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
Goodbye, Mr. Bush, and Good Riddance
It's over, at long last. Eight years of a disastrous presidency, one of the worst in history, an embarrassment to the United States, a country I love, with so much harm done both at home and abroad. I've thought about writing a post about it all, some sort of summation, but what more is there to say? What more can I add to what others have written? What more can I add to … [Read more...] about Goodbye, Mr. Bush, and Good Riddance
Video of Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address
We've posted other inaugural addresses here on TMV this week. In comments, how do you think this compares with some of the others? … [Read more...] about Video of Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address
For the New First Lady, Some Elements of Style
Since America's fashion pride appears to depend entirely on what Michelle Obama wears in the next few days, I thought I could do my bit by offering her some advice from maybe the best paragraphs on style ever written, by E.B. White in Chapter Five of "The Elements of Style." White's subject was writing style, of course, but it doesn't take too much paraphrasing to see that … [Read more...] about For the New First Lady, Some Elements of Style
To The President Of The United States
Regular readers of TMV will know that unlike some of my fellow bloggers I do not come to this day as an enthusiastic support of President Obama. This does not mean I am an opponent either, I simply remain on the fence with regard to as his ability to do what needs to be done as well as being concerned about how far to the left he may choose to govern. However today as I … [Read more...] about To The President Of The United States
Our Biracial President
A strange sort of tug of war has emerged between those who claim that Obama is not really black - because of his mother - and others who take pride in him as an African-American President. In American history, culture and, for a long time, law, a person of mixed race was considered black. That's not the custom in Brazil or other places in Latin America or the Caribbean. But … [Read more...] about Our Biracial President
A Day To Remember
For me, I did my job as a journalist. I watched Barack Obama's inaugural speech on television. I grasped the splendor of the occasion, a nation beaming with smiles and pride. I downloaded the new president's speech. I wrote the story. Just as in the old days on the newspaper. Today was special. It is not uncommon for tears to well in my eyes when I observe history. Today was … [Read more...] about A Day To Remember
Selected Inauguration Day Headlines from Around the World
Continuing our global coverage of President Obama's inauguration, here are some additional headlines and front pages from around the world posted on WORLDMEETS.US: The Telegraph, India: Sleeves Rolled Up, Obama Acts Out the Gandhi Ideal The Times of India, India: Good Morning, Mr. President The Vancouver Sun, Canada: If America is An Idea, its Future Lies in … [Read more...] about Selected Inauguration Day Headlines from Around the World
World Cartoonists Look At President Barack Obama
World cartoonists are now taking stock of President Barack Obama and his historical inauguration. Here's a cross section of their art: Tough Part: Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen Expectation and Hope: Olle Johansson, Sweden … [Read more...] about World Cartoonists Look At President Barack Obama