Wednesday, January 21, 2009

My Favorite Quote from President Barack Obama's Inaugural Speech

"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

17 comments:

Girlie Rodis said...

I liked it all---I hope he is as great as his words!

Lea Salonga said...

I have a feeling he will be.

mrsvd * said...

Yeah, I feel a sense of relief! You know he's "Da Man" especially to us here in Hawaii. I've never prayed for any President but Pres. Obama will be in my prayers everyday. Happy Chinese New Year to you and your family, Lea!

Clarice P said...

My favorite was "Greatness is never a given. It must be earned."
It's amazing how he managed to keep his speech hopeful, yet real.

Guy Gustafson said...

I haven't heard or read the whole speech yet, but I love the quote that you singled out, Lea!

Diyosa Makiling said...

I longed to hear exploitation of the English language in oratorical poetic heights, yet expecting to be pragmatic. This inaugural address did not knock it out to the moon for me. Although, it left me reeling and decoding its tactical implications, which is probably more productive than a euphoric high.

Winky-winks at David Axelrod, his spin doctor. He and Obama stick to some grand plan and they execute it steadily (as what they had done during the campaign). Among globs of tired metaphors, he lightly peppered to sting a bit: 'non-believers', audacious mention of 'muslim', sweatshops, ke what?, Khe Sahn, communism and dissent (which the Chinese newspapers edited out) , and whatever semiotic bits.


I'm feeling it on this line...
"...firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship."

~ KC G ~ said...

"It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate."
-- US President Barack Obama

~*Chinky Fuentes said...

I heard he has a genius for a speech writer who is very young and prefers to write at Starbucks so he won't lose the common touch.

Anyway, every politician has a writer, he's just blessed to have a good one. We will just pray that Pres. Obama will be true to the words in his speeches and for him to tighten the security in the US and not be lenient on terrorists. I got friends and relatives there. I want him to succeed in security and economic policies for the sake of the people I know who lives there and for whatever it means to us here in the Philippines.

Mark Hendriks said...

I sincerely think he is a good human being with an incredible ability to move people... just like you.

Patrick N said...

After nearly a full decade of Bush, I think it'll be great to hear speeches that rely on charisma to be memorable instead of hilarities like "Childrens do learn."

I stayed up late on a school night to watch the inauguration, and even in a mostly-asleep state I was moved by his inaugural address. Maybe it's as much how he said it as what he said, though it was a bit lengthy for me, but I believe that Pres. Obama can motivate the seemingly-lethargic country into a better future.

My favorite part was when he said that "The challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: they will be met." I know it's by now a cliche, but something about how he said it made it more believable than all the other times I heard it or a similar version.

Che T.P. said...

I have 3 memorable quotes:

1. "what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage."

2. "our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint."

3. "all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

kitte santos said...

obama being elected as u.s. president means there is REALLY STILL hope in this world!

miyu matsudaira said...

my mom and i would actually get into arguments on either obama really deserves to be president or not. because for me, i really think he does. and yeah, i also do hope that he would be as powerful and inspiring as the words he speaks. i hope he would be the one to start the change we wish to see in the world. and i do hope that he would be a very successful influencial person to us. not only to the US but to the whole world.

Shasta Falean said...

Hello dear one ;-) "Run Gov't. borrowing to the absolute max and place crushing debt on our children's backs." There are a few things you do not understand.
YOU will be paying someone else's toxic mortgage. 7-9 MILLION of them. YOUR medical records will be put into a gov't. data base.
A trillion dollars of debt that doesn't exist and will have to be borrowed. Debt never stimulates anything. Obama is a Marxist and is opposed to the fiscal conservative values that made America great. His recent signing of the $800 Billion Stimulus Bill marked the end of America as we know it and the beginning of socialism on a national scale.
What exactly do they mean by "Change?" They plan to take our guns away, give more power to the federal govt, and raise our taxes. I'd rather keep my guns, freedom and money. Many of us have not been swept up by the big-govt entitlement movement (disguised as "Change" ). And finally, we must protect the unborn, at all costs. Yes, always at the bottom of the list. The last item anyone ever thinks about. Abortion.
Palin/Jindal 2012 God bless all of you and thank you.

Diana Mae Pelty said...

My favorite teacher appreciation quote: “The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.”

A Zala said...

President Obama has tackled on the housing crisis much better than his predecessor did. In fact, there are now more mortgage leads thanks to government absorbing all the toxic assets. gally!

First Last said...

Yeah... Indeed... Where does the government get the money to absorb all the waste? Any ideas?
Are you still as hopeful as you were 1 year ago?