Inauguration Day Festivities Open Thread

Filed in National by on January 21, 2013

Today is the public celebration and commemoration of the inauguration of President Barack Obama for his second term. There’s probably plenty of coverage on TV of the leadup to the main event, which looks like it starts around 11. For those of you following the events, this thread is for you to comment on whatever strikes your fancy. If you are at work, you can see Inauguration events live streaming from CSPAN, the White House website (not until 11:20), NBC News, CNN and others. If you can only listen, NPR will start its coverage around 11 or 11:30 and WDEL will start coverage around 11:30. The Delaware Democrats are having a watch party at Timothy’s starting around 11:30, but I think that if you haven’t RSVPed before now, they are probably all booked up.

Barack Obama’s 2nd inauguration comes on Martin Luther King day, in the year of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 100th year since the death of Harriet Tubman. So there is alot of history to think about today and while we celebrate President Obama’s 2nd term, I think we should be considering how we get engaged with the next four years of history to make the kind of changes that might honor our own ancestors’ work.

Or, you could join in with Bill in Portland Maine as he will be spending the day telling the obstructionists of the last four years to Suck It.

Happy Inauguration Day, everyone!

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"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." -Shirley Chisholm

Comments (19)

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  1. I’ll never forget that day. We took our daughters. I remember the line snaking around for blocks, so that we’d see friends in line who were actually going in the opposite direction.

    I remember that, upon entering, each of us was given a card with one name and one phone number to call from the rally. Just to let them know we were there, and could we count on their support in the presidential primary? What a brilliant grassroots use of supporters.

    I remember Barack entering to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”.

    I remember that some kind tall person lifted my youngest daughter up on their shoulders so that she could take pictures.

    Perhaps my favorite ‘feel-good day’ ever!

    Oops, looks like the photo has come down. The photo was from the day that Barack came to Rodney Square during the primary of 2008.

  2. pandora says:

    Cassandra and I are toasting with Prosecco! Obama’s 2nd inauguration and Prosecco. Doesn’t get much better than this!

  3. cassandra m says:

    Just like we did 4 years ago! Altho I think we had champagne then.

    Great invocation by Myrlie Evers.

  4. Pencadermom says:

    Joe Biden’s a good looking guy

  5. Bohemia Beach says:

    This is the REAL New Year’s Day! Happy New Year.

  6. pandora says:

    Agreed! Happy New Year, Bohemia Beach!

  7. cassandra m says:

    Just saw John Legend kissing Hillary — I think that means she’s running.

    😀

  8. blu gal in de says:

    Happy day to all! Watched from the comfort of my recliner! When they showed the menu for today’s luncheon and said the recipes were online, well…

    I have now copied all the recipes into my recipe file and started sourcing the hard-to-find ingredients – huckleberries? I just got some venison filets that will substitute for the bison nicely.

    Glad I wasn’t out and about with others. Found myself crying when the choir did a wonderful version of Battle Hymn of the Republic and tearing up a lot. I’m not really a crier, but, get emotional with good music!

    My favorite besides the President’s speech was the poem – what beautiful imagery.

  9. cassandra m says:

    Happy day, Blu Gal! We’ve been looking at those recipes too…

  10. cassandra m says:

    So why are there Redcoats marching in the review? We can’t possibly have prisoners of war from that era.

  11. Joanne Christian says:

    I feel bad for those w/ a shellfish allergy, or religious exception. I’d gladly trade dessert for their share!
    Those potatoes have my fixed stare 🙂

    BTW, I wonder if an alternate menu is available, considering the times we live in?

  12. cassandra m says:

    I’d bet there is an alternate menu, it just isn’t the Foodie Menu that is supposed to impress. We’re impressed with the potatoes too. I think we’ve worked out how to make the Sweet Potato Hay.

  13. blu gal in de says:

    There almost has to be an alternative menu. Little secret – next time you go to a luncheon or dinner at the Chase Center or Clayton Hall, ask for the vegetarian meal – almost always most excellent!

    Those red potato horseradish cakes sound really easy to make. In fact, most of the dishes are fairly simple except for the reduction. You can get veal demi glace at Dartagnan, found huckleberries online, too.

    I had no idea what huckleberries were – they’re in the blueberry/cranberry family and look like blueberries. Wow, learned something new today.

    Watching POTUS/FLOTUS walking down the street really enjoying themselves.

  14. cassandra_m says:

    POTUS and FLOTUS did seem to be enjoying themselves walking down the street. And it looked like there were nonstop kids along the road — some of them hysterically running beside the motorcade behind the barricades.

  15. Roland D. LeBay says:

    Holy Jeebus-

    I rarely log in to facebook anymore. Just logged out due to the seemingly boundless ignorance of my right-leaning facebook “friends”. The anti-Obama screeching was just too much.

  16. Aoine says:

    SEEMINGLY.? Seemingly ?..

    It’s not seemingly anymore – u see the tweets and comments about him taking the Oath on the Qur’an?

    Hahahahaha

  17. Aoine says:

    Note on the Poem and Poet

    Young gay,Cuban from Miami, the son of REAL EXILES, nit like the RUBIOS…….

    Has his degree in engineering……pretty impressive, make the Presidents comments all the more salient.

    http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/21/3193855/an-inauguration-with-a-cuban-touch.html

  18. Roland D. LeBay says:

    Haven’t seen anything like that, Aoine. Just a bunch of shit about how OBAMA wants to take away our 2nd amendment rights.