Recently in Speeches Category

A man selling flags near capital hill, moments before Obama takes his oath of office.

Written by Matt Monahan, a 2008 DePaul University Alum and a past editor for The DePaulia's National/Global section.

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

With these stirring words from George Washington, Barack Obama came to the penultimate moment of his inaugural address. Choosing to reference the nation's founder said volumes about the challenges Obama sees as he takes office, the importance of avoiding partisan, "childish" fights and more importantly, viewing his election to the presidency as an affirmation that challenges seemingly so great and enduring as to be set in stone, can and will be overcome by the values and spirit of sacrifice etched into the fabric of American history.

The challenge for any inaugural address is not to deliver an immediately immortalized catch phrase, but to explain and introduce your approach to government and the moment as you see it, all while respecting and incorporating the historical significance of the ritual by which the president is invested with his powers.

It is for that reason that I found myself sitting on the edge of my frozen seat on the Southwest lawn of the capital yesterday morning. Though the address had no headline grabbing lines or legacy establishing moments, it so stunningly captured the moment, reflected Obama's personal approach, and so effectively captured the spirit of American history and values essential to the transition of presidential power.

Obama's speech literally rang with the cadences of history, both of his own and that of country. In making his address so much about history, he tied his success not so much to his own achievements and ambition, but to generations of Americans whose self-sacrifice at Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe-Sahn, and whose dreaming in Selma and Washington D.C. made January 20th, 2009 possible.

And yet how telling it was that on a serene, sunlit morning, when millions gathered to watch him place his hand on the Lincoln Bible, Obama painted a picture of storm clouds

Facing an uncertain economic crisis and forced to deal with two unfinished conflicts stretching across the central and southern Asia, Obama echoed Churchill and Roosevelt while he reminded the American people of its role in ushering in the "gathering storm clouds."

Historical indeed that Obama would chastise the sea of people stretching before him, uninterrupted from the Capital lawn to the Doric columns surrounding the man to whom Obama most often draws comparison.

Rather than focus on what so many have labeled the "historical" nature of his election as the nation's first African-American president, Obama instead focused on the historical nature of the challenges we face, and reasons we face them.

In that way, Obama's speech sounded a bit like a teacher reprimanding his student body for logical inconsistencies in his or her homework, for elevating childish fights to unnecessary importance, for a clear failure to make sacrifices, and a shying away of hard work in hard times.

To my understanding, Obama's speech was less a critique of the administration whose architects sat near him, but rather of a collective failure of leadership on the part of every American who neglected to understand the limitations of our actions and perspective.

To my ears, he placed the failings of the Bush administration not in a Texas ranch compound, but in a misplaced American desire for richness and independence without heed for those around us.

He called us to take a part in our communities, to think about the ramifications of our actions both at home and abroad, and to understand that no explanation can excuse complacency or mismanagement in daunting times.

In many ways, Obama's first inaugural sounded a lot like a teacher handing out a syllabus on the first day of class as both an introduction to the year, and an invitation to participate in the process.

He told that crowd quite plainly that the president alone is not the solution, nor is he himself historically significant simply because of his race. Instead, Obama explained that his importance is as a model of sacrifice, hard-work, tradition and family. Moreover, those in the classroom will fill in the specifics of his class slowly as his term unfolds and only if they participate and take ownership over their work will anything come of his time in office.

Bernard Lilly, 40, of Chicago's Austin neighborhood, poses with one of his favorite cousins James Williams, 15, of Atlanta, Ga. during today's event in the National Mall. Williams, an honors student at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Atlanta, made the trek to D.C. with his parents (Chicago natives), two sisters, and aunt. "We had to come to the Inauguration," Lilly said.

Flags were waved throughout the Mall during the ceremony. Here's three of them from spectators in the non-ticket area between the Capitol Building and Washington Monument, just moments before Barack Obama was officially sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America.

A few observations about today's event:

• Security concerns: Unlike the intense screenings and checkpoints at Grant Park on Nov. 4, members of the general public were allowed to pour onto the National Mall without a ticket without going through any metal detectors or check-points. Kind of scary if you think about it.
• Audio echo effect: Crowd noise echoed off the buildings that surround the National Mall, providing a rumbling thunder every now and then for those in attendance (much like NFL stadiums, for example). But the coolest part of this was when Barack Obama gave his speech - his voice resonated in a way that could only give you shivers.
• Look up above: About eight helicopters could be seen circling above the scene, and snipers could be spotted atop roofs. Planes and plenty of birds could also be seen in the distance, providing an interesting contrast amidst the bright blue sky.
• Obama's speech: Many said it was longer than expected and I agree, but he hit up a ton of major policy points, including those that could please both political parties. If one thing could be said about his address, few people use the English language better than him. He's masterful with the language and incredibly inspirational in the process, both as an orator and motivational speaker.
• Booing Bush: People may not like him or his decisions, but the loud boos heard when George W. Bush was shown on the Jumbotron and subsequently introduced were absolutely uncalled for. This was NOT the place for that sort of behavior, and the Canadians to the right of me agreed. Show some respect.

After only two hours of sleep Monday night, I began Inauguration Day at 8:30 a.m., trekking from Arlington, VA. with my hosts to the Memorial Bridge--the place for cyclists and pedestrians headed to the ceremony on Tuesday.

Walking to the bridge was a tranquil, awe-inspiring buildup to what became a gripping, profoundly patriotic event. I was positioned on the west end of the Mall--between the Washington Monument and the National World War II Memorial.

The bridge provided easy access to the inauguration and picturesque views of the Lincoln Memorial. The right lanes of the bridge were closed for the eventual motorcade of buses transporting the bands for the parade.

Chris Brandon, 63, of Plainfield, MA holds a sign her nephew made. Brandon was active during the civil rights movement, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966 and 1967. "This is like an alternate reality," she said. "It's unreal."

Sixty-year-old Dr. Patrick E. Davies (pictured at left and below) of England stands among the crowd of tens of thousands near the WWII Memorial.

Davies said the weekend's atmosphere was "absolutely fantastic and hopeful, especially in the midst of a crisis."

Davies also said Obama's speech was a "rallying call" and likened it to some of Winston Churchill's speeches.

"Words matter, and it is words that inspire," he said.

"At events like this, history is made in a flash, and if you miss it, you miss that moment."

Like so many others, Davies raised his country's flag in support of President Obama.

After the ceremony ended, however, the Mall was not treated with the greatest care. This pile of garbage was at 17th. and Constitution St.

Still, the crowds were invigorating and inspiring in spite of the frigid temperatures. Those who couldn't get to the parade continued to celebrate at 17th and H St. well after Obama's speech ended.

It was like walking into a bubble or some sort of a time warp. If the economy was bad, you certainly couldn't tell from the extravagant festivities at the Lincoln Memorial and National Mall today in what many are calling a "preview" of the main event Tuesday.

The Presidential Inauguration Committee pulled out all the stops with top-flight celebrities and talents like Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Tiger Woods, Jack Black and Queen Latifa. People from all over came out in droves and it was a standing-room only crowd throughout the Mall.

It almost seemed a little too over the top, but the upbeat crowd was certainly contagious. Laughs, smiles, cheers, chants, and hugs were everywhere, and people were surprisingly polite when others tried to squeeze ahead of them for a better view.

But most amazing of all was how silent everyone went when a dignitary began to speak. Have a look for yourself:

Vice President-elect Joe Biden

President-elect Barack Obama