dagblog - Comments for "Obama's Inaugural Address : The (Almost) Line-by-line review"

...except once when I

Orlando — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:29:53 +0000

...except once when I touched a horse fence...

Heh. I did that once too.

I liked the speech. I'm going to watch it again this weekend when I'm not prediposed to be happy with everything, but I thought it did a great job of weaving context from past, present, and future as well as signaling a new day. He sounded kinda pissed off while giving it. Since most of America is pissed off (at politicians, at Wall Street, at the dwindling size of their retirement funds), I think it's a good space for him to inhabit. Let the ass-kicking begin.

One interesting factual error

Deadman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:20:15 +0000

In reply to Obama's Inaugural Address : The (Almost) Line-by-line review

One interesting factual error in Obama's speech, but Obama was actually the 43rd American to take the presidential oath, even tho he's our 44th president (When presidents serve two noncontinuous terms, they are considered as two separate presidents, thus Grover Cleveland was our 22nd and our 24th president)

i know you and i differ a bit

Deadman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:18:36 +0000

In reply to Good review/analysis,

i know you and i differ a bit here but i hope its not window dressing. grand goals are great but if you don't show some level of fiscal restraint, it will lead to disaster. we just cannot continue to mortgage the future by selling more and more debt to foreign nations. when the music stops, it will be ugly. i fully realize, even if i dont agree with it, that this year will be one of stimulus and spending, but I hope it is truly accompanied by a thorough review of all programs with an eye to axing those that don't produce results.

Nice analysis, Deadman. I

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:53:11 +0000

In reply to Obama's Inaugural Address : The (Almost) Line-by-line review

Nice analysis, Deadman. I have to say while it wasn't a bad speech, I was expecting so much more. This guy used to electrify me in the primaries like I've never been electrified (except once when I touched a horse fence). I know that he toned it down against McCain, but hey the election is over. No one's going to attack him for soaring rhetoric anymore, and we're all dying some decent electrifiction. But while the speech substantive and coherent, if not so well-structured, there wasn't much electricity yesterday, at least not for me. Sigh. Still a weak Obama speech is better than anything G.W. could ever muster.

Good review/analysis,

acanuck — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:04:45 +0000

In reply to Obama's Inaugural Address : The (Almost) Line-by-line review

Good review/analysis, Deadman. I was struck more than you by this passage:

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. ... What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

You stress the part where he's "addressing the concerns of the other side." I see that as mostly window-dressing. Here he's sweeping their concerns off the table, putting them on notice to expect bigger (though more efficient) government. And citing the current crisis as justification: The ground has shifted.

I did think right off the

Bluesplashy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:11:17 +0000

In reply to Obama's Inaugural Address : The (Almost) Line-by-line review

I did think right off the speech was strong. Not soaring ('didn't sing' is how one reviewer put it) just really strong. Rather like Obama has been - appearing to be just okay - then shzzaamm - you realize he just did something right in front of you that you nearly missed. The slap down of the Bush crew was just perfect and much needed. I was so thrilled with the addition of the non-belivers espcially after the Rick Warren BULL***T. The Muslim part was good too. I liked the unclenched fist image He told us where we are and what we will need to to. He said it in such a way that when congress starts to get political just to be political they will appear to be the ones stalling progress.

I was espcially taken with the government not big or small but just working part. I am going to go ahead a say this here at risk of being laughed at but I had nearly forgotten that government was suppposed to work for the people. It had become more like a contest being two teams and was just about who was winning - democrats or republicans.

The speech was very good and will age well. I am glad you blogged about the speech, Deadman - I am looking forward to reading other comments about it.