Obama Inauguration

I am currently in my Online Journalism class and our assignment for while we watch the inauguration is to blog throughout. We are watching MSNBC. I hope everyone else out there is also watching and taking in this historic moment. So here are my thoughts as it happens:

Pre-oath happenings

- They introduced him as Barack H. Obama and didn't say his middle name. No secret as to why.
- I wonder what he was thinking as he walked down the stairs and saw the hundreds of thousands of people waiting to be a part of this moment.
- Aretha Franklin is singing "My country 'tis of thee." I wonder, why her? And what is with the hat?!
- It is amazing to me how calm and collected Obama looks right now. Wouldn't you be freaking out?
- I love that there are American flags everywhere!

11:56 Bidden takes the oath of office

11:58 There are people crying already. They just showed some woman wiping her eyes.

11:58 More music? Let's get this show on the road.

12:02 Every time they pan to Obama's daughters they are fixing their gloves, moving the blanket on their lap, jiggling around in their seat, etc. They can't sit still! They must be so excited. That is almost the reaction I was expecting from Obama himself.

12:03 Obama is being sworn in!!!

12:04 Michelle is holding the Bible :)

12:04 OMG he is messing this up, stumbling over the words! Maybe he really is nervous!

12:04 Obama is the president!!!!

12:05 To go back a minute: What was with the Brian Williams "Obama became the president four minutes ago?" I guess at noon he became president, but that was weird.

12:06 I love that they are chanting OBAMA!

12:06 Obama's speech begins. Pay attention. He is such a great speech-giver.

12:07 He thanks President Bush and the applause was less than generous.

12:09 Good for him that he isn't sugar-coating things. We are in crisis and it has to be dealt with.

12:12 "We have to begin again the work of remaking America."

12:16 "We are ready to lead once more."

12:17 I can't help but really believe everything he is saying...

12:18 He said our patchwork heritage is a strength not a weakness. I agree!

12:22 "...we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world."

12:23 I didn't think he was going to mention race, but then again how could he not?

12:25 What a wonderful ending to a wonderful speech.

Sorry I didn't post too often throughout the speech, but I had to listen. I hope everyone had the opportunity to experience this. I have goosebumps.