Obama's Second Inaugural- Page 3

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 8:37am

I loved the expression on Kelly Clarkson's face when she finished singing.

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:39am

"The first black president connecting Stonewall to Selma in an inaugural address?

That's epic."

A beautiful moment!

[Wynbish]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:09am

LOVE this.


“I want to take a look one more time. I’m not going to see this again.”

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:29am

I can't believe the AP style book doesn't explain that "hipper vibe" and "the rock band the Goo Goo dolls" never belong in the same sentence. Having said that, Kesha at the 9:30 Club sounds like a fun time.

Over at the Harman Center for the Arts, meanwhile, there was a hipper vibe, with a big bash thrown by the Creative Coalition, an arts advocacy organization, featuring a full concert by the rock band the Goo Goo Dolls. There, everyone was up and dancing in their theater seats by the second song. At yet another venue, the 9:30 club, pop singer Ke$ha was performing, and praising Obama's speech. "I really appreciate him addressing equal rights" for gays, said Ke$ha. "It's an issue very close to my heart."

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:46am

Wynbish, thanks very much for that. That is truly quite the moment.

[WestEndAndy]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 5:24pm

"We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.

It is now our generation's task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. '

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America, 22 January 2013

One of the great moments in history, like so many others not fully recognised by those present at the time. And dare I say it, one of the great presidents?


Updated On: 1/22/13 at 05:24 PM

[Jim Colyer]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 8:42pm

Obama is a lame duck!

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 8:44pm

Obama won. Get over it and write another ****ty song.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 8:59pm

I hate to break the news but he is not the 2 nd coming of Jesus Christ.

Great. Nope. Unemployment. middle east exploding. not willing to listen to others. He wants the adulation but not the tasks of working both sides of the aisle. He is spending like a drunken sailor with no thought of the long term consequences.

Nothing personal but we will see what the country thinks in 2 years when people see all the negatives aspects of Obamacare. Higher costs and fewer doctors for a start.


After 4 years many people will have a very different opinion.I do not think we should be amending the constitution to make him president for life or putting him on Mt Rushmore.

By the way I do applaud his gun control measures.He will find some Dems in the Senate will oppose him .

I do not think it will do anything to stop inner city violence however. If hi


S bulk saves 1 life it is worth it.

Updated On: 1/22/13 at 08:59 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:04pm

Happily, I've seen no one suggesting any such thing.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:05pm

Well, I know in two years when I can't be denied insurance for a pre-existing condition I'll be pretty happy.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:12pm

And the fact that I can currently be on my parent's insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act makes me quite happy as well...

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:15pm

And this president doesn't want to enshrine my second-class citizenship in the Constitution.

I'll take that over the alternative.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:26pm

Reggie I understand where you are coming from and respect your opinion.

I do however believe that one should choose a leader on many issues facing us and not just one no matter how important that issue might be.

We will agree to disagree. Stay well Reg

[SNAFU]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:29pm

Roxy, the stock market hit a 10 year high recently? Hmmmmm Obama must be doing something right. We will see him being a shining beacon in history! Good for him!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:29pm

Who said anyone voted for him because of one issue?

[Wynbish]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:39pm

No one is saying he's the 2nd coming. We're just saying this this is celebrating the official, ceremonial start of his 2nd term. I can only speak for myself, but if Romney won, I would let people have their "Romney's Inauguration" lovefest even when I didn't vote for him.

Just let us have this one thread to celebrate that one speech or that one day.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 9:57pm

I agree, Roxy, and I hope you'll grant me enough intelligence to make the decision I think is right based on any number of issues.

But you know what? Any candidate who says "I'm going to write American's rights OUT of the Constitution" bears very close examination. And on my mother's grave, I'd feel the same way if it were straight people, women, Republicans, African Americans, Caucasians, Catholics, Muslims, or . . .





Updated On: 1/22/13 at 09:57 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:14pm

Ok good point.

We disagree re Obama being the right guy for the job but at least we can do it in a civilized manner without name calling. I did not vote for him but I wish him luck and hope he succeeds in improving the country.Time will tell

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:15pm

Thank you, sir. I share that hope. And I agree that time will tell.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:16pm

Very few of the Pro-Obama commenters here at BWW seem to believe that President Obama is without flaws. Any thinking person would look at his record thus far and see room for improvement or decisions that--in an ideal world--we would rather he had made differently.

Often, the most laudatory comments strike me as a symptom of being goaded by a particularly hostile, anti-Obama comment and--like a mother Grizzly protecting an endangered cub--we come out strong.

I'm really not sure that we can blame an "exploding middle east" on the US President.

There is legitimate, wide-spread support among very smart economists of all political persuasions for this administration's deficit spending as a means to mitigate/reverse/solve the economic crisis with which we have been dealing since before Obama's first term. It is possible for a person to believe--in good faith--that a so-called 'austerity' response to the economy is a better solution--although we have seen 'austerity's disastrous results again and again in European economies. There is, however, nothing to be gained by referring to this administration's economic policy as "spending like a drunken sailor". It is inaccurate, hyperbolic and dis-respectful.

In many ways, the intractably partisan nature of the current political climate has reduced the Presidency nearly to a "cheerleader in chief"--he appears on TV and emotes about things symbolically--he expresses anger and resolve when terrorists strike, he expresses sorrow and sympathy when little children are massacred by lunatics who have been given free and unfettered access to guns by bloodthirsty NRA members. He smiles and looks happy when the US Olympic team wins a medal.

Whatever his flaws may be, whatever the failing of President Obama personally or his administration as a whole--whatever his shortcomings--even on the single issue of civil rights for the GLBT community--NOTHING can change the fact that yesterday, Barack Obama--emoting on the world-stage--drew a line through the civil rights struggle of women (Seneca Falls), African Americans (Selma) and the GLBT community (Stonewall). This was a profoundly moving, deeply meaningful experience for me, not least because he is an African American man, and has the ability, singlehandedly, to affect the tone of the rhetoric within the African American community. Many of the voices that speak for the Afican American community have been very resistant to the idea that the GLBT struggle for equality is in any way analagous to their own struggle for Civil Rights.

Yesterday, the first African-American President of the United States put the rhetorical force of his office--and everything that his election (and re-election) symbolized--behind the idea that the tide of History unequivocably supports the momentum of progress towards full equality as Citizens of this Great Republic for Gay Men and Lesbians. That is a huge, f***king deal. I think he will be a "shining beacon in History" (thanks, SNAFU).

If you asked me for money right now to pay to carve President Barack Hussein Obama's head in Mount Rushmore, I'd give every cent I could spare.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/22/13 at 10:46pm

"but I wish him luck and hope he succeeds in improving the country."

If only the Republican leadership could find that sentiment somewhere in their consciousness.

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/23/13 at 12:06pm

It amazes me that his speech has been described as partisan or progressive, when just about everything he called for is supported by varying majorities of our population. It seems like the country has moved to the left, at least from an ideology perspective, and no one has noticed. The growing support for marriage equality, immigration, and gun safety would have seemed preposterous only a decade ago.

To me, the big question will continue to be the GOP. Their avowed goal for the last four years was to deny Obama a 2nd term. Will they now focus on denying him a legacy, or can they get past their pettiness and actually govern?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/23/13 at 1:20pm

I do not think we should be amending the constitution to make him president for life or putting him on Mt Rushmore.

Who was saying that? Or that he's the 2nd coming of Christ? People are happy their candidate won. Just like Republicans were happy Little Bush won twice in a row. What's with all the hyperbole? Hopefully, the GOP can finally shift their focus from blocking Obama to fixing their own party.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/23/13 at 7:45pm

I've never heard anyone refer to Obama as the second coming of Christ, but at least once I day I see someone refer to him as the second coming of Hitler.