Obama's inauguration

[raigraphixs]

If your not in front off the telly, see it live online now

BBC - Homepage

 

[kopchoir]

anyone pick up on the point that they pronounced barack h obama instead of hussain where as they said george walter bush

 

[Steven]

Nit-picking? Obama will still swear himself in office as Barack Hussain Obama

 

[j98]

anyone pick up on the point that they pronounced barack h obama instead of hussain where as they said george walter bush

The presenter noticed this. Have you got the sound off

 

[kopchoir]

Nit-picking? Obama will still swear himself in office as Barack Hussain Obama

yeah it said so on bbc news as i was posting it still though could of just said it

 

[eric pisch]

thank god for the mute button, aretha sounds like a cat drowning

 

[ps3mad]

And why do they keep saying hes the first "black" president? Hes mixed race.

 

[j98]

I thought the US government was secular? Why are prayers being read?

 

[kopchoir]

would rather has listened to her than that fool before him doing the lords prayer like a muppet

 

[krish]

they're bloomin talking over the John Williams piece with Yo Yo Ma!!!!

 

[j98]

For anyone who cares: Oath of office of the President of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Filipino]

How many people are there?

 

[eric pisch]

I thought the US government was secular? Why are prayers being read?

its been reverting to Christian government, probably to appease the south, only found out recently "in god we trust" etc was only put on the currency in the 50s

 

[Kieron]

Shame he fluffed his oath...

Edit: he didn't actually - Cheif Justice John Roberts made the mistake - Obama didn't follow him reciting until Roberts had corrected himself.

Still, good luck to him.

 

[Jenn]

And why do they keep saying hes the first "black" president? Hes mixed race.

What bugs me is why does it matter whether he's black or white or whatever??

I can see that black people see it as a victory over racism but I find it ironically racist to keep pointing it out.
Because he's black people seem to expect some kind of miracles out of him - hopefully he can sort out the economy, the middle east and all the wars

He's just another president with ideas which I hope aren't dictated by his skin colour.

 

[Filipino]

What bugs me is why does it matter whether he's black or white or whatever??

I can see that black people see it as a victory over racism but I find it ironically racist to keep pointing it out.
Because he's black people seem to expect some kind of miracles out of him - hopefully he can sort out the economy, the middle east and all the wars

He's just another president with ideas which I hope aren't dictated by his skin colour.

Because it's a historic achievement, like Obama said 50 years ago he wouldn't have got served in a restaurant.

 

[Miyazaki]

And why do they keep saying hes the first "black" president? Hes mixed race.

Exactly. He's as much a "white" man as he is a "black" man.

 

[Gary D]

Welcome back to the world US of A

 

[raigraphixs]

Exactly. He's as much a "white" man as he is a "black" man.

i know where your coming from, but if he was not famous would he be viewed as a white man if he walks down the street. Sometimes mixed race is even harder on individuals.

 

[kopchoir]

thought the priest at the end was so right and quality speech

 

[Miyazaki]

i know where your coming from, but if he was not famous would he be viewed as a white man if he walks down the street. Sometimes mixed race is even harder on individuals.

What annoys me most is the distinction at all.

Yes I accept that historically speaking this is a first, but if we are truly to move beyond the issue of race in western society then it shouldn't be more of a headline than the size of his shoes.

 

[Filipino]

His shoe size doesn't represent a historic moment like this whereas his skin colour does so inevitably it will make headlines.

 

[Steven]

I think it is only right that people mention his mixed-race heritage. This is not the end of racism or ignorance in America but it is a step in the right direction. Obama being elected will have significance for those who lived through segregation and is now a symbol for others

I have said it many times - I do not believe Obama would have become leader of a party here let alone with an election. Just look at the current Cabinet. And on that note it is worth remembering that Obama is the President of the United States of America, not the Prime Minister of Great Britain

Maybe someone should tell the BBC

's advocate

 

[kopchoir]

What annoys me most is the distinction at all.

Yes I accept that historically speaking this is a first, but if we are truly to move beyond the issue of race in western society then it shouldn't be more of a headline than the size of his shoes.

I understand what your saying but if your an african american then today means much more to them, as one guy just said it doesnt matter what ethnicity you come from it proves that 50 years down the line perceptions have changed, people have changed so dramatically that people do not care if he is black white yellow pink or green. its not just a victory for african americans but for equality in genera and the fact it has happened in the most of red necked country in the world also speaks volumes

hope i got that right

 

[PoochJD]

Hi,

Just finished watching CNN's far-superior coverage of this historical event, and was pretty impressed!

Obama's speech started off a little strange, but by the end, it had become a sure-to-be-remembered piece of dialogue, alongside JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you..." quotation.

I thought that the fluffing of his Inauguaration showed him to be a) nervous, and b) a normal, human being, who isn't concerned by such trivial little errors. Jeez, I'd be excreting bricks, if I were in his position, and being sworn-in as the leader of the Free World!

As for those of you who are picking on the issue about Obama's skin colour being constantly brought-up, it's not ironic-racism (as Jenn put it), but a fact that deserves to be announced to everyone. I don't mean to sound like I'm talking down to anyone, but for the past 50-60 years in the USA, anyone who wasn't white and heterosexual was considered inferior to those who were!

Just as women had to fight for their right to be seen as, and treated as equals, so have blacks, gays, and other minorities! Becoming the first non-white President is a VERY BIG DEAL folks! It's not ironic, but a fact!

Over time, hopefully his skin colour will become a non-issue. But for now, it's a big part of who Obama is. A minority who has managed to achieve something that many people thought would and could never happen! He has defied everyone, both politically, publically and racially, that anyone can do anything, if they really want too, and in the 21st Century that's something anyone should be proud of! It's called inspiration - something we all need a lot of right know, especially in the world of politics.

If Obama pulls-off just a single one of his many promises to fix things, then he will have been a worthwhile president!


Pooch

P.S. And for those of you dissing Aretha Franklin, (be it in jest, or in seriousness), you try singing live in front of a worldwide audience, with just a pre-recorded musical backup, at the age of 81 years, and see how far you can get!