The Presidential Inauguration Ceremony held on January 20, 2009, was perhaps the highest attended ceremony of all time. The crowds began gathering the night before and huddled in the cold weather just to be able to say they were there, even though it was obvious some would never have been able to see the actual ceremony. However, once Obama stepped out into view, the crowd seemed to suddenly forget all about the cold. This was a very memorable moment as the first black president of the United States and the hope of so many for the future came into view. The actual swearing-in of the President was also a memorable moment as Chief Justice Roberts stumbled over the opening lines of the traditional oath causing many some uncomfortable wondering whether Obama’s presidency would be questioned as a result. This could be seen in the questioning eyes of some, but the concerns were relieved by the smiles and ease of the President and Chief Justice as they worked through the moment. Another memorable moment for me was when Obama, during his speech, mentioned the Muslims not as enemies, but simply as people and as citizens of the United States.
At the Inauguration Ceremony, a moment of tremendous stress, excitement, and emotional upheaval, President Obama still managed to look relatively comfortable and steady.
He smiled and waved to the audience, he was confident in correcting the Chief Justice during the oath and he was strong in his speech speaking of what has been done wrong in the past and what needs to be changed to make the future better. This did not make the former President George Bush comfortable, as he squirmed slightly in his seat and tried not to roll his eyes, but it went over well with the audience, who cheered Obama for his statements and booed Bush for his work.
Obama reinforced American beliefs in his first speech when he said, “In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of the short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.” In this statement, he makes it clear that he understands America is built on the hard work and dreams of the common people who often go unknown and uncelebrated. Another statement he made during the speech indicated that he knows the road ahead of us will not be easy. “For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.” I found hope in this statement as I realized that Obama seems to have a good idea of what it will take to make the country turn around – taking care of the common people rather than giving tax breaks and incentives to the rich.
Perhaps the line that will go down in history, though, is when Obama said, “Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].” In this statement, Obama taps into my sense of American history, American ingenuity, and American hope while also promising me that America will survive into the future as still a great nation.
Under Obama’s leadership, I sincerely hope to see the nation greatly improve its educational system and healthcare, build our economy into something stronger, end the war we’ve been fighting in the Middle East and find a means of securing peace between Israel and Palestine.
With the moves he has already made since being made President, I am relatively confident that he will do all he can to make these things come true, but I am not as confident that the House and Senate will give him the tools he needs to make these things happen. The team of professionals he has assembled comprises some of the most respected thinkers in their fields and all have reputations as people who get things done rather than just talking about them. If he can make this happen, perhaps he can help us avoid future conflicts as a more educated public will not be so quick to fall prey to the kind of rhetoric that was used to get us into war while a stronger economy and better healthcare system will ensure our people have time to pay attention to what’s happening in the world and still be educated enough to take a more peaceful approach to working out differences.