Inauguration day 2009

[Elvis]

I feel like Obama will be more receptive to public/world opinion than Bush - but that may simply be the effect of his cult of personality.

Each issue (ME or the economy) has an arc/progression. You can't come in an radically change everything.

For example, I recall hearing someone (forget who) say that Bush, if he were in a third term, would talk to our 'enemies'. After all, didn't Bush nix Israel's plans to attack Iran's nuclear facilities this past summer? (Ironically, this story was reported months ago. Yet, it was re-reported last week as if it were a new story.)

The one caveat is that Obama is basically inheriting a world of problems. ZING~!

[Tristam]

Obama is in a position to do much more damage than Reagan ever could. Reagan was also more of a Republican symbol, but during the time he was President, he was the cowboy America needed to handle the Soviets. Basically everything else he did was retarded, but it didn't kill the US.

Palin is pretty much hated by everyone, I don't think she's on the same level.

The economy is failing, it's going to keep failing if all of the same policies and bailouts and printing of money continues. We're already pulling out of Iraq, that was happening before Obama was even the President elect, so to attribute any of that success or the leaving of Iraqi soil to him will be silly, though I'm sure it somehow will be because of him. There are quite a few volatile situations in the world right now, all of which I fully expect Obama to react to by sending US troops, including a few others that have been ignored by American imperialism due to conflicting interests.

Basically, the problem with Obama's cult of personality is that any dissent is quickly harped on as being a racist, or being a neocon, or some similar type of degrading pseudonym. His adoration is widespread, across both parties and many races, young and old alike. He's going to have to manufacture "change" or people will begin to question him, but if he can do that, the rest of his policies will go unnoticed. And like I said, failures will be victories and victories, well they'll be victories.

The thing about Reagan still stands far above Obama, maybe I'm old, but I remember there were people seriously calling for his picture on the 10$ bill. A freaking airport which had already been dedicated to a dead president was renamed in his honor. And the social conservatives continue to bawww that there isn't a good ol' fashioned Reagan running for office today. This is all *despite* the poor decisions you mention. Palin is terrifyingly adored by the social conservatives and neocons, but yes I would consider her a small-fry compared to Reagan, but roughly equal in terms of CoP status to Obama. And what you describe as Obama's cult of personality is characteristic of all cults of personality, the inability to objectively judge or criticize the one in power.

The problem with the criticism of Obama during the campaign wasn't that it was criticism, it was that so much of it was terribly poor in taste. Talking about his inexperience was fine and dandy and it's still brought up alot, but the "connection" with Ayers was pure garbage. Liberals detested Obama's choice of Warren for the inaugural, and lest we forget the good ol' media bias, CNN included the cost of security when they calculated the expenses of Obama's 150 million inaugural shin-dig when comparing it to Bush, while they reported Bush's 2nd inagural at 45 million but omitted the cost of security which would have brought it much much closer to Obama's (the administration didn't report those costs as a matter of "national security"). So he's already being criticized w/o making having done anything as president!

I think people are excited for two reasons besides genuine Obamania. 1. Bush is legitimately despised by a growing number of people. 2. A racial minority is in the white house for the first time ever.

[Xno Kappa]

Why would that dumb poem bitch bring some dumb shit up like that in the middle of everything that's happening? This is exactly why people like Jesse Jackson and lolAl Sharpton failed to run a relevant campaign for the presidency. Enough of the affirmative action bullshit, people are sick of hearing it.

[#686578]

I really would just love it if people could learn to cite their sources in online arguments (lolsomeone is wrong on the INTERNET). It would really make it much much easier to discredit people who do not site themselves if the majority of people did. "What, why don't you cite your sources? If you're so confident you're right just tell us where you got your facts from. They are facts arent they?"

[Kuya]

Nothing is wrong on the internet, you know this, Numbers.

[Suited Aces]

I really would just love it if people could learn to cite their sources in online arguments

Your sources don't agree with my opinion, therefore your source is biased and you're a moron for believing it. Only my biased news source is relevant to this argument.

[Obev]

Nothing is wrong on the internet, you know this, Numbers.

I thought everything was wrong on the internet. Anyway, good speech, like always. I liked the fact that he shoved "and non-believers" at the end of his "this is a country of Christians and Muslims" bit. Made the little agnostic in my heart jump up and down in heretical glee.

[#686578]

I'm glad you agree.

[Kirin]

The one thing I really want to know, and im seriously not trolling, is why this is such a big deal about race outside Obama being black?

Everyone and their mother is taking this as the second coming of MLK Jr. and I really don't want to take away from Obama's accomplishment as the american people though he was the best person for the job. But what does that qualification have to do with his race? There was no reason for half the comments made today outside Obama being black, and there was no reason for all the masses being there outside him being black and not Bush. If this were Hillary or a white male Democrat or even a Republican...would all of this still happen as it did today? I just don't get it.

Not trying to be confrontational, i know some of you know this election has made me staunchly conservative, but the best man for the job is the best man for the job is the best man for the job...I still don't care Obama is black and i would bet neither do all the 3-6 year old children there (hell, even most of the 30 somethings dont REALLY care hes black i would wager) as 50% of this is much ado about nothing.

Historic indeed, but im slightly more concerned as to why this is still that big a deal in 2009.

And just from what I've read earlier, based on what Im reading that deals with more of the conservative side, Palin seems to be moving into the direction of a unifying figure amongst those who will run, and prolly wont be running herself in 2010 for Alaskas senate seat or 2012 for the presidency. Bobby Jindall (<3) and Tim Pawlenty seem to be moving more toward being the "leaders" of the party.

[Kuya]

I don't see why this is even a question beyond people who ignore it on purpose. What more do you need to know other than the fact that a man with dark skin is now the president of a country with a hideous history of racism?

[Elvis]

Obama is black. So was MLK Jr. End of comparison. Unless Obama starts saying stuff like this:

[...]I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government.

[Elvis]

And just from what I've read earlier, based on what Im reading that deals with more of the conservative side, Palin seems to be moving into the direction of a unifying figure amongst those who will run, and prolly wont be running herself in 2010 for Alaskas senate seat or 2012 for the presidency. Bobby Jindall (<3) and Tim Pawlenty seem to be moving more toward being the "leaders" of the party.

What has she been up to lately? Other than giving interviews on how she got a raw deal. Seriously, I feel like she disappeared once we stopped 'believing' in her, sorta like Queen Mab.

[Correction]

but the best man for the job is the best man for the job is the best man for the job...

Sore loser.

[Maguspk]

The one thing I really want to know, and im seriously not trolling, is why this is such a big deal about race outside Obama being black?

Everyone and their mother is taking this as the second coming of MLK Jr. and I really don't want to take away from Obama's accomplishment as the american people though he was the best person for the job. But what does that qualification have to do with his race? There was no reason for half the comments made today outside Obama being black, and there was no reason for all the masses being there outside him being black and not Bush. If this were Hillary or a white male Democrat or even a Republican...would all of this still happen as it did today? I just don't get it.

Not trying to be confrontational, i know some of you know this election has made me staunchly conservative, but the best man for the job is the best man for the job is the best man for the job...I still don't care Obama is black and i would bet neither do all the 3-6 year old children there (hell, even most of the 30 somethings dont REALLY care hes black i would wager) as 50% of this is much ado about nothing.

Historic indeed, but im slightly more concerned as to why this is still that big a deal in 2009.

And just from what I've read earlier, based on what Im reading that deals with more of the conservative side, Palin seems to be moving into the direction of a unifying figure amongst those who will run, and prolly wont be running herself in 2010 for Alaskas senate seat or 2012 for the presidency. Bobby Jindall (<3) and Tim Pawlenty seem to be moving more toward being the "leaders" of the party.

You're trying to take away significance of the situation by claiming it's unnecessary to mention his race. Your veil is thin, and you make it obvious you really do care about his race and on some level is obviously upsets you. His being African-American is extremely significant, failing to acknowledge that is of either ignorance or racism. Nothing else. Nobody is claiming that race was a deciding factor in the election, but it would be stupid to try to report and avoid it altogether, that's like a white person trying their best not to even use the word black in normal conversation to describe a, black person. It's a fact and it's especially important for it's implications of overcoming racial tension in our country if not anything else.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

I saw today that MLK predicted a black prez w/in 40 years. Only off by a decade. Seemed nifty to me.

[Dimmauk]

I heard someone on the radio say that Obama really isnt the first Black president, because his Mom was white.

This race shit is getting out of hand.

[Kuya]

The concept of race is a poorly constructed concept in the first place. That one is not sure whether to call him black or not is just a failure on its part.

[#686578]

I heard someone on the radio say that Obama really isnt the first Black president, because his Mom was white.

This race shit is getting out of hand.

Man, I thought I knew where you were going with that before you added "Because his mom was white."

I thought you were going to say because darkies arent real people.

[Maxxthepenguin]

Fuck that was awesome irl.

Miserable, but awesome.

More to come tomorrow night (like photos)

[archibaldcrane]

I heard someone on the radio say that Obama really isnt the first Black president, because his Mom was white.

This race shit is getting out of hand.

Just depends on whether you consider someone with a drop of African blood to be "black", like Jim-Crow-Era 1910's deep south would, or you recognize the reality of the situation in that he is of mixed-race, both Caucasian and African.

Regardless of your position on race (Jim Crow era or more sophisticated), he's clearly the first American president who isn't solely Caucasian.