Obama Sworn in

IanG · Post by **IanG** » 20 Jan 2009, 17:30

Apart from flufing his lines on the oath, I thought his speech was good.

Makes a nice change for a US president to sound intelligent....

happychicken · Post by **happychicken** » 20 Jan 2009, 17:40

I've just been listening - I enjoyed his speech.

I don't envy the man one bit for what he's taking on, but he certainly sounds like he believes in himself.

I was pleased to hear that he pledged right at the start of his speech to reduce America's dependence on energy from other countries.

Post by **clv101** » 20 Jan 2009, 17:46

Wasn't it the the other guy who mucked up the oath? Obama stopped when he figured the other guy had said it wrong.

Edit: Yeah the other guy put 'faithfully' in the wrong place. Here's a YouTube:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P6B1OGnnbcs

aliwood · Post by **aliwood** » 20 Jan 2009, 17:48

Very forthright, very assured and he used the word responsibility. Cor!

He even mentioned textiles - suddenly I have hope.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 20 Jan 2009, 18:18

We've been bemoaning the lack of intelligent leadership forever. Now we've actually got an intelligent leader I guess it's up to us, oh fellow citizens of the world, to follow intelligently and make the planet a good place for all of us to live on.

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 20 Jan 2009, 19:09

Yes, it's the end of a great error.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 20 Jan 2009, 19:18

I seem to remember that we all felt equally euphoric when Blair swept into power.

I sincerely hope, for all our sakes, that Obama proves to be the leader the world has been promised.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 20 Jan 2009, 19:36

happychicken wrote: I was pleased to hear that he pledged right at the start of his speech to reduce America's dependence on energy from other countries.

If you look at the people he's appointed, its pretty much business as usual, despite all his 'change' rhetoric, except in the areas of energy and the environment. Looks like a lot of his 'stimulus package' will be aimed at supporting the development of low carbon domestic energy sources.

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 20 Jan 2009, 19:45

All I'm saying is my gut feeling is bad. But at the moment I'm on the fence. The wife likes him though. The media are trying to make him into some kind of monarch - not a president.

Do you remember when Martin Luther King, went to a party with 3 KKK heads of the organisation, smiled and had his picture taken - er no you dont! Becasue anyone who truly wants to do right could not be in the company of their enemy and not kick off, let alone have a picture. But Obama was around the bushes a fair bit and that photo shoot did not sit pretty with me. I'll be the first to eat my words if he can offer something more than hope to the people. Both my words and hope dont buy food, heating or medicine. Jury is still out for me

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 20 Jan 2009, 19:47

I'm betting pretty heavily that he will pump money into heading off climate change (sub-text: peak oil and energy independence).

It's a no-brainer really. All human activity requires energy input and oil isn't called black gold for nothing.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 20 Jan 2009, 20:22

Aurora wrote:I seem to remember that we all felt equally euphoric when Blair swept into power.

Nooo, I don't remember that. Happy that Labour were back in, of course, but Blair was always a bit, hmmm...

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 20 Jan 2009, 21:26

biffvernon wrote:but Blair was always a bit, hmmm...

Whatever do you mean?!

T. Blair:

T. Rex:

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » 20 Jan 2009, 21:38

Only time will tell if he's up to the job.

One story that had me warming to him was the one where in answer to the question did he inhale while smoking dope, he answered "that was the point".
No Clintonesque BS there. Maybe there's hope after all.

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 20 Jan 2009, 22:26

Aurora wrote:I seem to remember that we all felt equally euphoric when Blair swept into power.

Speak for yourself! I remember feeling considerable dismay. Labour leadership were already distressingly smug and Torylike by 1997 and it only got worse.

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 20 Jan 2009, 23:22

Misses listened to his speech and she was well impressed, from what she told me its was all good. Hope he dont go the way of JFK if does realy try to drive that home. Will be an interesting few months, I for one hopes he delivers