Despite flubbing a bit on the Presidential Oath, Barack Obama came back as his speech replicated the spirit of MLK Jr.\u2019s \u201cI Have A Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
By Matt Todd<\/p>\n
As our 44th\u00a0president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, like another African-American hero Martin Luther King Jr., has a dream for America.\u00a0 Despite the slight slip-up in which Barack Obama forgot a line in the \u201cPresidential Oath,\u201d which likely conservative media will crack jokes and make a big deal out of, no surprise, his speech proceeding that made the kind of impression Martin Luther King Jr. made when he gave his famous speech in Washington D.C. August 28, 1963.\u00a0 The speech was given exactly on the opposite side at the Lincoln Memorial to more than 250,000 civil rights supporters.<\/p>\n
Barack Obama delivered the lines so intensely, without a single moment of hesitation, and really spoke effectively much like he has throughout the bulk of his campaign.\u00a0 Viewers and attendees shed tears; many nodded their heads in concord; and in the end, the applause roared and the U.S. flags waved by the thousands harmoniously.\u00a0 Here are my takes on several key moments in the 18-minute long speech.<\/p>\n
Thanking President Bush and current conditions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Obama\u2019s sportsmanship has been tremendous throughout the campaign and throughout the election.\u00a0 The transition has been smooth with the media, even the conservative media, being a little kinder and gentler during this process.<\/p>\n On the other hand, while thanking President Bush, I could not help but feel Obama was taking a few jabs at him later on when he talked about the current state of the country.<\/p>\n \u201cThat we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n A subliminal verbal prod?\u00a0 It is more than likely considering Barack Obama has been more outspoken about it through his campaign (and his Republican opponent John McCain as well who also criticized the Bush Administration), but it\u2019s graceless to say\u00a0at<\/em>\u00a0the Inauguration whom exactly as to blame these past four, ahem, I mean eight years.<\/p>\n Again though, we are reminded sadly how much the housing market has suffered, along with the job market, folding businesses, and so on.\u00a0 President Obama looks to this day, this era, as a time of \u201cchange.\u201d\u00a0 Promising to stabilize the housing market, job market, health care, education, and etcetera, is a substantial promise to make, and even throughout his speech several expressions on people\u2019s faces indicated slight fear, doubt, and wonderment.\u00a0 Yet, it was only slight considering Obama\u2019s delivery was more than confident.<\/p>\n Obama\u2019s MLK Jr. moment<\/strong> \u201cToday I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.<\/em>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.<\/em>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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