Barack Obama's Inauguration

[mr_pikachu]

As I'm sure most of you know, President-Elect Barack Obama's inauguration is scheduled nine days from today: January 20, 2009. I'll make this simple. What are your thoughts on it, and what do you plan to do on that day, if anything?

Personally, I feel that it's one of the most historic American events of our time. Granted, I didn't vote for him, and I stand by that decision. However, it's hard to deny that the swearing-in of our first African-American president is a big deal. Decades from now, I'd love to be able to tell my kids/grandkids/whatever that I was alive to see the world change.

As such, I'm actually considering driving to Chicago to attend the event. I'll be off that Tuesday so the only obstacle for me is the length of the trip, and surprisingly that shouldn't be too bad. I still need to figure out how to get tickets, but that won't be a big deal. I hope.

So! Talk.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Of course it's interesting and noteworthy, many things will change from Bush's times. Since I live in Finland, not the US, it's going to be a lot more normal day to me, but still. Our president Tarja Halonen and Bush didn't get on with each other too well, but now there'll be a new practice. I'm going to watch the news that day and I just hope Obama won't get shot there.

[Blademaster]

I'm just here to post one 'word.' But since one-word posts are considered spam, I have to leave a stupid disclaimer like that which you are reading. At the terminus of this disclaimer shall be the message I wish to disclose, which is thus:

inb4royshowsuptoturnthisthreadintoawarzone

[Andrew]

Oh, Christ, I am not looking forward to a quotewar.

But, Obama's ideas are actually really interesting me. He really has captured the nation's hopes for improvement. I am still quite heavily supporting Hillary Clinton. But, I suppose Obama has a lot of fresh ideas which I think could really restore US's former glory.

So... go Obama! Just don't get assassinated! BTW I think the Vice Prez is kind of boringly lame.

[mistysakura]

I'll be up watching it and crossing my fingers that there won't be assassination attempts and people won't get hurt...

[Roy Karrde]

I'll be watching it, and like mistysakura I can only hope there are no assassination attempts. I do feel sorry for my cousin, he lives in DC but came back to Texas for Christmas and came down with pneumonia to the point he had to have surgery on his lungs. He went from die hard Republican to die hard Democrat and will have to miss the inauguration.

All that being said, I am half wanting the day, half dreading. Half wanting because Bush is a lame duck President and I am ready for things to start getting done. Half dreading because Barack Obama seems to be combining the worst of FDR, JFK, and Carter. But we survived Carter we can survive Obama if he turns out just like him.

[kainashi]

yeah man, fdr, jfk, and carter were pretty terrible! preach it brother!

[Roy Karrde]

yeah man, fdr, jfk, and carter were pretty terrible! preach it brother!

FDR had the war to cover up his bad aspects, especially seeing how we now know the New Deal actually extended the Great Depression in America. JFK has his assassination to gloss over that he had one of the worst foreign policy disasters when he met with Khrushchev a year before and absolutely got schooled by Khrushchev, and was exposed for his inexperience, the event led to what many believed is Khrushchev believing Kennedy was a push over and could walk all over him with the Berlin Wall and Cuban Missile Crisis. And well Carter, Carter was so much of a fuck up I don't know where to begin.

With Obama I worry he might have the New Deal aspects of FDR that could continue the economic crisis long after it should be finished. The inexperience and well "noobness" of JFK that could lead Foreign leaders to think they can push him around. And the economic and environmental beliefs of Carter which brought this country to it's knees.

But in turn he could also have the Bi Partisan Economic hand and well pure luck of Clinton, the steel spine that JFK had when pushed to the breaking point, and the guts to do what is right on the Foreign Policy front that FDR had. That is the interesting part, we just don't know!

[Jeff]

OK, before this quote war gets started, I just thought I'd get in and get my say.

There's no doubt that this inauguration is going to be huge. Hotels in my area, about 45 miles from DC, are booked. It's estimated that 5 million people will be there compared to the 1 million who attend most inaugurations. There will likely be a traffic nightmare. My dad who works for the Maryland State Highway Administration says that some people he works with will be spending the night at the office the night before. Virginia managed to come up with a clever solution to the traffic problem, they closed every entrance into DC from their side, leaving the traffic to us. Thanks Virginia! Luckily, I probably won't have to deal with it, but I feel bad for my dad though.

As for watching it on TV, I really don't care. I didn't vote for him, I still don't believe in the things he stands for, and therefore, the inauguration doesn't interest me. I can understand why people are making a big deal of it, but to me a person is a person no matter what race they are, so this inauguration isn't any more special to me than any other one. I might watch it though.

[Asilynne]

Since I live nearby, I will be making some money on inaugeration day. I didnt vote for Obama but well, why not captialize on his popularity? Ill be working with a t-shirt company on that day selling T-shirts with 20% commission I have the potential to make at least 200 dollars in one day alone, so Thanks Obama! lol


Oh yeah I suppose its historic and all too XD Btw, hes technically our first Mixed race president, not black pres >.> Still historic though :>

Edit:

Virginia managed to come up with a clever solution to the traffic problem, they closed every entrance into DC from their side, leaving the traffic to us. Thanks Virginia!

No problem!! lol j/k

[mr_pikachu]

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Hey everyone, it's time for the daily Laugh at mr_pikachu's Idiocy Fun Time!

As you well know, the inauguration will be held in the District of Columbia - not Chicago, Illinois. That makes an ever-so-slight difference in terms of the amount of driving one might have to do to attend. But what's ten extra hours on the road, really?

Guess who won't be at the inauguration after all!

[Roy Karrde]

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Hey everyone, it's time for the daily Laugh at mr_pikachu's Idiocy Fun Time!

As you well know, the inauguration will be held in the District of Columbia - not Chicago, Illinois. That makes an ever-so-slight difference in terms of the amount of driving one might have to do to attend. But what's ten extra hours on the road, really?

Guess who won't be at the inauguration after all!

I would expect a hugeeee party in Chicago for it. Probably in Hyde Park or where ever Obama held his victory speech.

[MToolen]

You know, I saw you posting that and, given Chicagoans' penchant for wanting to do things there, I almost believed it. I think it'd work out great, to be honest. We'd have D.C. be the District of Chicago; The remaining 6 million people in Illinois could benefit from a non-Chicago-centric government.

Southern Illinoisans can dream, too.

[Heald]

I'd love to sit here and point out why someone who is clearly trying to derail the thread is so very very wrong on certain aspects of America's history due to their incredibly skewed outlook on the world, but that's not the point of the thread.

Not sure exactly what the reaction over here will be. I'm sure most of the newspapers here will have something to do with 'CHANGE' on the headlines, while I guess a couple will be celebrating the departure of the worst President in the history of the United States. Otherwise, I'm sure very little will happen here. Still, roll on a new era, and hopefully one a whole lot better than these last 8 years of darkness that have cast a shadow over the world.

[DarkestLight]

I'm only popping in to say Thank you Roy for willingly pointing out some hypothetical things Obama could be capable of, instead of what may be just apparent flaws. I dont really care about Inauguration Day, but I do care about every moment from then, and how hard will he force the whole of American to fix the slack and get us back on track.

>> Truthfully though, <<If I could, I'd go. Fast.

[Master Rudy]

Yawn....can someone wake me when it's 1/20/13? Seriously I can't stand Obama and everyone being all "Yay! First black prez!" when really he's not 100% black. I think this guy in one way or another is a disaster waiting to happen.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/...5356c4.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/...b50d55.jpg?v=0

Let's not forget Obama's big slogan "vote for change!" Remember folks.....Cuba voted for change 50 years ago......

[Magmar]

I'm looking forward to it

I like Obama. I like Michelle Obama a lot, too. Then again I'm from Rhode Island, and here everyone's pretty much first or second generation and really modern and liberal. (People here are actually really chill, too... not super high crime in the city, really diverse, and pretty clean!)

[firepokemon]

I'm just looking forward to two years time where I can say. Obama was a fucking lier. But till then I'll picture him Naked being spit-roasted.

[Toxicity]

First of all...holy crap, Firepokemon; that's graphic.

Second, I'll probably be too preoccupied with education in the midst of history. All I can say is best of luck to Obama, though backed him I did not, and hopefully history will be kinder to Dubya than we were.

[Master Rudy]

I'm just looking forward to two years time where I can say. Obama was a fucking lier. But till then I'll picture him Naked being spit-roasted.

Well this is a first.....we agree on something. HOLY CRAP!

[homeofmew]

one place you don't wanna be 1/20/09
Washington DC = CHAOS

[Crystal Mew]

I'm just looking forward to two years time where I can say. Obama was a fucking lier.

my thoughts exactly.
but I'm curious to see how he'll change the country, and if everyone made the right choice in voting for him.

also, I don't want to be anywhere near DC on tuesday. I'll probably be at work anyways.

[Magmar]

I'm printing a newspaper on Tuesday. It's going to be hell getting that paper together with all the Obama shit flying around. JUST realized that. Why couldn't they inaugurate him on Martin Luther King day or something, when... we all have the day off. I'll probably have to work both my jobs on that day. At least Bush is gone.

[palamon]

Barak obama is not black he is Biracial my mom told me......... I wonder what it's going to be like with Barack in charge..

[Jeff]

True, but he is the first president to at least be partially black.

[Heald]

All this talk about race frankly disgusts me. It is like the 1800s when doctors went to places like Ireland, South America, Africa, China and Australia and tried to categorise everyone into sub-human species, and labelling people as Congoids or Mongloids and such instead of human beings. Whether or not he is fully African-American is completely superfluous, because one of the key issues of him becoming the first black President was whether the heartland racist American still existed, or at least whether it was still a significant portion of the vote, whether they would not vote for him purely because he was black, and he is black, and I doubt the racists out there would think, 'Oh, he's only half black so that's okay'.

[Asilynne]

Heald, no offense but where were you during the months before the election >.> Everyone in my area was even PROUD to say that the reason they were voting for him was because hes "black". I know you only really see whats on TV about it since you arent here among people in the US, but here in the Northern VA/DC area just about 90% of people Ive talked to (among all the customers/coworkers at my work and at Rudy's work) said they were voting for Obama either 1) They wanted to be a part of history, 2)They were black and felt good to have a "brother" in the running, 3) Because he was black and they felt good about smacking racism in the face by voting for him, or 4) They didnt like Sarah Palin/John McCain.

I realize that some people actually voted for him because of his policies, but in my area (and keep in mind, Virginia turned blue this election) it didnt seem to be the prevailant attitude. So this talk about race might disgust you, but even though both Obama and McCain were careful to leave race out of all discussions, it was unfortunately very much on the minds of most of America. So I will have to agree with you, it is very sad that race is such an issue in peoples minds, black or white.

Edit: Before this topic turns into a fiasco, Im pretty sure that everyone here who doesnt want Obama in office has their reasons and those reasons have nothing to do with race. And all of us know by now that he is half black half white, so he is our first mixed president and thats just as historic as the first black pres. So this topic need not go further off topic than it already has (and always does lol).

On another note, signs on 66 are now saying "DC EVENT JAN 20, EXPECT DELAYS" making it the biggest understatement of 2009 so far lol

[Jeff]

I was about to say the same thing. There was indeed racism in this election, racism goes both ways you know. When I voted, I didn't look at race. I just saw two men, one of which I felt would make a better president and voted for him. It actually upsets me that there were so many people out there who voted for Obama just so they could help "end racism". They clearly have no idea what racism is.

[Heald]

I know that there were probably as many people who voted for him because he was black as there were those who voted for McCain purely because they didn't want a black man in office, don't get me wrong, but those very same people probably didn't care whether he was mixed race or whatever, but all the talk of trying to classify him as some sort of half-black hybrid or something in order to detract from a historical event just smacks of outdated and obsolete language that was left behind in the 1800s.

The fact is, the terms 'African American' and 'Black' are interchangeable (at least in the context of discussing black Americans), and an African American is defined as any American with African ancestry (specifically, Sub-Saharan African), and Barack calls himself black and African American, so he is the first black President.

[Toxicity]

The fact is, the terms 'African American' and 'Black' are interchangeable (at least in the context of discussing black Americans), and an African American is defined as any American with African ancestry (specifically, Sub-Saharan African), and Barack calls himself black and African American, so he is the first black President.

It's as if he reverted his own classifications to the early 20th century, when you could be even 51% percent white but because of the remaining 49%, you were immediately 100% black.

I just hope 2012 won't be as cutthroat as this election was, considering the significant bias the media had in regards towards Obama; their portrayal of the candidates probably had the largest role in this election, even moreso than those who had race in mind the entire time they were in the voting booth.

[Roy Karrde]

Well Chavez is back in the media. The Venezuelan nut job who is quickly becoming a Far Leftist Dictator of the little country. He decided to open his mouth about Obama, saying he had the stench of Bush on him. Since Chavez likes to compare Bush to the devil, that pretty much means he is saying Obama smells like the devil.

Even more it seems that now he is threatening Obama's life.

"If Obama as president of the United States does not obey the orders of the empire, they will kill him, like they killed Kennedy, like they killed Martin Luther King, or Lincoln, who freed the blacks and paid with his life."

So... how much longer till we can kill Chavez?

[Master Rudy]

Well Chavez is back in the media. The Venezuelan nut job who is quickly becoming a Far Leftist Dictator of the little country. He decided to open his mouth about Obama, saying he had the stench of Bush on him. Since Chavez likes to compare Bush to the devil, that pretty much means he is saying Obama smells like the devil.

It's very unfair of him to compare Mr. Obama to President Bush. In fact it's a downright insult......

.....to Bush

[Jeff]

All the other insane dictators already support Obama, so I don't think any more of him just because one of them doesn't.

Anyway, Chavez is a wacko. It doesn't matter who's running the US, he'll always have something negative/crazy to say about them and the country as a whole.

[mr_pikachu]

It is sort of funny that, for all our worrying about nutcases around the world, we've got one of the biggest crazies just off the coastline. Then again, I suppose proximity no longer matters now that the big dogs have rockets.

Getting back on topic! The inauguration's tomorrow... one of my students is preparing to be absent Wednesday because she probably won't be back yet. Those of you in D.C. (or just keeping track of the traffic), how insane do you think the trips there and back will be?

[Master Rudy]

Those of you in D.C. (or just keeping track of the traffic), how insane do you think the trips there and back will be?

Well DC traffic is a pain in the ass on a normal day. As for tommorow I can only imagine. I-66 going east from the Fairfax, VA area is going to be closed at the Capitol Beltway. Pretty sure the same is being done for 95 north in the same general area. Overall if you live in VA you won't be going to DC by way of car tommorow. Only way in and out will be on Metro and the lines will be long. Of course you could tell people this for a month and you'll still have morons trying to get it at the last minute. I can only imagine how it will be for the out of towners.

In other words it's going to be a fucking mess. I'm personally not even going to touch 66 with a 100 foot pole until after the 21st.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?&1c=Was...=Chicago&2s=IL
Mapquest is saying about 12 hours to go from DC to Chicago. I'm assuming it's going to be hell trying to leave DC in any given direction once people start to go home. I'd say tack on at least 3-5 for a possible traffic jam and at least another 2-3 to account for the fact Mapquest sucks. So about 17-20 hours to get back not counting other traffic jams your friend may hit during any given rush hour (bear in mind she'll be passing very close to Pittsburgh and Cleveland as well)

[Jeff]

As I mentioned, unlike Virginia, Maryland's roads going into DC will be open. Thankfully though, school doesn't start for me until Wednesday, so I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. My school is right outside of Annapolis and with all those cars trying to pass through the city on their way to DC, the traffic will no doubt be horrendous. Heck, there's traffic there even from normal commutes, it just doesn't usually make it back to where I have to get off. Of course tomorrow will no doubt be another story. I'm not going anywhere near Route 50.

Oh yeah, my dad's spending the night at his office tonight, and that's for two reasons: 1, he works for the state highway administration, so with all the anticipated traffic, he and the people he works with will be important, and 2, his office is near DC, enough said.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Haa! They'll show it here too, 18.30 Finland time on YLE TV1. I didn't know. Perhaps I'll watch it.

[mr_pikachu]

Congratulations to Barack Obama, who at noon today officially became the 44th President of the United States of America. I wish him the best over the next four years.

[Heald]

...and already the world seems to be a brighter place.

Not specifically because of Obama, but because that useless prick Bush no longer has his finger on a big red shiny button.

[classy_cat18]

Heh, he had a bit of trouble with the swearing in part. But you gotta give him props for the speech he's giving afterwards.