A Presidential Inauguration to Remember

As much as we expected the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States to be an historic one, there were several things that will make it particularly memorable.

Although the National Parks Service no longer estimates crowd sizes (after the Million Man March), but most accounts seemed to hover around the 1.5 million mark for those attending the inauguration which would be a record.

I was at work during the Inauguration, but that didn't stop me from joining over 20 million other people around the world from watching a live streaming video on the CNN.com website. In addition to live video and audio, CNN joined forces with Facebook.com and let people comment on what they were seeing. It was fascinating to see people from around the world connecting to CNN and watching history. It was particularly interesting to see how people were reacting to different things.

Some memorable sounds and images:

Let's start with a lasting image of the departure of the Bush/Cheney regime. Apparently, Dick Cheney hurt himself cleaning out his office (that was the official story provided) and was relegated to a wheelchair during the ceremonies. The amazing irony was how much he looked like Mr. Potter from "It's a Wonderful Life".

Also memorable was the Benediction given by Joseph Lowery that concluded:

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen! Say Amen! And Amen!

Some took it as racist or angry. I guess I was more like those in attendance who seemed to take it as a humorous poke at tired, old racial stereotypes. Maybe you just have to be confident that you are in a new beginning to realize when someone is making fun of the past.

When Barack and Michelle Obama got out of their new Presidential State Car (twice), the Facebook members went crazy. There was a great deal of unease around the world during those moments and it made the stroll seem even more daring and unleashed, even though every President since Jimmy Carter had walked part of the parade route. Most comments were "Get back into the car!" and there was a collective 'e-sigh' of relief when Barack and Michelle got back into the car. At one point we got to see how incredible thick the doors are on this amazing car.

Other comments from around the net:

Joe Biden was right, his wife Jill is a "knockout" and she also looks great in boots (comments were mixed on wearing them to an inauguration, generally split along gender lines).

Patti Labelle wore the largest hat ever worn to an Inauguration.

If you want to learn more about this historic day, go to Wikipedia's page on The Inauguration.

1/20/2009 is Here

Not since 1/1/2000 have I been seeing a date on everything from bumper stickers to posters. Some just had the date. Some also conveyed a not so nice political message ("The End of an Error").

But now, it is here.

It is very cold in Washington DC today, but that hasn't kept away a crowd of over 1 Million from converging on the Mall. For those who can't get there, coverage is on many TV channels. For those stuck at work, there is CNN.COM who is also partnering with Facebook so you can read comments from viewers from around the world. It is apropos that there is a great chance to participate in the Inauguration of a President who has already been calling for everyone to participate in the revitalization of the USA.

Another First - Chief Justice John Roberts will be swearing in his first President.

This is a great day. It is an historic day. But after the parties are over, the real work, and there is a lot of it, begins.

After the Election, the headline on TheOnion.com was "Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job". Funny, but kind of true. There is a very large mountain to climb and the problems could be too large to overcome in time for Obama to win re-election in 2012. But, as the Chinese 2-character symbol for Crisis demonstrates, there is both danger and opportunity. That double-edged sword will probably exist throughout the Obama presidency.

But for now, we celebrate. America is doing something today that people in many countries can only dream about.

This is not the End of our problems. It is not even the Beginning of the End. But it is, perhaps, the End of the Beginning.

On the Rails to the Inauguration

This blog entry could have been entitled "On the Road...", but that would be misleading. In the tradition of Abraham Lincoln's Inauguration trip to Washington and his Amtrak-loving Vice-President, Joe Biden, Barack Obama is traveling today from the birthplace of Liberty, Philadelphia, to his new hometown, Washington, DC. Stop-over rallies are being held in Joe Biden's hometown of Wilmington, DE and also Baltimore, MD (where a crowd estimated at 100,000 is expected, although sources vary ).

It is the beginning of an extended quadrennial parade where we celebrate our 200+ years of the peaceful transfer of power in our federal government. However, this one will be one for the ages. At a time as troubled and ominous as almost any in our country's history, we turn the page on a new chapter of hope and acceptance and look to our future.

On "Meet The Press" last Sunday, Washington DC Mayor, Adrian Fenty said that to all of us who are already adults, Barack Obama will be the first Black President. However, to those who are currently children and those who will follow, he will just be the president and race will no longer be (much of) an issue for a Presidential candidate. Just as the youth of today do not see others with strong lines delineating gender, race, religion and sexual preference, so too will they not see

Also on last Sunday's episode, Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint, authors of the book, "Come On People!: On the Path from Victims to Victors" spoke about how people who are feeling sad, angry or fearful can and need to move forward.


Which brings me to my final point for today. Barack Obama will not save us, he will unleash us. It is up to all of us to work together to help solve our country's problems and make our society a better place to live in. It is up to us to make it happen. Barack Obama will be the great enabler. This inauguration is a celebration of "Us" as a country and how far we have come. How far we go from this point forward will depend upon how many people are a part of the "Us" that works to solve problems.

An Inaugural Invitation to Serve

On Tuesday, January 20th, Barack Obama will take the Oath of Office of the Presidency and start an new era in US History. Although an attendance record will probably be set for an Inaugural Parade, that number is dwarfed by the quantity of people who would like to be there.

In this video, Barack Obama invites all of us to take part in whatever way we can. It is a brilliant effort to inaugurate everyone into a new age of being a part of the solution.

Times Are Tough - How Can You Help?

Barack Obama will have a lot to deal with trying to bail out the economy, handle 2 existing wars and trying to prevent a third in the Middle East, making health care available and affordable for everyone, diminishing our dependence on fossil fuels, etc. They all seem so overwhelming and certainly beyond the reach of anything that you or I could do the help.

Well, there are ways we can help. Here are some that are always needed regardless of what else is going on in the US and abroad:

Did You Get an Invitation to the Inauguration?

No, well neither did I. But I did take a shot at getting one of the 10 special invitations that was available via an online essay contest. A donation was not required, but you had to dig through the fine print of the regular web page to find the link to the page that didn't require a donation.

I'm not sure if mine will ever get read, much less get me 2 tickets to the Inauguration, so I am posting here so it sees the light of day:

For the first time in my life, I fear that my job, our home and our children’s futures are all at risk and I know I am not alone in feeling that way. Perhaps once in a generation a troubled nation turns to an incoming President with all their hopes and fears and sets aside political differences hoping and praying that before them stands the right person for the right time. I am very hopeful that the Inauguration of Barack Obama will be the beginning of our country's chance to not only recover but to move to a new level of greatness. It may be wishful thinking borne out of desperation, but sometimes when that is all you have it winds up being enough. Our country has moved the furthest forward when times were most troubling. In those times, the crisis provided danger, but also opportunity and a nation with more common enemies and problems than differences supported their President who showed uncommon creativity, courage and good judgment. Years later, people may look back at Inauguration Day 2009 realizing that we were experiencing the worst of times, but it was the inflection point in our path back to the best of times.

Obama and THE West Wing

Many of us long for the days of watching Jeb Bartlett lead the country with the right amounts of intelligence, sensitivity and bravado. TV you say? Well, here is how life and art mesh: