Live Blogging the Inauguration
January 20, 2009 / 9:11 am • By Dr. Melissa Clouthier11:30 AM EST Daughter Malia, lipreading here, says to dad, “That was a good speech. Good speech.”
11:20 AM EST Money quote from the speech “The question is not whether the government is too big or too small but whether it works.” Uh huh. He used the words “common good”. He gives a shout out to the world, “We (America) are ready to lead once more.” Oh, please. “To the Muslim world we seek a new way forward based on mutual goals and mutual respect.” Gah.
11:11 AM EST Barack Obama’s speech. “Know this America, they [our problems] WILL be met.”
Meanwhile, and I don’t know why this cracks me up, but Glenn Reynolds is a bloggin’ fool, like it’s any other day or something.
11:09 AM EST Barack Obama is stumbling over the oath. So, maybe he is nervous. He’s the 44th President: President Barack Hussein Obama. Listening to Hail to the Chief.
12:05 AM EST Music by John Williams. A sad theme underlying the composition. It’s getting peppier now, but still. YoYo Ma is having a great time. Itzak Perlman is a delight to listen to. Wow. Their hands must be freezing. Here comes the sad theme again. Beginning and ending on a conflicted note?
12:00 AM EST Joe Biden taking the oath of office. So hard to take him seriously.
11:55 AM EST Go Aretha! “My country ’tis of thee” sang with soul. Cool.
11:50 AM EST Diane Feinstein blabbing. Talking about civil rights, “future generations will mark this morning as a time of real and necessary change”.
Here comes Rick Warren. Crowd doesn’t know whether to clap or not. People clapping during the prayer. This prayer seems overwrought. I want it to stop. Ugh.
11:45 AM EST Various descriptions of Obama’s face “smug”, “young”, “confident”, “like he’s suppressing a smile”.
11:43 AM EST Here comes Biden looking cheesy as ever. Crowd is wild. Flag waving. Obama is coming. He’s carrying his head that way, nose up that is so annoying. President Elect Obama is “walking very sober like the weight of the world is on his shoulders” says Juan Williams. I think Brit Hume nails it more accurately when he says that Obama is “supremely confident”. That’s what I see. The man doesn’t know enough to be afraid.
11:40 AM EST Hail to the Chief playing for George W. Bush one last time. Crowd is relatively quiet. Bush is all smiles. Everyone is joyous.
11:30 AM EST Obama kids so adorable. Malia reportedly tells dad,”First African-American president. Better be good.” Juan Williams talking about how good it is for black community to see a black husband and father as leader. Hillary Clinton looks the best of anyone, actually.
Moving trucks at White House. Moving Obamas stuff in. Crowd starting to shout, “Obama! Obama!”
11:22 AM EST Here come the old Prezes. “President Clinton always seems to be searching for the right expression to put on his face”–Brit Hume. George HW and Bill Clinton, buddies. The older Bushes wearing purple scarves. Looking happy and enjoying themselves. In stark contrast is Al Gore who always looks like he’s passing gas.
Here comes Hill-n-Bill. The crowd goes wild. Juan Williams is getting a chill up his spine “wow,” he says, “the American people…these are our guys.”
10:50 AM EST Wow. As good as Ted Kennedy looks, Dick Cheney looks bad. What haven’t we been told about his health condition?
Laura Bush could not have picked a more bland outfit for the inaugural. I wonder if she and Michelle discussed it. Michelle Obama is wearing shimmering gold and Laura Bush wears gray.
Here come President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush. We are lucky, people, to live in a country that transfers power to gracefully. This is not the norm in most parts of the world.
10:45 EST Ted Kennedy is looking better than he has in ages. Lost weight. I wonder if the tumor has forced him to stop drinking. He looks much, much better. And boy, those Kennedys sure have a look about them. Caroline looks just like Uncle Ted, except skinnier and long hair.
10:10 EST My Co-Blogger John Hawkins talks about the expectations for Obama:
As a matter of fact, that may be underselling expectations a bit because Superman couldn’t possibly achieve what many people seem to believe Barack Obama is going to accomplish in a few short years. He’s going to unite the country, create a post-racial America, get the economy humming, reduce the deficit, fix the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, win the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, get Osama bin Laden, win the war on terror, close Gitmo, keep us safe from terrorism, end global warming, stop Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons, make the world love America, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. No wonder people compare Obama to Lincoln: if he could actually do everything his supporters seem to believe he will, it would probably make him a better President than Lincoln.
I’m wondering if people really expect all that. I think what people were after in electing Obama was the symbolic satisfaction of having elected Obama. Their job, and his, is done. The next four years will be all about hope. Change? Come on. No one really likes change anyway.
9:58 EST You know what I’m waiting to see? I’m waiting to see Obama salute for the first time. Remember how uncomfortable Clinton was with saluting? Watching the Bushes greet the Obamas. The Obamas look cold. The Bushes are just so gracious. Michelle Obama looks Jackie O today. She looks radiant. Obama looks a bit nervous. Former Pres Bush and President Obama in the White House now.
9:45 EST Ann Althouse says this and it’s worth noting:
8:21: An experiment with biological/chemical weapon goes gruesomely awry for al Qaeda. Yes, laugh all you want and speculate about whether this will make al Qaeda fans think maybe God’s not on their side, but this is a glimpse of what they mean to do to us. George Bush did whatever he did to protect us from those devils, and some people fail to appreciate it when nothing happens. To make this properly part of this inauguration live-blog, do I need to add some message to Obama? I think the message is too obvious to need stating.
9:36 EST I would be remiss if I didn’t include @newsmediajim as a person to follow during the inauguration. He’s a pool cameraman and always has good behind-the-scenes info. Also, David Almacy @Almacy is going to Andrews AFB to say good-bye to President Bush. Also, you might want to follow Greta VanSustern at @Gretawire to get the latest, too. Also, Fausta will be live blogging at RealClearWorld. Check it out.
So far, I know that Ann Althouse and Steve Green (whenever he gets his drunk butt outta bed) will be liveblogging the inauguration.
I will be doing updates throughout the day. Maybe not liveblogging exactly but certainly staying up-to-date. So far, it’s a snoozefest. Maybe I should watch CNN for once in my life in the spirit of butt-kissing adoration. Might as well go all the way. You might also want to consider streaming Strategy Room on Fox. It’s a fun show and if you don’t have access to cable or whatever you can watch it. Also, Joost will be having the inauguration live and that’s on the computer.
As of this writing, just wide vast shots of zillions of joyful people, interspersed with close up shots of freezing, snuggling black people.
18 Responses to “Live Blogging the Inauguration”
January 20 2009 / 9:44 am
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I couldn’t drink enough to drunkblog this. Wake me up tomorrow.
January 20 2009 / 9:48 am
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Since it’s too early to drink, that must mean you’re going to liveblog it sober.
You are one brave lady, Dr. M.
January 20 2009 / 9:49 am
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That’s a big task but I’ll look forward to your updates throughout the day. Have fun.
January 20 2009 / 9:49 am
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I am just. that. brave. Ha! I could be enjoying Mimosas but I have a toddler to consider.
January 20 2009 / 12:14 pm
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Obama bungled the oath because the Chief Justice bungled it. He would have been better off if he had been allowed to simply read it.
January 20 2009 / 1:10 pm
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I am more emotional over Bush leaving office. I admire and respect George and Laura so much. Seeing them leave left me in a puddle of tears. I felt nothing during Obama’s speech. He just doesn’t seem sincere to me. So pitiful that people booed Bush when he came out.
January 20 2009 / 1:20 pm
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I thought Obama’s speech was excellent! It was so right on about so many things. One of my favorite lines was when he spoke to leaders across our world admonishing them to understand that their people will judge them by what they build and not what they tear down. So very, very true!!!
I can only hope and pray that folks will now support this man, this President, and not continue to try to predict and prophesy what failure he will be. Words have power.
January 20 2009 / 1:48 pm
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Viola,
What is your definition of support? The USA was founded on dissent and questioning of leadership. Shall we set that aside for 4 years so Obama has unquestioned power? This is not an intramural basketball coach, this is the leader of the Free World. Now is not the time for blind loyalty, now is the time for leadership. No one’s words will derail BO, they are not that powerful. Just like BO’s eloquence will not change anything. It may make people feel better, but real change takes action. He will be judged by those actions.
January 20 2009 / 2:11 pm
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Chalmers, by support I mean that folks should stop trying to “predict” and “prophesy” what “they think” they know. The truth is, it is a huge job and he will need our prayers, first and foremost.
It goes without saying that one must question, one must challenge, one must be vigilant. That is a completely different matter from those who can’t swallow their bitter pill of loosing and derail every small detail about the man, from the way he carries himself, to his smile, to the style of speech giving, and the lists goes on, and on, and on, and on.
There is so much work to be done and that is where our energies must be focused upon, not if we like Obama or not. That, Chalmers, is what I am saying. The ugliness is too ugly.
January 20 2009 / 3:51 pm
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Viola,
There’s always “work to be done.” The fact that Obama is now president does not mean that we suddenly have to turn Obama into a cult of personality, a la Stalin (though admittedly, he’s already got a cult following).
Yeah, I laughed when he goofed the oath. I guess the teleprompter broke down at that point, though I think the leftnuts are blaming Justice Roberts for deliberately misquoting it (after all, the messiah can do no wrong).
As for the speech, it sounded pretty socialistic to me. We’ll just do everything for the world! Woo hoo! Fantastic, who’s going to pay for all of this? (raising hand)
Not whether government should be big or small, but whether it will work? Sounds like a dodge towards big government to me (after all, government really can’t work unless it’s big, right?).
Overall, it was standard messiah crap. He’s great as an orator with his teleprompter, but he’s going to find out that the world can’t be fixed with good teleprompter speeches.
Oh well, the country is going to get the government that it truly deserves. Take that statement as you will.
January 20 2009 / 4:15 pm
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Matt,
I’ve read some interesting reactions to Obama’s speech, and I like what the Anchoress put up…she tends to be pretty objective, in my opinion, even if it means putting her own bias aside. I am trying to do the same thing. He deserves a chance, and I think he stands a good chance of making some real needed changes for the American people.
Matt, I was born and raised in Germany, and I understand the fear of a “messiah” mentality. Believe me, I don’t want to see posters going up all over the place and a new symbol made representing him, etc. The truth is, however, that it is the people that allow a man to rise to such out of proportionate, unrealistic stance, and it is the people who, with maturity, can avoid placing someone on such a pedestal. Checks and balances with maturity. That is my opinion.
January 20 2009 / 7:57 pm
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Well, they said Michelle would be a bellwether for new fashion. Who knew she’d actually look like a bellwether?
January 20 2009 / 9:10 pm
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Viola,
So go ahead and give him a chance. It’ll probably be more than the left did when Bush took office. I’m just more of an eye for an eye type.
Unfortunately, if today (and days previous) was any indication of the “maturity” that the people will have over Obama, then we’re headed for a long four years, because I really do believe the Left, backed by Obama, will relentlessly attack anyone who dares question the Messiah’s policies. The only way to counter that is to fight fire with fire (and no, I’m not referring to firearms). Since you are from Germany, you of all people should understand that. I personally liked John Hawkins comment about verbally “kneecapping him at every opportunity.
January 20 2009 / 10:32 pm
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“The question is not whether the government is too big or too small but whether it works.”
Let’s frame the issue this way:
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.”
http://www.rightklik.net/
January 21 2009 / 1:00 am
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I missed part of The Speech today. I had just finished a sonogram and fetal specialist appointment in The Woodlands right as it started. (A final assessment of my baby’s size, three weeks before the due date.) It was shown on TV at the waiting room, where my husband awaited with our two-year-old girl.
My husband wasn’t impressed by it and neither was I. It didn’t sound any different than speeches given by previous Presidents in previous occasions, including some Inaugurals. But the point my husband kept mentioning for a good while was how stunningly different it was from all the speeches he had given during his campaign. So “patriotic”, for example. His impression was that it was a speech to impress the general public, who don’t follow the process on a daily basis, while he gives the “REAL” meat and potatoes to the adherents to his Cult of Personality.
Yep. One speech for the general public, and a different one to the followers. Singing two different tunes, with the same results. Too many simple people have been deceived today.
Heaven help us.
January 21 2009 / 3:09 am
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Enjoyed your coverage! Thanks for the liveblogging!
January 21 2009 / 12:03 pm
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I feel Obama will do great things for America, he has lots on his shoulders. He knows that as the first Afro American President he can make it or break it for other minorities to follow. He is a great inspiration to all.
I am a Canadian living in Italy and wish we could have the chance to have such a charismatic leader. The first four years will be tough, he will have to clean up all the mess that he Bush government conviniently left behind.
I wish him luck and look to him as a great icon of success and will.
January 21 2009 / 5:55 pm
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Linda, Sweetie… Mussolini was “charismatic.” So what?
The “mess” that was left for him was the long term result of economic policies that began with Carter, accelerated under Clinton, and President Bush tried, at least in part, to change. It was Obama’s party that refused to listen.
I don’t know what “great things” you expect a political neophyte with the slimmest resume in American presidential history to accomplish. I doubt it will rise to the level of liberating 50 million people from the most vicious regimes imaginable in Iraq and Afghanistan, or saving millions in Africa with anti-AIDS and Malaria initiatives. I certainly pray he’ll match President Bush’s record of keeping America safe from terrorist attack, but his nomination of a man with about much experience to be CIA Director as he has to be President is somehow not reassuring. And I doubt that Obama is capable of the sheer class President Bush exhibited throughout his Presidency, but particularly in his farewell address at his homecoming reception in Texas yesterday.
People forget how unpopular Truman was, for many of the same reasons some now hate Bush so strongly: a leader who made the tough call to take the country into an unpopular yet necessary war, that 40 million South Koreans today should be grateful for.
They thought of Kennedy as very “charismatic,” too… yet history shows that in many ways he was a mediocrity. A man of almost as little experience as Obama, he nearly stumbled the world into thermonuclear war with Russia with his disastrous performance at the Bay of Pigs and meeting with Kruschev. We may all pray that Obama does better than that, at least.
I have little doubt that President Bush will be remembered as a great President, who rose to the great challenge of our times. He valued principle and doing what was right more than personal popularity. The content of President Bush’s character will be far more important to posterity than the color of Obama’s skin.