President Barack Obama Inaguration Thread

[PhoenixIreland]

Since it's only a few days away I thought I'd start a thread for the inevitable discussion of it.

• The theme for Inauguration Day is "A New Birth of Freedom," in honor of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoin's birth.
  
• Expected attendance is 1.5 to 4 million, so many subway stations in the area are being closed due to "crush level crowds".
  
• Many tickets have been going for astronomical prices online, even though they are given out for free by members of congress, prompting Senator Dianne Fienstien to introduce legislation making it a criminal offense to profit from the tickets.
  
• The Inauguration venue can be seen here
  
• Official Inauguration Poster Released By Obama Team: Exclusive]

[SIZE="5"]Timeline[/SIZE]

(10:00 AM-USEST) (15:00-GMT) Preliminary festivities begin, including music by The United States Marine Band, The San Francisco Boys Chorus, and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

(11:30 AM-USEST) (16:30-GMT)

• Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
  
• Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
  
• Aretha Franklin will sing
  
• Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office by justice John Paul Stevens, who at 88, is the oldest supreme court justice.
  
• Music composed by John Williams and performed by Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, and Anthony McGill.

(12:00-USEST) (17:00-GMT) Obama is sworn in (only one president has ever affirmed). He's planning on adding "so help me God" to the end of the oath, like many presidents before him. Despite the inauguration literature having his name in the oath as "I Barack H Obama do solemnly swear" he wil use his full middle name "Hussain".
For the next five minutes bands will play four ruffles and flourishes followed by a 21 gun salute and the marine band playing "hail to the chief"

(12:05/17:05) Inaugural Address, which, according to his daughter, better be good (followed by a poem, a benediction and finishing with the national anthem), then the inaugural parade, which for the first time ever, will include a gay marching band as well as drummers from a centre for troubled inner city youth, and Obamas brand new shiny "tank like" limo.


The Obama era will then begin, which, depending on who you talk to, will either mean he will proclaim the United Soviet States of America and herd everyone off to work the wheat fields on the collective farms before surrendering to al-quida, or he will bring about middle east peace and a New New Deal that will guarantee economic paradise with free healthcare, ice cream and hookers for all.


[SIZE="5"]Economic Impact[/SIZE]

Obamas inaguration will prove to be a real boost to the local economy:



DC Street Vendors Preparing To Hawk Obama-Naugral Memorabilia


[SIZE="5"]Security Measures[/SIZE]

This will be the first change of President since the September 11th attacks, and Americans seem to think that makes it more likely to be attacked.

• President Bush has declared a state of emergency in Washington D.C to free up Homeland Security money for the Inauguration.
  
• The Washington D.C Police Force will double from 4,000 to 8,000 with 20,000 police officers from Virginia and other states as well as 13,000 National Guard troops, including special units with bomb sniffing dogs, will be on duty.
  
• "Teams of intelligence analysts, evidence response technicians, bomb experts, cybersecurity specialists, hostage negotiators, emergency medical personnel and SWAT units will also be nearby and out of sight in off-site locations unless they are needed"-International Herald Tribune
  
• "Fighter jets will provide air cover, and Coast Guard boats equipped with automatic weapons will patrol the Potomac River"-International Herald Tribune
  
• "Chemical, biological and radiological detectors, installed after the Sept. 11 hijackings, are already in place"-International Herald Tribune
  
• A 100 block area around the Capitol will be closed to cars
  
• Buildings directly along the parade route will be closed.

The much mocked Homeland Security Advisory System threat level will not be raised, because after so many elevations during the Bush years for no apparent reason, people have stopped paying attention to it and in any case, there have been no specific threats that are considered credible.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to:

• Firearms and ammunition (either real or simulated)
• Explosives of any kind (including fireworks)
• Knives, blades, or sharp objects (of any length)
• Mace and/or pepper spray
• Sticks or poles
• Pocket or hand tools, such as “Leatherman”
• Packages
• Backpacks
• Large bags
• Duffel bags
• Suitcases
• Thermoses
• Coolers
• Strollers
• Umbrellas
• Laser pointers
• Signs
• Posters
• Animals (other than service animals)
• Alcoholic beverages

[SIZE="5"]Web Links[/SIZE]

YouTube - inauguration's Channel

Watch the Swearing-in Ceremony on the Web | The Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden

Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies


So there it is, is everyone ready for the brave new world/"Obama disappointment" narrative?

[KingKane]

I've said it already Daniel K. Sullivan: Obama's Inauguration but it can stand repeating I guess

The fact is that, unless President-Elect Obama gives a speech that causes all who hear it to experience a moment of transcendence that place them, if only temporarily, in harmony with the universe, before breaking into song that moves them to tears while performing a dance that sends all present to levels of sexual climax unheard of in all human history before finally taking to the air and flying the entire dais filled with the assembled dignitaries back to the White House under his own steam, people are going to be disappointed.

These have to be the conditions for the biggest case of performance anxiety ever. Still, I'm going to be watching in case he can pull it off.

[East Coast Elitist]

Wow. One stop shopping. Only one thing to add--he is going to be sworn in using the same Bible as Abraham Lincoln used, the first incoming president to use it since Lincoln. Oh, and it's -12 C here right now. Woo-hoo!

[Bobert]

Ok, synchronistity freaks are going to be watching that one for a long time to come...

[PhoenixIreland]

Wow. One stop shopping. Only one thing to add--he is going to be sworn in using the same Bible as Abraham Lincoln used, the first incoming president to use it since Lincoln. Oh, and it's -12 C here right now. Woo-hoo!

Lets just hope it doens't rain since you can't bring an umbrella! You'll need something to cover your head if it does.
Everyone better bring one of these:

Ok, synchronistity freaks are going to be watching that one for a long time to come...

Huh?

[Bobert]

The kind of people who think that similarities between two people are weird...

Like the way Kennedy's secretary was called Lincoln and Lincoln's was Kennedy.

It's a theory by Karl Jung.

Synchronicity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[PhoenixIreland]

The kind of people who think that similarities between two people are weird...

Like the way Kennedy's secretary was called Lincoln and Lincoln's was Kennedy.

It's a theory by Karl Jung.

Synchronicity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don't be cluttering up my amazing, hard worked thread with yer drivel !!
Save your spam for the rep thread!

[Bobert]

It's relevant, unless you're a Freudian...

Somewhere, there is a fat guy on the internet reading this who believes that Obama will be shot based on the fact he's to use the same bible as Lincoln.

[PhoenixIreland]

It's relevant, unless you're a Freudian...

Somewhere, there is a fat guy on the internet reading this who believes that Obama will be shot based on the fact he's to use the same bible as Lincoln.

GLOBAL CONSPIRACIES: Presidential Synchronicity

God help us all
(I notice they leave out the other presidents who were assasinated...only what fits the "pattern" it would seem...)

[Bobert]

Didn't I tell ya, Taig?

Bat ******************** crazy... the lot ofthem. I men, what weirdo stays up at almost 5 am to speculate about what some presidents had in common? Nutters I tells ya!