add your observations and feelings today. As Joe Scarborough said this morning, I invite our conservative and Republican friends to join in the happy, hopeful spirit of this day. American desperately needs change and we all need to be part of that change.
#1 by Shane Smith on January 20, 2009 - 8:15 am
“Bob Woodward (on MSNBC) on the challenges Obama faces: When Obama walks into the Oval Office tomorrow, it will be as if George Bush left it full of hand grenades with the pins pulled.”
The trouble is, one of those hand grenades is nuclear, and we don’t know which one it is…..
“As Joe Scarborough said this morning, I invite our conservative and Republican friends to join in the happy, hopeful spirit of this day. American desperately needs change and we all need to be part of that change.”
This is the part I just don’t understand. Every time we have a republican in charge, a few years later “America desperately needs change” and so we ask a Dem to clean up the mess.
….and then when everything is working, like an Alzheimer’s patient, we elect another fricking republican. You know the definition of insanity? Yeah.
#2 by Becky on January 20, 2009 - 8:52 am
Obama and Bush are just leaving the White House. A surprisingly emotional moment for me.
#3 by rmwarnick on January 20, 2009 - 9:12 am
I had to go to work today, but we have the Inauguration on a big screen in a conference room so I’ll go have a look in a little bit.
This morning, I heard Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow talking about the huge celebration on the Washington Mall. Unlike the CNN anchors, who seem puzzled by the outpouring of joy, the MSNBC team knows what’s up. All the people who have unfairly been labeled “unpatriotic” for eight years by right-wingers now have the chance to wave the flag proudly. This is our moment, finally.
#4 by Richard Warnick on January 20, 2009 - 9:26 am
Becky– I put up a picture for you…
#5 by Becky on January 20, 2009 - 9:30 am
Thank you,, Richard. I’m overwhelmed at the sight of millions of people so happy with the anticipation. An amazing sight!
#6 by Becky on January 20, 2009 - 9:34 am
People are booing and singing Nah Nah Hey Hey, Goodbye at the entrance of GWB. Perhaps not very courteous, but an honest expression of feeling.
#7 by Richard Warnick on January 20, 2009 - 9:44 am
For those of us stuck at work, TPM has live video of the Inauguration.
#8 by Becky on January 20, 2009 - 10:04 am
We have a new Vice President. And now the musical number. Beautiful, not just the music, but the joy in the faces of the musicians.
#9 by Becky on January 20, 2009 - 10:14 am
We have a new president! I’ll post the speech when it’s available.
#10 by Larry Bergan on January 20, 2009 - 6:51 pm
A stunning inauguration! Never seen anything like it!
#11 by Larry Bergan on January 20, 2009 - 10:12 pm
I like this video:
#12 by cav on January 20, 2009 - 10:35 pm
Think back to yesterday at this time! Got some Hooray goin’ on now!
#13 by Becky on January 21, 2009 - 12:10 am
Hooray! And so wound up from this exciting day, just want to stay up and partay!