How would you rate Barack Obama's inauguration speech?

Have you been under a rock for the past 8 years? Don't blame Clinton for Bush's destruction of our economy and world stature. At long last the national nightmare of the Bush administration is OVER....get over it!

Rick D--

"Average Joe" is obviously Joe Biden!

Cheers,

Quiet Pro

Sad to see so many haters and cynics here.  What sad people you must be, unable celebrate this renewal of the American vision Martin Luther King's dream!  The soil has indeed shifted.  Put your cynicism on the shelf and come on out into the sun.

To all of you naysayers you should be ashamed of yourselves.  Saying something like "considering most of Obama's voters are living on the dole" is both cruel and ignorant.  People who live with hate as many of you do, are not part of the solution you are a part of the problem.

For all of you that are expressing your hatred, your criticisms examine your hearts and your souls and try to discover what makes you so hateful.  God didn't put us on earth to hate each other and many of you claim to be good Christians.  Listen to yourselves and how hypocritical you sound.  To be happy and to live in peace you need to have a change of heart and listen to what God is telling you.  Every minute you waste hating another person is a minute of happiness and love wasted forever. 

Hogtrashhd......I am an Obama voter and work my behind off every day to support my family.  I do make my own bread, grow my own vegetables, and contribute to society.  I have a full time job.  I also volunteer part time to help people in need.  I am white. And, I resent your comments.

Everyone needs to remember that President Obama is human and it is going to take more than just him, more than just our government, and more than his cabinet to get our country back on track.  It will take all of us and it will take a long time.  I will pray that we can all join together to make a difference.

hogshed you -- with all due respect -- are disgusting and full of asinine assumptions. you all cannot have it both ways -- either obama supporters are illiterate do-nothings or we are educated elitists -- which is it?

I'm an educated elitist (since believing in freedom and education apparently makes one an 'elitist' today) I'm also a hard-working fully employed attorney (so screw you and your horrible assumptions) and I am grateful to have Obama as our 44th President!

I'm white (for your records hog-head) and for the first time in many many years I am proud to be an American today. I'm always grateful to be an American, but it's been a while since I was also proud of us. I'm so proud of us today!

May God guide our brilliant new President and his government.

God Bless America!

Very good speech, but inspiring, come on.  Was a typical inaguration speech.  Will not go down in history as one of the best.  On par with the 4 or 5.

makes you want to get back to work???  mooches like you are a large part of the problem.  thanks for letting my hard earned money/taxes pay your lazy way...stay out of work-obama's gonna take care of you anyway you lousy freeloader...

That's right, idiot miltia of the right: SHOW YOUR HATE.

Meanwhile, the rest of us will get on with rebuilding the country, and mend the many burned bridges to the world.

If you want to work with us in building a better world, welcome.

If you want to wallow in your partisan hackery and hatred, good luck - the hatred you show is quite obviously projection.

Get yourselves somethng positive to do. Surely that's not too hard.

This is perhaps the scariest comment yet.  Get back to work??? WTH

Obviously Average Joe is none other than Maynard G. Krebs.  It's sad that so many people think Barack is going to be the reason for change.  YOU need to change yourself and that is where the REAL change happens.  This is what Barack has been saying from day-1 but most everyone is hearing something different.

Good get back to work so I can quite keeping you up!

He gets an A from me.

I felt his speech was invigorating and inspiring...he was bold and spoke to the better nature of all.

Well Noone7212, i believe they are referring to how many times one has been sworn in, but yes physically speaking you are correct, 42(43 now ) not 44.

then get back to work

We seriously need to cut the crap about color, because now just by me having mentioned the word color have now put myself playing the racial card. FIrst thing we need to do is this, remove this words from our vocabulary if we do not know how to use them, and start looking at one another based on the choices we make in life and not color. Surely, those choices are diverted at times by certain decisions beyond our control, but we should be making choices everday based on are knowledge, and rationality. And that is the same role the president carries, only its for a whole country.

Obama the Messiah...maybe, maybe not. No one could honestly say they could have handled the situations any better than Bush did, as quickly as they were thrown at him. Wake up people, you have to look at the whole picture. Mccain, Obama, I think either would have been a good candidate. Both just as eager to move this dang nation forward.

Damn good speech, remembering what once was and what could exist again.

Maybe we should all remember MLK words, that one day we will not be judged by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character.  I think its real easy to make quick judgements and remarks, but put yourself in the president's shoes. How would you really handle the job? If you can do better, go run for president.

I think for America to grow and get strong is for us to band together and work together. We are only strong as our weakest "player."  Many of us do things to help our community (volunteer, work, support our community) so how can we take the individual things we do and create an "US" doing it instead of an "I" ?

Makes you want to get BACK to work??? So,  you're saying you have been sitting on your butt all this time?? So its YOUR fault!! :P  Jk..jk :)

I personally thought it was the type of speech that many need to hear at this time.  I certainly do not agree with some of his policies.  But he is right about one thing, we have to do it ourselves.  Of course, I've been saying that for years.  Shame I don't millions so I could run for office too.

ann, your post was very well-written.  I felt the speech had the right tone, acknowledging the massive problems we have, but also encouraging each of us to do whatever we can to help get our country back on track and giving us the challenge that we must succeed.  I really feel that President Obama has tried to reach out to everyone, including all.  We must put aside our differences and work together, for the good of all Americans. 

I think it is funny that anyone who is critical of Mr. Obama is considered a cynic or worse a hatemonger, who needs to step up and start helping the country.  Why wasn't that the case with Obama supporters under Bush.  Couldn't Ashton and Demi fought worldwide slavery then?  Couldn't each and every citizen volunteered at soup kitchens, etc...?  Unfortunately most of the democrats were paralyzed by their own HATE for Bush, taht they could do nothing but dream of a "better" day, which creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Mr. Obama's speech was hardly inspiring.  He didn't really have any profound stances, other than "it is time to get to work".  I wonder if my friends on here we inspired by his words or simply the occasion.

Any of you ever think he was at work?

To those whining about our lack of support for Bush.

He has 90% support after 9/11.

He SQUANDERED it with Iraq, and with his fascist policies toward anyone who does not agree with right wing thinking. His extreme partisanship and warmongering is was led to his massive lack of support - he deserted American principles.

And to the right wing spammer emailing everyone with a blanket message: get a life you miserable little creep.

I do not agree that the liberals never gave Bush a chance. He had very high approval ratings from 9-01 through the summer of 2003. When President Bush called for this country to pull together and stand behind him to show unity to the world we did it.  You don't have an approval rating of 80% without a lot of libs being counted in the equation.  Now we are facing another crisis and the President  is asking us to unite in purpose again - it would be real nice if it happens.  This mess, as much as everyone wants to blame one party or one person, is a bi-partisan cluster f*** and it is going to take a bi-partisan solution.

"I think it is funny that anyone who is critical of Mr. Obama is considered a cynic or worse a hatemonger, who needs to step up and start helping the country.  Why wasn't that the case with Obama supporters under Bush "

OMG, it WAS.  For a long time, especially after 9/11, saying ANYTHING negative about Bush got you labeled unAmerican, unpatriotic, a traitor.....

Is anyone else getting spammed via Newsvine by someone from the idiot militia called 'Kelly', and their return email address is fake?

Very classy, 'Kelly'.

Much courage.

Much love.

I don't get it! Why are there so many haters out there. All this negativity only makes me said to be an American.  I was so glad when Obama won, not only because he is black but because he was the better candidate. We just got rid of one of the worst Presidents in American history, meaning BUSH.  President Obama's speech may not have been the greatest speech in the history of speeches, but it was uplifting and very articulate. For all the haters out there, let me see you go out in front of 1 million plus people and millions across the world and give a jaw dropping, heart-pounding, awe-inspiring speech. Until you can personally take on the responsibilities of OUR PRESIDENT, SHUT UP! Bush is a complete idiot but was smart enough to get enough votes to become President of this country TWICE.  Why dwell on something as simple as a speech? Why not give him a chance? All you naysayers are giving this man a hard time before he even gets started.  This country is in a pretty bad state and I hope to God that it doesnt get worse, but I ask myself, "how could it?"  Before you judge someone take a good look at yourself. What have you done to make this country better for everyone and not just yourself. If you feel bad for America because we have Barack Obama as our President, then leave because you are only adding to the problem. I could go on for days but there will always be evil and negative people out there, but I'm an optimist and I have great hope for the future of this nation.  And for all the racist out there grow up its 2009 eventually we will all be mixed anyway, so get over it!

Read what you just wrote...aren't you a 'hater' too?  Bush-bashing is just more hate...get with the program.  Do away with hate all together, isn't that what Obama's all about?  You aren't even listening!

Whatever happened to respect for all Presidents of the United States?

If it's against Obama, it's Hate;  Against Bush is WHAT? i think your hate shines on you.  Not everybody is perfect.  And you don't need the president to tell you that you need to go back to work.  I always know that.  I kill myself working 2 or 3 jobs...........are you?  And do you really pay attention to ALL the people who volunterr in this Country?  You must stop listening to propaganda and join the millions of Americans..........Look around you, look at Venezuela, Cuba, Rusia and appreciate that every 4 years we have the chance to vote in a real free world.

Mike,

Perhaps you might wish to read a little yourself Gramm R Texas , Leach R Iowa and Bliley R Virginia wrote The Financial Services Modernization Act which invalidated Glass Steegal. Clintons threatened veto led to an all night bargaining session which removed the Gramm gutting of the CRA and its anti redlining statutes, Clinton signed it into law with revisions. People such as yourself will always try to move the blame, this was a broadly supported REPUBLICAN piece of legislation which Clinton should have vetoed. Likewise NAFTA was a Reagan/Bush vehicle which Clinton championed plenty of blame for all. Phil Gramm received 1.5 million in cash in return for this bill and a job for life. Deregulation has been a Republican mantra since the Great Depression. The law, Glass Steegal which had separated banking , Insurance, Mortgages and financial markets which was a DEMOCRATIC piece of legislation assailed in every Congress since 1938, the Reagan Revolution finally gave them a loud enough voice. The financial services industry from 1980 to 1999 with an estimated 2/3 spent on Republican Campaigns, PACS and lobbying efforts. The Republican Majority in 1999 was veto proof. Clinton and the Dems certainly have a share in the blame many but not enough made de-regulation an issue but it is overwhelmingly a Republican Policy and always has been.

JKHayes

But Gracy do you stop to look at the REST of the free world, or do you simply focus on your ideological enemies to justify how wonderful America is?

What about the numerous other democracies that choose to live in a society which values ALL - and don't START a political argument by calling their opponent Hitler?

And to answer your first question: Bush has squandered American principles time and time again. Invading Iraq, torturing people, holding people without charge for years on end(including politicians from Arab states), trying to hold the entire country to his extreme religious ideology, illegally politicizing the justice department, intentionally destroying numerous government departments(including FEMA, the SEC and many others) - the list is endless.

We have had eight long, hard years with which to judge Bush by, whereas Obama's had a few hours as president. Yet many on the right are saying he's the equivalent to Hitler, a communist(in the same sentence - DUH!), a Muslim, all sorts of bizarre accusations.

So your attempt at equivalence is a nonsense. We can accurately compare the two after Obama's term(s) - not before. But that is what the idiot militia of the right are choosing to do.

If you cannot see the difference in tone between the attacks on Bush vs the attacks on Obama, you must have political cataracts.

Jim - problem is, the right has a gay man to persecute in the form of Barney Frank.

get back to work? Oh thats right, its work when you want to tuesday. The speech was ok, nothing new that we haven't heard already. I hope nobody stands around waiting for stimulus checks for too long. Stop buying chinese and get a job.

know what else is inspiring? waiting for you to get back to work, come to think of it, what are any of you doing on here?! Get back to work!!!!!!

Mr.Obama is my President, so I have to support him even though I did not vote for him.

I did not watch any part of the Inauguration. I heard the Rick Warren prayer really was inspiring and I admire Mr.Obama for that!! 

racism is so transparent. . .

As speeches go, Obama didn't say anything that has been said by others before. There was a lot of rhetoric and very little substance to immediate and long term changes. What Obama has going for him, is the ability to stir the audience into passion with his speechmaking ability. However, fancy words and pretty speeches don't an experienced President make (as the old saying goes). I look forward to seeing exactly how much of his promises to the nation, he actually accomplishes. Presidential honeymoon's don't last long and it will soon be time to put up or shut up. By the end of President Obama's first term in 2012, the Democrats will have controlled the House and Senate for almost 7 years and there will be a Democratic President for Four Years. President Obama and Democrats won't be able to continually blame everything on the Republicans then. (Especially when they have had that much control for for up to seven years in Congress and four years in the White House). It will be interesting to see what social changes this administration accomplishes; however, it will be more telling to see who exactly is paying for all these sweeping Democratic changes.

 I wish President Obama the best in the next four years. Although, he won't find people so indulgent in 2012, President Obama will soon realize there is more to winning the Presidency than giving a stirring speech.............

Jeff--your world will never improve because you are a hater and a whiner! Take your tiny brain and go elsewhere, please!!

Ha Jeff, I guess you get a taste of your own medicine today. After all, 51% of the country was very sad the day GWB stole the presidency in 2000. The fact that the SCOTUS completely ignored the popular vote and allowed this ignorant fool to take the oath of office was SAD, disturbing and completely wrong. You reap what you sow.

And BTW, ony 46% of eligible voters actually cast a ballot for McCain-not 50%.

Therese, and the others that keep accusing the left of this and that without any backup except the hate propagated by your own blogs: there was a message in Obama's speech for you.

Something about childish behavior and bickering becoming a thing of the past...

I wonder if you even registered the words, or maybe in your head he was saying something else entirely, something easier for you to attack.

Rather than argue with those who chose to sulk in their own disdain I choose to embrace those willing to take on the challenge President Obama has set before us.  For those of us willing to set aside differences and work together I commend us ahead of time.  It is we who will be the the catalysts by which President Obama's visions will be realized.  Do not worry about those people who are resistant to what is so transparently inevitable.  History has taught us that those who resist out of hate, will surely whither away, and those who stand in love will be left to shape the scope of history.  Let us remember that President Obama has already made his place in history and no naysayer, cynic, or critic can take that from him.  Lets focus on what is right and what we now must do to envoke sustainable change; and leave those too stubborn to join us in their own vapid pools of misery.

You should have already been working as it is. Obama is going to sink this country and no seems to see that.

Me too Joe.  Our new president is inspirational and pragmatic.  He is exactly what America needs.  He makes me want to be even more involved and to work even harder as a teacher.  Today is truely a new beginning for America.

Typical idiot militia original: simplistic, black and white view of lawyers.

I assume, then BJ, that you're an anarchist?

You do realize that if we are to have laws in our society, we need lawyers?

Or is that a bit too tricky to grasp?

when are you people going to realize that he is a mere mortal and a media darling? Pelosi and Reid have already set the tone for the next 4 yrs, yet you refuse to see what is to come!!  get ready to pay more taxes!!  Lift the veil and stop drinking the Kool-Aid!

Yes, a mere mortal.

When are the right going to believe that we are in agreement there?

You seem to keep repeating that we're addicted to the kool-aid, that we worship Obama etc - but the only place we hear that from is YOU ON THE RIGHT.

Joe, what a sad little boy you must be: when you grow up, you'll realize that such drivel reflects only upon yourself, and your self image.

In the meantime, there are plenty of hate blogs out there: why don't you go vent your bigoted hate with your fellow National Front play pals?

The inauguration has been turned into a freak show.  God Bless America.  We need him now more than ever. 

joe & jeepster - don't forget you are mortal too. Remember what Jesus said, "What defiles a man is not what he puts into it, but what comes out." You prove that very well.

Bitterness will never make you happy.  Some of you people need the prayers you keep sending out to all of us.

I must have watched a different Inauguration then you did. The commentator agreed with me, that this was an extremely unmemorable speech.

With all the problems with the economy, if I had been elected, I would not have spent 150 million on the event. The most in history by triple.

He will lead us to become France! Viva La Obama

And you didn't want to work before his speech... Let me guess, you're one of the ones who wants to take a piece of MY pie!

Then get your ass back to work.   What took you so long? 

this is rediculous. Want to know why this country is in the @!$%#ter right now? people like average joe up there, saying this makes him wanna work again. thats the most rediculous thing ive ever heard, everyone expects handouts in life but the only way this country will get better is if we work. Bush did a fine job and got the things done he needed to get rid of. You have to give him props, after the nations worst terrorist attack, he managed to regroup the country and not allow another terrorist attack since. he did a fine job and im sick of people bagging on him.

dont go back to work too soon. he just got rid of joe plumbers job and now your next

I'm in 8th grade and he addressed my generation very well and gave me hope that when i grow up being an american will mean something.

Im proud to say Barack Obama is my president and that he is going to lead us out of this mess and on to great things.

How does he make you want to go back to work? what the heck do you think he is going to do for you? If a speech could get you back to work, maybe you should have had someone give you a speech a looooong time ago.

TAW57 --  Are you KIDDING me?? It was the Clinton administration's poor choice to make changes in foreign trade that opened the doors for American jobs to be shipped overseas and made us more dependant on other countries!! Bush has not lost our jobs - Clinton set him up for an extremely difficult presidency. And now if Barack's "redistribution" plans actually happen, we'll self-destruct our nation with the lack of motivation to succeed... take away rewards, and people stop working harder. I really do hope he's a good president and I stand behind him.  So far he hasn't had the chance to do anything but talk, so I'm waiting to see who he actually is... it's the damn media humping his leg and fawning over him that's making me puke. Sorry.

Obama is inspirational and makes me want more out of our United States, as well as ourselves...

Americans are STRONG, HARD working people! Given the opportunity, we've proven, YES WE CAN!!!

1) Stop bailing out these MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS! What have they done for anyone lately?

2) JOBS! We don't NEED Hand-outs! We need WORK! BRING HOME THE JOBS!!! Incentives should be paid to those that KEEP THE WORK HERE, NOT SEND IT OVERSEAS!!!

3) Health Insurance for ALL!!! No Pre-Existing clauses. No reason at all, that the STRONGEST NATION ON EARTH, CANNOT DO THIS - PERIOD!!!

4) Foreign AIDE??? TIME TO INVEST IN AMERICA! NOT CHINA, MALAYSIA, THAILAND.......

5) PROSECUTE - PROSECUTE - PROSECUTE!!! Take these THIEVES that have brought this country to it's KNEES and take everything they've got. Put them working on CHAIN GANGS - Digging Ditches, shoveling the $HIT, they piled on us all! BOOOSH AND CO., INCLUDED!!!

I was very dissapointed in Obama's speech.  It was the worst speech he has made since he started his run for president and the worst presidential inauguration speech I have ever heard.  I started listening to them with JFK in 1961.

He got very little applause and most of the applause was polite rather than strongly supportive.  He appeared in my opinion to be almost afraid of the tasks ahead of him.

I is amazing how people who claim to be so tollerant are the exact opposite. Since when in criticism of Obama hate? I strongly disagree with most he wants to do becuase he believes in big government, welfare and more taxes. All of those are bad for this country. That is not hate in my book, that is called an opinion. Get used to hearing it. When his policies sink us further in to recession he will no longer be the savior he is seen as now.

Any time one who is anti Bush posts it is hate and you want us to believe your sides posts are not. Fuzzy logic.

Now lets look at the votes. I count about 150000 positive votes and 43000 negative votes yet the seed is filled wit anti Obama posts. Multiple logins?

      The audience was quiet in parts of the speech because they wanted to hear what he said. If you read this speech and see what he said there are some things that are utterly awe inspiring. America is lucky for having him. In times of great strife like we are in sometimes a man who has presence comes along and inspires men and women to do more for themselves than they think they can. At this time Obama is that sort of person. I know that some of us cannot for one reason or another jump on board but those of us who understand what I just said ignore them and move on. There will always be detractors and those who want to throw monkey wrenches in the gears of progress. We have to live with them but we do not have to listen. Time to ut that aside and do what Johb Kennedy said. Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.

AverageJoe, by chance are you talking about OBAMA'S ILLEGAL aunt living off the public housing system? Which the media conveniently left this out until 11/5/?

Yea expect that to not be in the media at all. I'm sure Obama will somehow pardon her for breaking the law... and that will show volumes unto his character. He qouted allready that if she broke the law... she should follow the law. Yea.. well see. As for his speech. It wasn't bad. He wrote it himself... which I was impressed about. Do I think he was the man for the job? NO. I think he is the most inexperienced president in the last 100 years and was very shady about his past..... but does that mean I "want" him to fail? No. Our country can't afford that, so I hope he can change things for the better and has good advisers to tell him what to do. Hes going to need every advice he can get.

Like a bunch of hard-headed children who refuse to acknowledge that their parents, having lived more of life than they, just might know what they're talking about, we immediately begin to bicker among ourselves moments after we are called to cooperation.

?????

Getting back to work? Where to? Maybe to China and India. Obama's speech missed the important point - the poor state of the economy.

Averagejoe-333551

I hope you are old enough to be retired, because people like you are the cause this country is the way it is,  that's right!! its time to get back to work, so you don't have to depen on the government for everything.

I know that people are jerks, but I STILL PREFER to be able to get on her and read EVERYONE'S comments.. no matter WHAT they say!!!!  Stop "collapsing" the comments.  EVERYONE ON HERE seems to be about having FREEDOMS in this country.. so let's have them...

I think it is you who has been under a rock.  Go look at the votes in senate and see who was behind Fannie Mae and you will see that the crisis began with Clinton, Obama and the like.  It was Bush and Chaney who voted against putting people in houses they couldn't afford!

or as Donna Brazile referred to him as the first African President

dude get over yourself!!!!!!!!!!!  he's black deal with it

It is not a matter of Black, White, Arabic, etc...  Can this man do the job and get this nation back on track?  That is the true test, not the color of the skin. We will see if this is just open ended promises or real results.

SO WHAT 50% 50% - WHAT DON'T YOU GET???  AMERICAN 100%

It's a fair point, he's not just 'African American' he's also White, he's biracial / multiracial, which is ALSO important. Remember it wasn't until the 40's and 50's people of african or asian ancestry were legally allowd to married whites. So to me, the fact he's biracial is VERY important. I am happy for the African American community, but he's not 100% black, and there's nothing wrong with it at all.

It doesn't matter what color or race Obama is, it matters what is in his heart.

I don't believe the color of his skin still bothers people

Kelly, I wish you were right but I doubt it is correct.

Does that make him an "Half-rican American"?  

I am white and I have to say, President Obama is African American.  I did not vote for him, but you have to admire his acomplishment and the hope that he brings to millions.  While he may be of mixed background, he lives everyday with whatever challenges there are for African Americans.  We should not diminish it.

The color of his skin means nothing to me..I am of mixed cultural heritage.

But it certainly meant a great deal to the media.

Who cares if he's black or white just as long as he proves to be a good leader.  So far I see a lot of inspiration but only time will tell how he will do.  He'll make make mistakes, all of them do but a lot will depend how he addresses his mistakes.   

Can't see where color makes the man. If it does, he ain't much.

if the race doesn't matter why is african american all you hear about and not his other heritage does he disown half himself

America needs to remember this fact!!!!! Obama sure doesn't

However you need to work it out...

To me, being African-American is an ethnicity.  African-Americans are not 100% black, but black, white and a possibe mixture of other races.  To tell the truth, with Obama having a father directly from a small village in Kenya, even with a white mother he may be more "black" than some African-Americans who have two "black" parents.  ANYWAY... That's neither here nor there.  We, the American People, have work to do!!!!

If the color of his skin makes no difference, then why is everything you see, read or hear about him being black - not 1/2 white, but being black. 

Why is it that this is soooooooo historic? We inaugurate a new president every 4 years. People of many races take part in it, believe it or not.  What's the big deal?? It's not historic because he's 1/2 white. It's because he IS black.

The more everyone says it's not about race - it is ALL about race.  But he is no typical American black. The fact is, his father is Kenyan (with several other wives & children) who didn't even live in America for very long. Obama was raised in Hawaii & Indonesia, & by white grandparents. 

He doesn't have an American black history. He does not have slave ancestors. He lived a privileged and elitist educated life. Obama lived more of a white life of his era, than a black.

Blacks keep claiming him & yes, he's black, but quit making him out to be what he's not!

   So all of the other citizens in the US with mixed blood are Black if they have Black blood but if they get elected President they are 50-50?. LOL no wonder you guys lost. You go way past stupid most of the times. Your logic is not logic at all. 

Yes...I'm tired of people saying, "historic moment...african american president."

First of all, if you're born in American, you're American...not Chinese American, German American, African American, Russian American, etc...

Secondly, he IS 50% 50% (not taking into consideration other races that may be included from ancestors). So he's the first 50/50 president.

Most importantly though, what does his skin color have to do with anything? NOTHING  Everyone needs to stop mentioning his skin color.  The office has nothing to do with race.  I don't care what race or color he is!  We need to stop looking through the color filter and look straight at what he can or cannot do.  It really worries me that so many are focused on what a great thing it is to have a (race/color) president.  If we are looking at what he is going to do for his race, I feel for this country!

Pretty interesting that "Barry" Obama saw fit to deny his "other" heritage when it suited him (while he was living in Hawaii, California, and going to Harvard.)  But then, when it becomes useful, he is suddenly "black" and begins to denigrate his white heritage that got him so many advantages in life.  The blackest thing about Obama is his wife.  But who cares?  I could care less if he was purple with polka dots: he's got some heavy work to do, so get to it.  Stop sermonizing and trying to evoke a much greater man than yourself with whom you have nothing in common (Dr. MLK.)  Dr. King was black, a descendant of slaves, lived the American "black" experience, and fought to correct injustices.  All Obama has done so far is benefit from having a white family, sit on a few boards and enter a whole bunch of "absent" votes in the Senate.  Stop with the campaign BS: the country already bought your unattainable fairy-dust promises.  Just start trying to do the best to fix our problems: many of which started during Clinton, weren't helped by Bush, and can be directly attributed to stupid, lazy Americans living beyond their means.

I would love to say that Americans were too smart to elect someone based on their skin color, but let's be honest: blacks came out in record numbers to vote for him, and you couldn't turn on a news show without seeing a video of some idiot glorifying the fact that the "black man" was finally having his day.  Many of these people were interviewed and knew next-to-nothing about his Senate record or past.  They saw a black face and flocked to it.  Women were no different: many women voted for Hillary simply because of her gender.  And the rest were just mad at Bush, so decided to punish McCain for being in the same party.  Sad...

It was only recently that if you were 1/32 black you were considered colored.

JKHayes

Thank God!!!!! Someone finally said it!!! Not that it really matters, however you don't see people rejoicing the fact that our last 43 presidents are white. If that's what it takes for some Americans to be proud, so be it.. I just pray President Obama will take our counrty in the right direction.

Bill said:

"To : Liberals complaining that we're not giving "The One" a chance...

Why didnt you liberals feel that way the whole time Bush was in office?  You never gave the man a chance - you started bashing him from the get-go."

BUSH  had many chances!  He blew them all. I won't bother to list all the different chances he had, the opportunities he had to shine, to do the right thing. Instead he did what he wanted to do, never listened or even cared what was the right thing.

Seriously, you sound like Alfredo in the Godfather : "What about me? What about me?"     

Sorry but Obama identifies himself as African American and his skin is black. Therefore your point is invalid.

Bill - Why didnt you liberals feel that way the whole time Bush was in office?  You never gave the man a chance - you started bashing him from the get-go.".. and so on about not helping.

Yeah, I helped!  Actually it was about the only time during my adult life that I volunteered.  I went very green.  I stopped using plastic bags.  I did all those things because it seemed the country was running in the opposite direction of caring about any of it.  So Bush actually drove me to action by his actions.  I suppose I should thank him for that because I was very comfortable during the Clinton years and was only a half-hearted liberal.

The difference now?  I actually think what I do will make a difference - the tone has changed with Obama.  He talks to you straight - hard choices, new habits, different focus, etc. He asks everyone to work, to act, to be involved.  So yes, I will still volunteer, my kids volunteer, I am still going greener by the day, and maybe with some help save this place for you.

You can thank me later as you wondering why the world has changed and you are still using "old" habits (kind of like the bag phone vs the blackberry) :)  Or maybe it will be you are paying for electricity the old way and I'm getting 80% from the sun.  (Check out CA, Berkley solar initiatives.. so very cool.. they want to make solar panels as easy to get as a cell phone)  Off topic.. a little :)

your right! 50/50

If obama were African-American, then he would not be to run for President of the United States. Why, because if you knew history, then you would know that a TRUE African-American is someone who actually was born and immigrated from Africa. Read the following and learn history:

The term hyphenated American is an

The term "hyphenated" was in slang use by 1893, and was common as a derogatory term by 1904. During World War I the issue arose of the primary political loyalty of ethnic groups with close ties to Europe, especially

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all... The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic... There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

President regarded "hyphenated Americans" with suspicion, saying, "Any man who carries a hyphen about with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the vitals of this Republic whenever he gets ready

Wow, John-Franklin, you take cynicism to new heights. 

Obama's smart but no so calculating that he was able to sit back in junior high and high school and think about how well "Barry" suited him then as a teenager but was forward-thinking enough to know to reserve "Barack" for later when he might have a better chance at the presidency! No, his born name was Barack. Like most youngsters, he felt uncomfortable being "different" with a weird name and so went with the more "normal-sounding" nickname of Barry.  Only later, when he felt more comfortable in his skin and his accomplishments did he feel comfortable going with his given name.  It wasn't some sort of master plan. 

Any discussion of skin color or "race" is a waste of time.  There is only one race and that is the human race.  It is a scientific fact that there is less genetic variation across all of humanity ON THE GLOBE than there is in one band of chimpanzees.  Any other definition of race is a figment of imagination of those with little imagination.  We are one humanity, period.

This person totally has a point!!! Barack isn't totally black, he's half and half. Part white, part black. Shouldn't this totally end the racist argument?? He has a little bit of both, so there shouldn't be any problems about anyone being racist, on either side.

Good!!!  I'm glad to know some else realizes that Obama is bi-racial not 100% black or white.  I'm not sure that either he or the media knows this as he always refers to this father from Kenya although he was raised by his white grandparents. 

Funny until he got elected he was a black man in all the righties posts now ....Oh well.

It's okay for everyone to embrace our new President. (finally, because I was here when 85% of your bashed him to high h*ll) That's progress....but dont get deluded into believing YET AGAIN that you have the RIGHT to "pigeonhole" him or anyone else for that matter based on race.

President Obama is a very intelligent human being.  He refers to himself as an African American.  Whether he is 1/2 white and 1/2 African, makes no difference.  We live in America.  When you look at him, you see a Black man.  Now, that he is President, you want a piece of him......All Good!  But, respect how he views himself....and his family.  He is a Black man married to a Black woman.  They have black children and they are now residents of the White House.  They consider themselves African American and that should be enough for everyone.....

MLK's dream is being fufilled.....

hey EVERYONE!!! honestly it doesn't frickin matter what race our president is already!! He's our president and we'll just have to live with the consequences while all the Obama - lover freaks are learning their lesson on not thinking that Obama is any different than Bush, or any other frickin polititian!! He has like practically zero experience in politics and all, so actually, he's gonna be WORSE than Bush!!! Look what America has unleashed!

Not to stoke a flamewar but his father was African and his mom was American. I am African American not because I was born in Africa but because my family descended from there. Is there a reason you are nitpicking?

He's not 50% black--his father was part Africian and part Arab.  He is 50% white, 37% Africian and 13% Arab

But why is it that we only hear about his father and where he is from but we do not hear anything about his mother being white and the fact that she was a single mom.

Where was his dad when he was gonig up??  Why does he get all of the attention now?   He is just as much white and an American than being from Africa.

The media always controlls what information gets discussed.

Why is it we can't let go of race.......?  Is it because nobody really wants to?  Is it because it gives everyone an excuse? 

I guess when one is incapable of making intelligent, or coherent arguments, he has no choice but to lower himself to splitting hairs.

50% black isn't black enough? Does 50% white make him another white president like his 43 predecessors?. His election is historic, whether you like it or not.

I agree with you though, I'd like to think race had little to do with his being elected. A compassionate heart, a privileged mind, inspiring courage and faith in the values of this country and enormous charisma is what put him in the place where he is now...the heart of all people in America and beyond.    

Correction: In the Constitution it says if you have at least one percent black in you, you are automatically considered black.

Fact Check!

Obama, 50% Black, 50% White, please...... he is all 100% AMERICAN.  THATS ALL THAT COUNTS!

Windiwms, exactly where in the constitution does it say anything about percentages as far as race? (It says no such thing...)

His race doesn't matter, but the blacks are making a very big deal about Obama being black and are forgetting that he is half white.  They also seem to forget that his white grandmother raised him.  Where was his black family while he was growing up?  I can't tell you how many times I've heard from the black people I work with, "He's our president."  Excuse Me... but isn't he my president too?  I've also heard, "He will finally do something for his people," (meaning the black race).  But when I pointed out that he was half white, I about got my head knocked in by two black men who told me to take back what I had said about him being part white.  So, from my experience it's the black race that doesn't want anyone to forget that there is still a divide between the races!  I think the black community needs to get over it.

First off there is no such thing as 100 black American.  All African Americans who are native to this country are mixed with something.  We as African Americans accept him for what he is another African American-that is an American with any amount of African blood in them.  A lot of the white people in this country especially those on the east coast will be surprise to find out how much African blood that they have in them.

All that count for me is he's 100% (1000%)  better than Bush!

People please stop showing your Racism.  This man can be anything to you'll as long as he is not a Black Man from America.  Look at all the stupid ways that you are trying to justify him and take our pride in him away from us.  Some of you white people are real sick

How ignorant can people be? Gosh I'm only 17 and even I understand that NO ONE is 100% American except for the Native Americans. There are European Americans (those whose ancestors have came from Europe), there are African Americans (those people whose ancestors have came from Africa) and you should get where I'm goinng here! I also don't understand why most of you ADULTS won't accept that an African American is YOUR president. Who cares what race he is? No one but you. His job is to do everything he can for ALL people and not just one race of people. What ppl are trying to say is that he's going to maybe finally give all other races the attention that they deserve...not that he is only going to give it to African Americans or European Americans or Any Americans, but to EVERYONE. there's so much more I want to say, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to explain to ignorant people something that they don't want to understand. UGH.

HJONES.....  is pointing out that he is half white upsetting?  I mean most of us white people are mixed of alot of different backgrounds.  Thats America.  thats part of why this country is so great.  Pointing out reality is should have nothing to do with your pride of this new president.  It certainly didnt matter to all the americans who voted for him.  Your showing your true colors. 

Tye1991....... What you dont realize is that he was elected by all races of people and for the majority of people his skin color didnt matter.  Perhaps u dont understand what his fiscal views and how it relates to different people and what "spreading the wealth" really means.  maybe one day when you work and pay taxes and the government wants to take more of your property to give to others who havent worked for it you'll understand.

Your property doesn't belong to you when your company lavishes itself on the backs of those not being respectfully and responsibly represented. Your statement is full of hypocracy and the primary reason for a failed economy and FAILED system of checks and balances.

Vexxed... go live in China.  Explain how my money doesnt belong to me?  only a marxist mentality would state something so foolish. The economy is failing in large part to government intervention.  Fact, there Government forced intiatives on banks to lend to unqualified people with little to $0 down.  That is what happens when government sticks it nose in a free market.  There were failed check and balances for sure.... your logic is comparing failed cockpit security to being responsible for 9/11.  you have to look at the root of the problem and that is government intervention.

actually NJ BAD BOY.. if you look at all the federal programs that are equitable to your egocentric market scheme, they fair well with extensive reserves. You can keep your fool hardy ideology to yourself, thief!!

I can almost guarantee that njbadboy who sits there and complains about Obama taking his property makes less than what will cause his taxes to rise.  I bet 75% of the people commenting today make less than it will take.  Look, should big business be made to pay more of their income, we could debate for ages.  But the simple truth is, we have a health care system that no one can afford, because of big business.  We have lowering 401k's and higher mortgages because of big business.  Do some of these guys deserve respect for what they've done, sure.  Some of them have actually built these empires.  They should want to help others like who they use to be.  The rest simply inherited millions and billions because daddy was rich and they did nothing.  Then they cause the common person to suffer because they get greedy.  Yes they should be forced to pay more.  Maybe someday when they can control themselfs and are no longer greedy then we can reconsider the tax system but until that day.  It should pay to be greedy.

Windiwms -

I call your BS on that, I just took another quick look at the Constitution and didnt find anything close to that. Maybe I overlooked it, please inform me of the Section, Article, or Amendment where that resides.

Vexxd - can you re-word your last response?  It doesnt make any sense considering the context in which it was supposedly written.  I'd like to fully understand what your response was before I make comment....thanks.

Ann you are full of it. His father was a full blooded Kenyan and they are not Arab

Bill, it doesn't make sense because of the context in which it is read.

I filtered out all the hog-wash and broke it down to one simplistic response which is INSPIRED BY another blogger. He stated, that in china people can barely make simple ends meat with little money, where in the United States people who make ten times an average china worker can't afford the cost of living due to the 'profit' on cost of production. Where these have official terminologies and official uses doesn't matter. This prey on prey system creates a havoc system of dog eats dog world.

In the federal system, when you become a member of that system, all that overhead is removed along with the extensive stress levels that come with it. Federal systems prevent such behaviourism and promotes reserves from 'profits'

The real thieves in this system are the un-regulated free market systems that set their own standards of inefficiency. Which is well and dandy when you want to play poker and shoot the @!$%#. Doesn't work in a system where people are represented by abusive, biased, and corrupt government politics lead by companies and aristocracies of vast value. Which in turn undermine the liberties of those who cannot close the gap between unlimited wealth and 'new wealth'.

It Doesn`t matter whether he is black or white or etc,I think he will do this country some good

Any discussion of skin color or "race" is a waste of time.  There is only one race and that is the human race.  It is a scientific fact that there is less genetic variation across all of humanity ON THE GLOBE than there is in one band of chimpanzees.  Any other definition of race is a figment of imagination of those with little imagination.  We are one humanity, period.

Vexxed that was not what i was implying at all.  The china reference is that the government owns the country not the people.  Everything is done for the greater good... the problem is.. you have a handful of people deciding whats better for everybody.  Perhaps the Chinese governrment is more effiecient than our.  Everything i see our governement touch gets corrupted and is on the verge of going bankrupt.   Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare... state welfare...etc.  I dont know what reserves you are talking about. 

Yeah, thats the problem NJ, you don't know what you really want to say. Well, thats why we have discussions. I hope you can strengthen your resolve.

The Republiocans on this page really, REALLY do not want that to happen!

So sad to see such projection, such self-htre directed at others.

I wish them well, and hope they can see that their negativity and childish pettiness reflects the world they choose to propagate, and their own self image.

I hope so too, M Silcox. Unfortunately, it seems business was usually on this message board. 

It may not be business at all, if the Socialists have their way.

Full of sound and fury signifying nothing .

As an orator ... average ..... still has never explained where his finances came from and many other things.  Yet, he says that all in his cabinet must be thoroughly vetted.  lol  All in all, people can think what they want, he will be revealed as time goes by.  He already has lost must of his shimmer by electing some of the same ole boys. 

Obama seeks his own glory and will do whatever is best for Obama.  Many will see that,  2012 isnt too far off.  But, of course, many will say that he needs 4 more years to complete his process.  Even in 2016, people will see him as another politician making empty promises until he gets what he wants and then its business as usual. 

And by the way, for the girl above who said that he isnt arab ....... read your history, that just proves that you dont know that youre talking about.  maybe 30 yrs from now, history will reveal who Obama really is and then all these people spouting off wont look so stupid but will show that they actually knew what they were talking about.

lejitt         Sounds like your'e a little full of yourself as well..! So don't hate, appreciate....  peace & God bless you...

There we go with the "haters" comments.  lol the minute you disagree, or even read a book or 2 and actually know some facts instead of just reading scripts u read on TV or the NY times, BAM  you are either a biased bigot, racist or hater.  its getting old rikkey ..... remember its time for change, so get rid of ur common rhetoric; we've heard it all b4 and it's played out ..   oh and peace and God bless u too.   :)

That's a bunch of bullcrap right there...how could you be so ignorant to just jump to conclusions that anyone who hates, dislikes, or talks bad about Obama is a "biased bigot, racist or hater." Puleeeeezz. If he was white, there wouldn't be any complaints about racisim. Where's the equality there??

I am with you, Ruth.  The way that our President's candidacy and acension has inspired our YOUTH is enough for me.....Frankly AWESOME.....

P.S.  Many of you naysayers need to look to your youngsters....They are the true inspiration.....Maybe you need to listen to them since they have their pulse on the public....and you.....well, no offense......but it seems you are losing yours.....

Time to get with the program.....or get left behind! 

It's a new day.  Do you know how to navigate within the 21st century???

You need to realize that there are youth who didnt back Obama as well.  Are you saying then that all of these youths are left behind just because they dont agree with your views?

It was a horrible sight to see. I was walking down the street and some elementary kids (1st or 2nd grade) were walking by, and they were all chanting "we love Obama! we love Obama!" (this is pre-election), then one kid goes "but I like McCain"... The other kids weren't kind to him. I bet you they didn't know anything they were talking about either.

Also, why listen to the kids? Kids are impressionable. On the evening news on inaugoration day, there was a story of a group of 4th graders talking to 1st graders. It showed a teacher talking about how great Obama was and that we're "living history" (which we are, don't get me wrong), but then it cut to one of the 4th graders talking to small group of 1st graders. He said, and I quote, "Obama never lies, and he never changes his mind."

Yeah, let's listen to the kids.

you need to get a life he is what the country needs not people like you and im white

I AGREE 100%!  Let the REVOLUTION BEGIN!

My beliefs in this, have NOTHING to do with color.  You'll see in the end...  you're going to be VERY disappointed.

Michelle is either 12 or emotionally retarted. Look at her statements. It almost requires a laugh. 

Actually, Michelle sees TRUTH!

In case you haven't been paying attention to the last several decades, our president good or bad must be confident.  The last eight years ran the gambit from "ahh shucks" to "I am".  I can't believe anyone is left wanting for more of that.  As for "rule" the world.....I think the word you meant to use was "unite"

Ah, the whine of sour grapes rings out from the far Right.  Only the most hard-core morons and idiots could find any reason to cling to the last eight years as anything but a dismal and total failure.  Finally we have a guy with an IQ in triple digits and clearly, the reactionary fringe is once again unable and unwilling to step up and be a part of something positive. 

"Michelle" and her ilk are dinosaurs, and their time for extinction has come. Rejoice in the end of ignorance and zealotry in the White House.

I agree BUSH was a failure as well. 

"Rejoice in the end of ignorance and zealotry..??" 

And BRING OUT THE NEOCONS!  What a trade...

Wake up Michelle either that grow up

Do me a favor and crawl back into your playpen!

The president of the US pretty much does rule the world if you think about it.  I'm fine with Obama ruling the world anyway...  ;-)

This man is our President, so how he goes we all go.  He is trying to make a change that can help all of us, or is your raciism and hatred for others is so deep that you would want him to fail even if it hurts you too

Michelle,

   Obama is a very humble man. He isn't a loud mouth republican shooting his mouth of like Bush did for the last 8 years.

   All of you preaching how Obama is half of whatever....Look way back into your geneology and most of us have Black some where. Slave owners had children with their slaves. So all of us have BLACK some where in us....you just are too uptight and ignorant to realize it. America is a melting pot and by the way the messiah wasn't white either.

Humble, my behind.  What humble man would write 2 autobiographies before the age of 44? Obviously he thought his short life was extremely interesting.  I don't consider that humble at all - I call it egocentric.  I voted for him, but I didn't like him nor did I like the Republican candidate either.  He just seemed to be the lesser of two evils.  And no, don't anyone jump on me I don't think he's evil I just think he doesn't have enough experience to do a good job.  But there is always hope! 

Sad that so many of you carry such hate in your hearts.  Those of you with such feelings would be the first person under the tree snapping pictures of the tragedy hanging there.  Never having done anything to stop the tragedy.

I am a baby boomer, (white) being born in 1947, my mother from Oliver Springs, Tennessee.  I so vividly remember the signs, "no colored allowed", drinking fountains that read "whites"only.  We would go yearly from Akron, Ohio to Tennessee for my mother to see her family.  I am living proof that setting on those "colored only" benches and drinking from the "colored only" water fountains did not make me keel over.  I am the same person.  But only those of us who saw the burtal hurt, killings and ignorance will ever be able to see the signifiance of this.

What are you talking about? I mentioned nothing about race? Put on your glasses!

Uhh, what makes someone who writes two biographies egoncentric? I live a humble life, actually homeless, but I work 40 hours a week at 18 an hour. Hmm.. I'd love to write an biography for myself.

hmmm

You must have received that knowledge from above, because that is exactly what he whats to do..

You have to be kidding!  You obviously do not understand the Governing Powers of the United States of American and you are certainly clueless to reading people.

Maybe one of the pretentious seers who know everything will enlighten us on who is going to win the Super bowl and back my huge bet.

Folks I been on these types of board for a long time now and there are always ones who mistake confidence for arrogance because they lack that quality. I read a little from them then put them in my ignore column. A waste of space they all are.

"in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things."

that includes unfounded political ideas, Michelle.

To Michelle:

He will also be the best, and most capable to rule the world! His heart and mind reachest out to the poorest of poor, men, women and children of the universe.

Yes, the ones supported by the paychecks of others who can just about support their own families because they have too much taken away to support the professionally disadvantaged.

he isn`t stuck on himself ,he is just very sure of himself

OMG bob you're white!!!  we all SO care!!! If you weren't so stuck on racism, then you wouldn't be proclaiming that you're sticking up for our black president even though you're white!!! it shouldn't make a difference!!!

Thats a little out of touch with reality. Everything Obama is doing, I would have done given the appropriate oppurtunity. How do you respect the people if the people running the country is out of touch with the.. PEOPLE. Persons such as yourself who live in a false reality with no regard to the WHOLE picture, really have no place in leadership.

Yeah right..  Such a liar...

Good to see the Republicans do not have a monopoly on ignorant statements. Talos, please ignore the loony liberal posing as a Democrat. We true Democrats welcome your sentiment and are encouraged by your renewed pride in citizenship. We will hope that loony can shake off some of his/her cynicism and will one day embrace the unity he/she probably claims to be in favor of.

I too am proud to be American, today especially. Obama is looking to history, not away from it, to heal and draw strength from where we've been on a path, a future, a better place for us all. The cynics, negativity and hate can be overcome ~ our past shows us how great we are and how strong of a nation we can be when united. Division of class, wealth, race or any other prejudice only weakens our country and our place on the global stage.

Talos...good for you! I am glad to hear that some Republicans could appreciate the President's speech. It WAS a darn good speech, and made me feel once again proud to be an American!

After the second world war a President inspired Americans to roll up their sleeves and get us going again and Americans responded. The call just went out again. Moday I intend to hire 10 new people. We can afford it as we plan on expanding. Those of you who can should. Those that cannot you can do your part by doing one thing each day the can improve our nation even if it is very small. If everyone here in America turned of one unneeded light a day that would be 300 million lights across this country and a huge saving on energy.

The same guy that said "we will not apologize for our way of life" also said that Americans are only 2% of the worlds population, but use 25% of the worlds resources.  Sure sounds like apologizing for our way of life to me.

Personally, I was insulted as an American by the speech.  It deserves an F.

It wasn't an apology, it was a fact.  I'm just sayin.

As far as his speech, everyone's entitled to their opinion.  Personally I thought it was very good, but again, I can only speak for myself.

YOU BETCHA !!!

Yes, Scary that there are people at that mental level who participate in politics

Are you talking about Obama's mental level?

Palin a better speaker??  I almost spat out my iced tea when I read that! 

Oh Sure, if you want to hear someone say nothing and not know what they are talking about, then Palin is your girl.  I can see Alaska...on a map.  Bet she could not find Peru without a debriefing and a guide dog.

Every new pres promises CHANGE, is it really all up to them???

Too bad he didn't realize that Palin wasn't the one who would of been the one giving the speach.  I would love to be a fly on the walls in the Palin household today, I bet you'd hear some great words ;)

Palin has finally dropped off the radar. Let's keep her there. I pledge to never mention her again following this post. WHO'S WITH ME!!!! P.S. I'm actually doing the REPUBLICANS more of a favor. What an absolute embarrassment she is. THE GOP will be a very long time living that one down.

I am with you Turledude lets just forget about her and on with the job of rebuilding America.

You  both are just jealous of Palin.  She is extremely smart (even though every idiot in Hollywood and on the liberal news made her out to be uneducated and stupid).  She can carry on a conversation without a teleprompter.  I watch President Obama give his speech and yes, I was proud to be an American, but not because of his speech.  He is eloquent and knows how to use his words,(however, he needs a teleprompter to keep on track) but does that make him the perfect person to get us out of this mess we are in.  I wish him all the best and hope he does a good job.    Only Liberals hate people that do not agree with them.  Get over your biases so that we can all come together.

How is Palin educated....She can see Russia from Alaska and that makes her know about foreign policy.  All of her speeches were written for her. She stumbled over words and mispronounced Generals names....That wasn't the media that was her.

Jealous of Palin

ROTFLMAO.......Jealous of WHAT?  She set women back a century with her antics!

You betcha she did!!

And I, too vow to never utter the neodork's name again!!

I agree... not like all the little minded people who wouldn't or couldn't "put away childish things" and support *OUR* President Bush!

Where was your sentiment the last 8 years?

It left with the lies, deceit, stealing and murder. Its kinda hard to support evil just because he stole his way into office.

To David Kyle: Ah, yes, those "childish things" Bush, et al. promulgated: torture, deceit, divisiveness, aggression, elitism, terror, the destruction of foreign infrastructure and the slaughter of innocents, profiteering...how blind we were not to hop on board with these monsters as they attempted to lay waste to the rest of the world for the sake of the Bottom Line.

Oh, where did we go wrong?!

Can't tell if you guys are optimistic about Obama or just bitter about Bush?  I didn't vote for O but I hope he's successful because I am an American!  I also hope nothing happens to him because Biden is an idiot!

So you don't see any hypocrisy in your way of thinking... none at all?

Try educating yourself.. and no I'm not insulting you although I'm sure you would take it that way.  once a victim always a victim.. that sums up the entire lib groupthink.

Funny....no one "put aside childish things" for Bush.  He was "OUR President" too.  That's a really cute way of trying to shut up the opposition.

Dear charleyfarley, what rock have you been living under? How can you say Obama stole his way into office with the landslide the whole nation watched. There hasn't been a stolen election since 2000.

AS for the person saying that Palin ia a better speaker than Obama. OMG, the woman is a joke. She is busy now clawing for every little bit of free press she can get. Do you want someone who is arguing with bloggers about what they have said about her. What on earth would she do if a foreign country had something bad to say about her. See ya Sarah!

Let us all get to work bringing our country together. Barack Obama is HOPE!

Gee-Dub had everyone on his side...the entire planet...after 9-11.  He decided on the cynical, self-serving path with Iraq and he lost all but the 26% of Americans that tied their ideology to him and his Neocon pals.  Sorry, no hypocrisy here.  He had his chance and he blew it...to the point of being strongly considered the worst president in history. 

And can you honestly say that you have supported "our" president for the past 4 years?

I agree that Bush had support following 9-11.  It is sad that 9-11 is what it took for America to stand together, sadder still, how quickly America forgot what was done to us.  Had the support stayed and our nation stood strong together perhaps things could have been handled differently but when there is a large percentage of "Americans" turning their backs and breaking that united front, it weakens us.  Its called Survival of the Fittest. If we are not the fittest, we won't survive. 

The "little minded people" and their "childish things" that I assume you are referring to (Conservatives, Republicans, Hicks, Rednecks, Dinosaurs, basic Blue Collar...) are the people that make this country strong...I am proud to say I am one of them. The difference between the strong and the weak is no matter who the president is, or how much we disagree with his politics, we stand behind and support our country, the Constitution and the people who have sacraficed so much for the freedom we have today.   Can you say that?  I didn't think so...

    We will bring the country back. President Obama will make the tools available. United we stand and always will.

 I hoe all of you realize that some of these brash negative comments are posted by jesters who like virus spreades take pleaure in disrupting and conversation. It happens in everything like sports blog and everywhere else.

The support for FORMER President Bush went out the window from the very beginning...need I remind you of "the recount", those wire taps, and let me also remind you of Katrina and all the American People that died and went without proper food, water or shelter - it took the government a week (a whole week) to get help to those people. Can you imagine if it was your 70 year old mother that was stuck on top of a house with no food or food for at least 4 to 7 days or your infant child that you couldn't prepare formula for because the conditions would not permit you to. And don't let me start about all the good men and women that we have lost in a senseless war. So for you to sit here and tell me that YOU supported everything that the FORMER President has done.

"and let me also remind you of Katrina and all the American People that died and went without proper food, water or shelter - it took the government a week (a whole week) to get help to those people."

Oh, so I see that the government = former Pres. Bush here, since obviously it was HIS and not FEMA's responsibility to respond to the disaster... Get real!

"And don't let me start about all the good men and women that we have lost in a senseless war."

Since ensuring that another terrorist strike never happens again is sooo senseless... 4238 American soldiers have died as a result, since the very beginning of the war (3/13/03). By contrast, 1,250,000 abortions were performed in 2003 alone. Which is the more senseless? I'd have to go with the 1.25 mil dead babies. Find something else to protest about.

um...yeah....LONG LIVE THE NEW PUPPET!  LMAO

and who's gives a @!$%# what color you are??

wake up!

A joke?  You are a joke!  A sad joke!

Congradulations, you're not a racist.  Do you want a cookie? 

They are obviously all politicians and I won't trust any of them no matter how well spoken. As a matter of fact the better speaker they are makes me more nervous that that is there only strong point. Any one remeber Clinton, what an embarrassment to us all.

Obama is going to spend this country into the oblivion.  We will have a Federal Government controlling close to 50% of this country's GNP.  He wants 1.2 trillion dollars for job preservation of 3 million to 4 million jobs...do you realize that is $300,000 to $400,000 of government spending for each job!  Do you realize that 44% of the Federal Government's revenue comes from personal income tax.  Do you realize that there are only about one hunderd million taxpayers in the United States.  If you do the math, each taxpayer will bear a cost of $5280 on the average for Obama's spending package.

 Bush presided over a pretty amazing recovery after 9/11 - 52 months of consecutive growth and unemployment below 5%. Bush wasn't perfect, he didn't control spending well enough and should have been forthcoming on the WMD situation sooner.  However, if you remember, Collin Powell (now a big Obama man) provided the convincing presentation to the UN for going after Sadam.  And I would argue that Sadam's sons, Uday and Qusay could be considered weapons of mass destruction themselves based on the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis they put to death.  And I do prefer we engage the terrorists on their soil before they have a chance to get to ours.

The president leads and influences actions and opinions - Congress writes the laws and can override vetos.  It is up to us to pressure our representatives and senators to be fiscally responsible.  We have to get spending under control at all levels - federal, state, local, and even personal - misuse of credit has caught up with us.

   No body ever said that all Black people are smart and you have proved that.

SRM - HOOVER your hero?

Yeah, ya gotta really hate those embarrassing Clinton years.  Nothing like unfettered peace and prosperity to really piss me off!! 

Peace during the Clinton years.. please. We kept getting attacked by terrorists left and right. 1993 World Trade Center bombing, 1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia, 1996 al-Khobar bombing in Saudi Arabia, 1998 Africa US embassy bombings and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. Just because he didn't have the guts to go take the fight to the terrorists doesn't mean there was peace. Had he actually done something to combat the terrorists then we would have 7000 more living Americans. 9/11

Not to mention balancing the budget!

For the record, the Clinton years were not peaceful.  I was on the Cole and I didn't feel the peace.

jkenney1973, How did the Cole get to be a responsibility of Clinton?  Anything that happens in the world is a direct responsibility of the President of the United States?  If this is the case, Bush is STILL the worst President of all times due to the terrorism going on today.

JoeT63

When you're spending your time with interns instead of handling world issues it is quite simple to have peace & prosperity.  Had he made War and not Love, Osama Bin Laden would have been exterminated years before 9/11 happened and we would not be in Iraq now.  Of course, if Colin Powell had any testicular fortitude, we would have continued our march to Baghdad in the first Gulf war and the son would have had no reason to clean up the father's mess.

You jsut don't get it do you? You really think Obama is going to deliver. Well, you are correct. president Bush did, in fact, grow the deficit because the President was pushed by the Democratic Congress to put $270B out for the people crying the blues of Katrina and Rita and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but it was people like you for chastising him for NOT taking care of those people. Then during the 9/11 attacks, everyone rallyed around President Bush allocating $22B to take care of the site and people around it, along with the other sites of the attacks. Now you have a President that has a $850B stimulus package going into the deficit. Most of you can't see the forest for the trees. Good luck.

Dude, WTF is wrong you!!! I sincerely hope (God strike me down) you find yourself in a similarly traumatic situation. Then you'll have some sort of understanding of the impact these disasters had. Had Bush been concentrating on his JOB rather than how much brush needed cleared back home, all 3 of your excuses would have been DRASTICALLY less expensive. Apparently you can't see the trees through the Bush.

You talk like a moron. I guess you voted for Obama so put a bell around your neck so you don't get lost.

skip you are a moron and you're right I voted for Obama. But that bell you keep speaking of is only ringing in your ears and you are lost.

There is one rule in life that comes to mind when I read comments like yours. "If you think you can't, you are most probably correct".

I sincerley wish that negative, hopeless people would just try to be positve about something other than the their own negativity.

Thanks for posting again. Wanted to put you in my ignore list but could not find you above.

Wow Scott - what a horrible thing to say.  Now I know to put you in the ignore list.  Disgusting.

Ya know, there was another man in the not too distant past that spoke with the same kinda charm and charisma as Hussain does. His name was Adolf Hitler and yes he was able to mobilise and win over an entire country JUST like this guy has done. But in the end, where did it leave the world at? Now im not putting the two on the same emotional level but rather their ways of leading the masses into the blind void. Good luck to all you sheep that think this man is going to save you and the world.

GIve the guy a chance that is what is wrong with this world everyone condems before they try and make it work .

Yes, we now have higher taxes.  We now have a cut-and-run strategy that will probably leave more dead civilans in Iraq in the long run.  We now have "green" initiatives.  We now have socialism.  We have hope that all of Clinton's old people will change us into something new that's totally not a Clinton 3rd term.   Awesome. 

Howard...in NO ways does President Obama compare to Adolf Hitler! He looks better, he has not put anyone to death, he included all religions in his speech, and you should be ashamed to make such a statement. It was a very inspiring speech, and inspired a lot of us to take on the challenge to change America. I can say for the first time in 8 long years that I am proud to be an American...honestly!

So you have not been an American for the past 8 years?  But yet you still live in this wonderful country?  I was born and raised in America and I will always be an American - and no person or president will ever take that from me.  I didn't vote for Obama - I only hope that he will be able to pick the country back up like he promises - You people make him sound like he is God - President Bush did what he had to do - and Obama will do the same - and I am willing to bet that it will not end being your liking! 

He looks better?...please tell me you don't base your politics on  the man that looks better...See this is how men like Obama get into office to begin with.  Your intelligence shows in your first example as to why Obama is not like Hitler.  

Margaret, He did leave out Buddhism but I am sure that was just a small oversight and not intentional.  As for all of the attacks.  ENOUGH ALREADY! TIMEOUT FOR EVERYONE! Yes you all are acting like children. Yes some are bitter that their candidate lost. Yes some forget that they did the same to Bush. Yes some are not letting go of their hate. And Yes, some are not giving Obama a chance. Lets be Americans first and foremost. Let the partisanship go. Almost every attack made in these posts can easily have the hypocrisy pointed out. Dems saying give Obama a chance when they did not offer the same respect to Bush (and I do mean from the beginning prior to 9/11). Reps not giving Obama a chance all the while yelling at the Dems for not doing the same for Bush.

Is short everyone quit being sore losers it is getting old (8 plus years now). Stand behind our President. Praise him when he succeeds and criticize him when he fails. But stop the petty verbal attacks that only shows a lack of intelligence and maturity.

sadamerican...ANYONE almost looks better than Hitler did. However, Bush had many of the same qualities of Hitler. I guess you do not live in Texas or read, or you would know the history of how many people he gave the death penalty there without even allowing further DNA testing when one woman was mocked by him when she asked him to please not put her to death. Come on, now, if you are so sad, "if you don't love it, leave it." I am sure some other country would take you in until you started your hypocrisy, and then sweep you under the rug like so many others.

I did hear about the Texas death penalty and I do support the death penalty IF used properly but in many cases ,sadly,it is not. If Bush did the best he could so be it Iapplaud him for the effort. I have not backed Obama so far but IF he really can turn things around in this country then more power to him. I do believe he is too high in the sky though and needs to come down on a more real level. Things are not horrid in all America. Thus, I say concentrate on the parts that need help and funding, much like the failures to do proper DNA testing some innocent people may have died and helping fundadoptions so a new house mortgage is not nesasary just to adopt a child and they can have a real family. and leave the parts that don't need it alone. He needs to enforce new laws and kick out frivolous ones. I hope for the best and wish I could see it coming.

Why are you proud to be an American on this particular day?  I am 50 years old and can honestly say that I have always been proud.  That is proud of the country, somehow at this point, I cannot find it within myself to be proud of all of the racisism I am witnessing here.  I will support President Obama in the same way that I have supported every other President of the United States since I was old enough to think about it.  He is the President, and as in the past, during every other inaguration, good or bad speech aside, we have always had the hope the the incomming President would do better than the out-going one.  I truly believe, at least in most cases, people who get elected into office do so with the dream of making a difference.  Most of the time, it just doesn't happen.  If every new President of the United States could pull off everything that they have promised both during campaign speeches and during their inauguration, we would probably still all be miserable because where could we spend all of that money, park all of those cars or live in all of those houses.  Today was not the comming of the Savior, that happened many years ago.  Hopefully, the new President can do the best he can, correct the majority of the major issues facing us right now and get through his 4 or 8 years without making things worse.  If so, Canada has a lot of territory to be settled, but bring your snowshoes.

Regarding - Howard 824797  1:23 PM EST  I just read your comments Howard, and there was one part that I found astonishing;  I'll qoute   "ya know, there was another man in the not to distant past that spoke with the same charm and charisma as hussain dose, his name was Hitler..."  Hitler? really?  the same charm as Obama.  Your kidding right?  I've seen old historical footage of Adolf Hitler making speeches, even though I don't understand German I don't get the sense that he was saying anything charming. The sense that I did get was that he was very angry and excessively loud, he looked like a screaming maniac who was out of control and out of his mind.  maybe that looks charming to you, I don't know charm is in the eye of the beholder I guess.  But to equate Hitler with PRESIDENT OBAMA is a bit of a stretch, I've seen PRESIDENT OBAMA make many speeches since 2004, and the sense that I've always come away with is that he is not angry or excessively loud. infact: he has always comported himself in a calm, intelligent, balanced, even tempered way.  His speaks with hopeful, optimistic words. He projects strong and confident leadership qualities and to me he seems quite sane and charming.  As for your comparison to Hitler, I don't think so, nope no charm at all.  I suspect you are a Palin loving - PRESIDENT OBAMA - hater. I have some friendly advice for you, if you want to attack  PRESIDENT OBAMA you should really put more thought into it and come up with something better then the lame Hitler comparison.  BARACK HUSSAIN   OMBAMA became *PRESIDENT: BARACK HUSSAIN OMBAMA* president of the United States.  Has a nice ring to it don't it?  I suspect that he will put his intelligence and leadership qualities to work hard for us all, even haters like you Howard, and you know what, he will do a better job then George (I hate the constitution) Bush.  Get  over it "the American People have spoken loud and clear" as McCain said in his gracious concession speech  GOOD LUCK PRESIDENT OMBAMA.                                                                                               

Hello, Debbie824576 and God Bless You.  We need faith in our leaders.  We need someone that speaks up.  Thank you President Obama.  Lets go!!

GWH

I can totally respect your opinion...

But GWH  he has had a pre-game performance?   Wasn't he senator?  If he didn't spend most of his Senatorial time running for president, maybe we all could have known better what, exactly, he did while he was senator.  To date, word on the street is not much, just shuffle paper,  oh yeah  ....... and collect millions of dollars from unknown sources to secure his presidential nomination. 

YUP...a wolf in sheeps clothing...BEWARE PEOPLE.

His Father was born in Africa and his Mother was born in America.  How much more African American could anyone get? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TM - just to be technical, since thats what your aiming for, if a white South African gets a citizenship in the US they could be considered African American. You may dislike the idea or not find it palatable but thats the way it is. I guarantee you if he had handcuffs on and was getting into a police car no one would challenge the "authenticity" of his race.

Once again...who cares what friggen color he is!

He's part of the Illuminati!  WAKE UP SHEEPLE!

Jesus Christ, is this how petty it is going to be?  My grandmother was bi-racial, but when her and my grandfather married, she was black.  When folks would talk about my biracial family, it certainly wasn't mixed race or bi-racial that they said, but much much uglier words.

Everyone should really get over the colour thing in the end his decisions will not be made because he is black or white or gay or lesbian is anyone listening at all we are all equal and Ron Paul will never be president so get over it

Personally I'm fine with Obama ruling the world.  Bush tried to and not only failed but f'ked everything and everybody up in the process.  You're just a crybaby.

Hey to all the Ron Paul people here, who do you think Ron Paul voted for??? It was Obama.

TM-824588  All African American are multi-Racial.  He is called African American based on what society thinks he looks like.  They might think that you look like a person who is not very bright

Yes, I just recently found out that after my mother had told me her father said we were "black Dutch," that my great-grandmother was actually oriental because I have AB-positive blood type, and her name was never mentioned except as Mrs. and her husband's name, who was my great-grandfather. What difference is that supposed to make in this country? We all came from somewhere else in the first place, even the so-called "Native Americans."

duhhhhhhh

spreadex...what is the "duhhh" for?

Tm it was the white race who came up with the rule that if you have a black parent you are considered black, so don't get mad that he calls him self african American. But besides him expressing who he has accepted that he is. Have you forgotten when he was named the first african american to get the Harvard Review it was all good. This man is educated, articulate, fair, and God fearing. Lets join in to make the world a better place. God Bless you and God Bless America

What you people dont realize or understand is that there is no black person in america that is 100 percent african. During slavery a lot of the slave owners raped the women and through the generations there have been interracial couples producing black looking children. I also have some "white" in my blood, but the only difference between me and president Barack Obama is that you can trace the white in him a lot sooner. With me you would have to go back a few more generations. Now, if Barack Obama was on the streets somewhere selling drugs america would call him BLACK. If a person is bi-racial and is a deliquent he is considered black but if he is successful and properous then thats when people want to claim the white part of him implying that white is superior to black. If he was some average Joe Blow then america would treat him and view him as if he were black, so he might as well be what he is a BLACK man. And he didnt get to where he is because of white people. He got where is  because of the hard work and dedication he had.

Then why call yorseves Africian Americans I don't call myself Italy american ? Can u answer that ?.In my opioion this is the worse day in Americian History. Before today the worse day was when they set the slaves free>>>

You are entitled to your opinion... God Bless You...!

terri shame on you for that comment ! what an ignorant and humanless person u r .you disgust me with your comment

Terri, why don't you go back to grade school and get an education. Slavery is over and thankfully has been for a long time. Learn how to spell and hold an intelligent adult conversation here.

People on here are truly a sad lot.   The negativity is what brings us down as a nation.  It is time to unite for the common cause, which is rebuilding America, re-establishing America's honor, and doing it together without all the hatred, racism, negativity, and division.  We will never become strong again if all we think about is ourselves.  The negative comments show a true adolescent like mindset which cannot be the major thought process for what our future holds for us, and needs from us, as a nation.   Those who are willing to fight for a better America, for freedom, liberty and justice for all, a better world for our children, and a peace of mind that comes with achievement of our goals, hold your heads high and move to the head of the class.  Those on here with their negative divisive comments, no matter which party you affiliate with, who like their miserable lives, as shown by their negativity, to continue like a poor reality TV show, Go Back To First Grade and start over. 

Chuck-609842 ........

AMEN !!

Very well written !

To all you stupid people....If he was actually born in Africa....that would make him ineligible to be President. Think about it. The Constitution says you have to be a Natural Born American to be President. So.....no BLACK person holds a dual citizenship. You stupid people should read the Constitution unless you cannot read