Tuesday, January 20, 2009

History made today

My colleague Margaret wore her Obama shirt to work today. It is a historic day.

The inaugration speech was mesmerising. Inspiring. Stirring. What an orator. No wonder the streets are lined with excited people.

Best bit:

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill.Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

Then this:

We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan.With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

Video link is here, for posterity, for the kids.

And my goodness how they manage to talk on Sky News.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Andy Coyne comments:

great speech. fantastic orator. just like jesse jackson and luther king. that baptist church feel to the way he speaks that makes even mundane things sound momentous. he could make a shopping list sound like the ten commandments. but can he deliver on his promises?

Michael Taylor said...

Looking at his agenda on the White House website, he has his work cut out.

I think that oratory skill and that ability to inspire will carry him to the point where he can motivate people to set their minor differences to one side.