Everyone expected President Barack Obama to button-down and get to work on the first day...but it turns out in this administration there were be fewer buttons: CNN notes that in one of his first moves to dump a Bush rule, Obama has not just been (gasp!) photographed in his new office sans coat but that (double gasp!) this White House may be a place where it doesn't look like … [Read more...] about Obama Dumps Strait-Jacket Of Bush Office Jacket Rule
Very brief thoughts on the inagural address
My previous very brief comment at my personal weblog, Random Fate, was regarding the contrast between President Obama (at that time the President-elect) and former President Bush (at that time the President: Obama confronts fear and defies it, in contrast to President George W. Bush, who appears to embrace fear. Just a thought. When reviewing Obama's inagural address, note … [Read more...] about Very brief thoughts on the inagural address
Wall Street Bursts Balloon
Eric Allie, Caglecartoons.com (This cartoon is copyrighted by Cagle Cartoons and appears on this site under a licensing agreement. Reproduction of it in other media is strictly prohibited.) … [Read more...] about Wall Street Bursts Balloon
First Day of Operation Redemption – Rush Limbaugh
As President Obama makes his way through his first full day on the job, a familiar voice reemerged from the depths of the river Styx, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. For the last eight years, aside from a public pain medication addiction, Mr. Limbaugh and most of the conservative talking heads have been relegated to proving air cover for President Bush. Now, with a new … [Read more...] about First Day of Operation Redemption – Rush Limbaugh
Obama Inauguration Creates New Candidates For Get A Life Club
Memberships to TMV's Get A Life Club are not awarded easily. But some reaction to the inauguration of President Barack Obama compel the awarding of three memberships. Awards to go groups or individuals who blow something small into something big, fight mega-PC wars, or display breathtaking partisan or ideological hackery. In some cases we'll avoid using names but if we have … [Read more...] about Obama Inauguration Creates New Candidates For Get A Life Club
Human Ants
Check it out: An incredible photograph from yesterday's inauguration. Explanation here. … [Read more...] about Human Ants
The Worst Inaugural Address, Some Say
I thought that our new President's inaugural address was magnificent, and said so in my post yesterday. Of course, as many will point out, I am biased. And, of course, there are many other unbiased bloggers and pundits just rearing to point out how horrible, how "wretched" the speech was---the worst inaugural address in U.S. history. And, of course, having called the … [Read more...] about The Worst Inaugural Address, Some Say
On Judging Obama’s Inaugural Speech
In an earlier post and long roundup HERE, I argued that President Barack Obama's inaugural speech was good but not what you'd call great. But is it too early to even judge? Talk Left's Big Tent Democrat, one of the most perceptive writers on a weblog of any political persuasion, offers this word of caution. … [Read more...] about On Judging Obama’s Inaugural Speech
Returning to the Silly Season
The parties are mostly over and maintenance crews are cleaning up the streets in Washington. Since we gave the politicians and their supporters a brief break for frivolity, it's only fair that we be allowed a few moments to observe some of the silliness surrounding the day's events. Our first item comes from Amanda Carpenter over at Town Hall. For the record, I really like … [Read more...] about Returning to the Silly Season
Limbaugh v. Obama and Almost Everybody Else
Catching up on what has transpired so far: Mr. Limbaugh expressed a wish that President Obama fail. Mr. Shakir said that Mr. Limbaugh is a hypocrite. Mr. van der Galien rebuked Mr. Shakir and defended Mr. Limbaugh on the grounds that it is good to speak from an ideologically pure basis, even if such speech is not politically correct. In turn, I was going to respond to … [Read more...] about Limbaugh v. Obama and Almost Everybody Else
Word Cloud Analysis of Inaugural Speeches
ReadWriteWeb ran the full text of Obama's inaugural address through the tag cloud generator Wordle.net. Then went on to do Bush, Clinton, Reagan and Lincoln. Fascinating. Susan Mernit opines: Bush's speech seemed to be addressed to the world stage and had much abstract language with powerful concepts attached: freedom, liberty, America, country. Obama's speech is … [Read more...] about Word Cloud Analysis of Inaugural Speeches
George Mouse
Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen … [Read more...] about George Mouse
First Global Press Roundup: Obama Inauguration
Courtesy of WATCHING AMERICA.com, the aggregator of foreign news about the USA, here is a selection of the early global press reaction to the inauguration of 44. Congratulations America. Japan Times, Japan Obama and the Alliance with Japan Japan Times, Japan U.S. Chance for Fresh Start in Muslim World Asahi, Japan The War on Terror The Star, … [Read more...] about First Global Press Roundup: Obama Inauguration
The Austerity of Hope, AKA The Inauguration of Barack Obama
Today, I spoke in Akron, Ohio at a wonderful gathering for public information officers (PIOs) who work in settings that involve children and families (DR court, juvie court, hospitals) that focused on the media. My session ran to 11:50 am and then the hosts wired up the room so we could watch the inauguration - it came on just in time to hear Joe Biden take the oath and we … [Read more...] about The Austerity of Hope, AKA The Inauguration of Barack Obama
Wall Street Gets Obama’s Message
It was a tale of two cities today with joy in Washington and despair in the financial markets of New York. When George W. Bush left the White House, he took Wall Street's free-lunch order forms with him and the panic is on. The Dow lost 4 percent, the Nasdaq and Standard & Poor's 500 index more than 5 as Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase and Citigroup fell to new … [Read more...] about Wall Street Gets Obama’s Message
Barack Obama Inauguration: Best and Worst?
Perhaps you have your bests and worsts, etc., of inauguration day too? Worst: hearing people boo Cheney and President Bush. Low, low class act. Best of the worst: other people near the booing people, shushing the boo-ers Best hat: Aretha Franklin was wearing a gigantic rhinestone studded hat in the shape of a gigantic bow that made her look like a beautiful be-ribboned … [Read more...] about Barack Obama Inauguration: Best and Worst?
Barack Obama: It’s In His Smile
It's hard to know what to say on a day where it feels like everything has probably already been said. It was a big day, particularly for Americans, but the entire world was resonating with a sense of hope and exhilaration. The election of Barack Obama fulfills many people's dreams, perhaps overfills them. But it's hard to deny people the joy and ecstasy they feel at the … [Read more...] about Barack Obama: It’s In His Smile
Bush Hecklers Leave a Stain on Obama Inauguration
It's not a stretch to say that ex-President Bush has carried himself with the utmost dignity in his final two months in office - going beyond what previous outgoing administrations have done for the new guy. From expediting security checks for now-President Obama's nominees to giving him national security briefings in Chicago, the Bush team gave the new administration … [Read more...] about Bush Hecklers Leave a Stain on Obama Inauguration
Obama Inaugural Speech Signaling Unity Era: Good Not Great
When President Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President today, he both met and didn't meet some expectations. Met expectations: On the crucial issue of changing the United States away from a country where bitter partisan warfare and demonization has now surpassed professional wrestling, Obama delivered in an we're-all-in-it-together speech marked for its eloquence and … [Read more...] about Obama Inaugural Speech Signaling Unity Era: Good Not Great
The Crowd on the Mall
The Newshour's Gwen Ifill was on the mall. Watch the piece. It's stunning. One stand-out among many: GWEN IFILL: Eugenia Pete managed to hold it together all the way from Tulsa to Washington, right up until the moment President Obama actually took the oath of office. Traveling cross-country to see the new president she said was essential, but actually witnessing the oath … [Read more...] about The Crowd on the Mall