Obama Is Sworn In! The World Watches Obama's Inauguration! (Live Video Coverage of Ceremony)

Today as the world watched Barack Hussein Obama became the first African-American U.S. President (number 44 to be exact), and the fifth youngest ever elected.

Obama along with his Vice-President Joe Biden, won the general election with 365 Electoral Votes beating their opponents John McCain and Sarah Palin by at least 95 more votes than the 270 necessary to step into the Oval office.

Millions have decided to brave the Cold weather for the opportunity to personally witness such a Magnificent event in History.

No doubt Obama's Inauguration represents a milestone once unimaginable in a nation still plagued with racial issues since its founding and where segregation is still being practiced in many Southern states, especially within their Public School systems.

His election also pays homage to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a slain Civil Rights Leader most famous for his "I Have a Dream" speech given at the Lincoln Memorial during the Civil Rights March on Washington, DC August 28, 1963.

The swearing in ceremony took place right outside the U.S. Capitol, with the use of Lincoln's bible.

After repeating this Oath he will step into history as did his predecessors:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The President and new first lady are expected to stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue as a gesture of thanks to his constituents.

Security will be extremely tight as more than two million people are expected to attend.

Mr. President God Bless you and your family.

We wish you well Sir.

President Obama takes the Oath of Office.




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Sources: Huffington Post, MSNBC, CNN, National Geographic News, Wikipeida, BBC News, Google Maps, ABC News, C-Span

Obama's Election & Inauguration Pays Homage to King's Dream (Videos of King's & Obama's Speeches)

Across the nation in honor of slain Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, a Federal holiday, many American citizens are not only enjoying the day off from work, but many are also gearing up for Barack Obama's (our nation's first African-American President-Elect) official Inauguration ceremony.

Since being elected into office with 365 Electoral votes, there has been much talk about how Obama's win was in essence the resolution King was seeking to bring about in this country as it relates to his struggle for Equality and positive Racial Relations.

Today Obama paid homage to King via acts of Public Service by visiting wounded troops at a Military Hospital and by rolling up his sleeves to help paint a wall at a Homeless shelter for Teens.

When questioned about his tribute to King by displaying acts of Volunteerism and Kindness for his fellow man Obama commented, "there can't be "idle hands" at a time of national hardship." "Tomorrow, we will come together as one people on the same Mall where Dr. King's dream echoes still."

Does Obama's election into the highest office on American soil mean there is no longer a need for Civil Rights laws to be enforced or revised?

Why don't you ask the hundreds of thousands of Minority students attending Segregated, Poor Performing Public Schools or citizens who currently reside in regions where even in 2009 Racism still rings loud and ugly.

We're still waiting to overcome.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial. (circa August 28, 1963)



Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Race Speech in Philadelphia, PA. (Circa March 18, 2008_



Sources: Youtube, BarackObamadotcom, Huffington Post, Wikipedia, Tributes Sportswear, MSNBC, Google News, Politico

Obama' s Historic Pre-InaugurationTrain Tour! Photos! Video!

Today President-Elect Barack Obama embarked on a journey to Change via a Whistle Stop Train Tour.

The 150-mile excursion in route from Philadelphia, PA to Baltimore, MD, then on to Washington, D.C. (stopping on the way in Wilmington, D.E. to pick up the Bidens) was the first time a President-Elect has made such an effort to remain connected to his constituents prior to his Inauguration Ceremony since President Lincoln.

Obama's train the Georgia 300, was crafted in 1939 by the Pullman Standard and is ten cars long, (the length of two-and-a-half football fields).
The train is now privately owned by the man who acquired it in 1985. It has a kitchen, two living room areas and a small bedroom.

A few carefully selected members of the Press will be sitting in the front four cars, while 16 specially-invited families (41 people total) are riding in a car of their own.

Due to obvious Security reasons no word where the President-Elect or his family will be sitting or if he will walk through the aisles.

His Inaugural committee confirms that there will be two "slow rolls" in which onlookers will get to wave at the train crawling by their windows.

Obama states he that he is bringing to our country a "New Declaration of Independence." "One free from of Small Thinking, Prejudice and Bigotry."

Amen to that!

10:05 a.m. - Philadelphia, PA
The President-elect will hold an event in Philadelphia, PA before boarding a train headed toward Washington, D.C. Tickets are required for the event and have been distributed to the public.

1:00 p.m. - Wilmington, DE
The President-elect will stop for a public event with the Vice President-elect in the back of the Wilmington Train Station, 100 South French Street. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.

4:15 p.m. - Baltimore, MD
The President-elect and Vice President-elect will make their last stop in Baltimore for another public event at the War Memorial Plaza, 101 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD. Doors open at 1:00 p.m.

CNN reports on Obama's historic train ride.



Sources: Huffington Post, Pic2009.org, NY Times, ABC News, CNN, Youtube

Roland Burris is Sworn into the U.S. Senate

On Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009 @2:00pm (ET) Roland Burris, recently impeached Gov. Blagojevich's pick for Obama's Senate seat, was sworn into the U.S. Senate.

Due to Blagojevich being accused of trying to sell Illinois' Senate Obama's seat, Burris was blocked a week ago by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who was accused of practicing Racism, from joining his colleagues on the Senate floor for the Official swearing-in ceremony of the 111Th U.S. Congress.

Roland Burris the ONLY African-American U.S. Senator, refused to back down from his appointment stating it was a totally legal political move, and threatened to sue the U.S. Senate in Federal Court for his right to serve.

Senator Burris was sworn in by current Vice-President Dick Cheney.

Roland Burris discussing his being blocked from entering the Senate Floor with the Media.



Sources: CNN, Political Base, Examiner

Obama's Official Presidential Photo Released!

Barack Obama's official Presidential photograph taken by Pete Souza with a digital camera, has just been released.

This is the portrait that will be displayed in the White House, Military Bases, official documents, etc.,

I'd say this photo represents the beginning of a new era in American History wouldn't you?

Wow!

Sources: Huffington Post

Bin Laden Calls Obama's Bluff! Urges Jihad! Raw Video Footage!

In a new audio and video recently released by Osama Bin Laden, leader of the Terrorist Organization Al Qaeda, challenges Obama's ability to keep America safe after President Bush leaves the oval office.

A Senior U.S. Official has disclosed to ABC News that the authenticity of the tapes are real since they highly resemble those of previously released tapes by Bin Laden (51), whose last message was released on May 18, 2008.

The tape which urges Muslims everywhere to launch a Jihad against Israel over its recent conflict with Gaza, was posted Wednesday on Islamic militant Web sites where al-Qaeda usually issues its messages.

Bin Laden who has been in hiding since the U.S. Assault on Iraq & Afghanistan, was responsible for the September 11, 2001, attack on the United States that killed 2,751 people.

The U.S. government is offering a $25 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Check out the raw video footage below of Osama Bin Laden's message.




Sources: Youtube, CNN, Huffington Post, ABC News, CBS News, AOL

Obama's Economic Stimulus Package Proposal Speech (Full Transcript)

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
American Recovery and Reinvestment
Thursday, January 8, 2009

Throughout America’s history, there have been some years that simply rolled into the next without much notice or fanfare. Then there are the years that come along once in a generation – the kind that mark a clean break from a troubled past, and set a new course for our nation.

This is one of those years.

We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime – a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks. Nearly two million jobs have now been lost, and on Friday we are likely to learn that we lost more jobs last year than at any time since World War II. Just in the past year, another 2.8 million Americans who want and need full-time work have had to settle for part-time jobs. Manufacturing has hit a twenty-eight year low. Many businesses cannot borrow or make payroll. Many families cannot pay their bills or their mortgage. Many workers are watching their life savings disappear. And many, many Americans are both anxious and uncertain of what the future will hold.

I don’t believe it’s too late to change course, but it will be if we don’t take dramatic action as soon as possible. If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years. The unemployment rate could reach double digits. Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four. We could lose a generation of potential and promise, as more young Americans are forced to forgo dreams of college or the chance to train for the jobs of the future. And our nation could lose the competitive edge that has served as a foundation for our strength and standing in the world.

In short, a bad situation could become dramatically worse.

This crisis did not happen solely by some accident of history or normal turn of the business cycle, and we won’t get out of it by simply waiting for a better day to come, or relying on the worn-out dogmas of the past. We arrived at this point due to an era of profound irresponsibility that stretched from corporate boardrooms to the halls of power in Washington, DC. For years, too many Wall Street executives made imprudent and dangerous decisions, seeking profits with too little regard for risk, too little regulatory scrutiny, and too little accountability. Banks made loans without concern for whether borrowers could repay them, and some borrowers took advantage of cheap credit to take on debt they couldn’t afford. Politicians spent taxpayer money without wisdom or discipline, and too often focused on scoring political points instead of the problems they were sent here to solve. The result has been a devastating loss of trust and confidence in our economy, our financial markets, and our government.

Now, the very fact that this crisis is largely of our own making means that it is not beyond our ability to solve. Our problems are rooted in past mistakes, not our capacity for future greatness. It will take time, perhaps many years, but we can rebuild that lost trust and confidence. We can restore opportunity and prosperity. We should never forget that our workers are still more productive than any on Earth. Our universities are still the envy of the world. We are still home to the most brilliant minds, the most creative entrepreneurs, and the most advanced technology and innovation that history has ever known. And we are still the nation that has overcome great fears and improbable odds. If we act with the urgency and seriousness that this moment requires, I know that we can do it again.

That is why I have moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will immediately jumpstart job creation and long-term growth.

It’s a plan that represents not just new policy, but a whole new approach to meeting our most urgent challenges. For if we hope to end this crisis, we must end the culture of anything goes that helped create it – and this change must begin in Washington. It is time to trade old habits for a new spirit of responsibility. It is time to finally change the ways of Washington so that we can set a new and better course for America.

There is no doubt that the cost of this plan will be considerable. It will certainly add to the budget deficit in the short-term. But equally certain are the consequences of doing too little or nothing at all, for that will lead to an even greater deficit of jobs, incomes, and confidence in our economy. It is true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or long-term growth, but at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe. Only government can break the vicious cycles that are crippling our economy – where a lack of spending leads to lost jobs which leads to even less spending; where an inability to lend and borrow stops growth and leads to even less credit.

That is why we need to act boldly and act now to reverse these cycles. That’s why we need to put money in the pockets of the American people, create new jobs, and invest in our future. That’s why we need to re-start the flow of credit and restore the rules of the road that will ensure a crisis like this never happens again.

That work begins with this plan – a plan I am confident will save or create at least three million jobs over the next few years. It is not just another public works program. It’s a plan that recognizes both the paradox and the promise of this moment – the fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work, even as, all around the country, there is so much work to be done. That’s why we’ll invest in priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century. That’s why the overwhelming majority of the jobs created will be in the private sector, while our plan will save the public sector jobs of teachers, cops, firefighters and others who provide vital services.

To finally spark the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years. We will modernize more than 75% of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills. In the process, we will put Americans to work in new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced – jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to even more jobs, more savings, and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain.

To improve the quality of our health care while lowering its cost, we will make the immediate investments necessary to ensure that within five years, all of America’s medical records are computerized. This will cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests. But it just won’t save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs – it will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health care system.

To give our children the chance to live out their dreams in a world that’s never been more competitive, we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries. We’ll provide new computers, new technology, and new training for teachers so that students in Chicago and Boston can compete with kids in Beijing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.

To build an economy that can lead this future, we will begin to rebuild America. Yes, we’ll put people to work repairing crumbling roads, bridges, and schools by eliminating the backlog of well-planned, worthy and needed infrastructure projects. But we’ll also do more to retrofit America for a global economy. That means updating the way we get our electricity by starting to build a new smart grid that will save us money, protect our power sources from blackout or attack, and deliver clean, alternative forms of energy to every corner of our nation. It means expanding broadband lines across America, so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world. And it means investing in the science, research, and technology that will lead to new medical breakthroughs, new discoveries, and entire new industries.

Finally, this recovery and reinvestment plan will provide immediate relief to states, workers, and families who are bearing the brunt of this recession. To get people spending again, 95% of working families will receive a $1,000 tax cut – the first stage of a middle-class tax cut that I promised during the campaign and will include in our next budget. To help Americans who have lost their jobs and can’t find new ones, we’ll continue the bipartisan extensions of unemployment insurance and health care coverage to help them through this crisis. Government at every level will have to tighten its belt, but we’ll help struggling states avoid harmful budget cuts, as long as they take responsibility and use the money to maintain essential services like police, fire, education, and health care.

I understand that some might be skeptical of this plan. Our government has already spent a good deal of money, but we haven’t yet seen that translate into more jobs or higher incomes or renewed confidence in our economy. That’s why the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan won’t just throw money at our problems – we’ll invest in what works. The true test of the policies we’ll pursue won’t be whether they’re Democratic or Republican ideas, but whether they create jobs, grow our economy, and put the American Dream within reach of the American people.

Instead of politicians doling out money behind a veil of secrecy, decisions about where we invest will be made transparently, and informed by independent experts wherever possible. Every American will be able to hold Washington accountable for these decisions by going online to see how and where their tax dollars are being spent. And as I announced yesterday, we will launch an unprecedented effort to eliminate unwise and unnecessary spending that has never been more unaffordable for our nation and our children’s future than it is right now.

We have to make tough choices and smart investments today so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down. We cannot have a solid recovery if our people and our businesses don’t have confidence that we’re getting our fiscal house in order. That’s why our goal is not to create a slew of new government programs, but a foundation for long-term economic growth.

That also means an economic recovery plan that is free from earmarks and pet projects. I understand that every member of Congress has ideas on how to spend money. Many of these projects are worthy, and benefit local communities. But this emergency legislation must not be the vehicle for those aspirations. This must be a time when leaders in both parties put the urgent needs of our nation above our own narrow interests.

Now, this recovery plan alone will not solve all the problems that led us into this crisis. We must also work with the same sense of urgency to stabilize and repair the financial system we all depend on. That means using our full arsenal of tools to get credit flowing again to families and business, while restoring confidence in our markets. It means launching a sweeping effort to address the foreclosure crisis so that we can keep responsible families in their homes. It means preventing the catastrophic failure of financial institutions whose collapse could endanger the entire economy, but only with maximum protections for taxpayers and a clear understanding that government support for any company is an extraordinary action that must come with significant restrictions on the firms that receive support. And it means reforming a weak and outdated regulatory system so that we can better withstand financial shocks and better protect consumers, investors, and businesses from the reckless greed and risk-taking that must never endanger our prosperity again.

No longer can we allow Wall Street wrongdoers to slip through regulatory cracks. No longer can we allow special interests to put their thumbs on the economic scales. No longer can we allow the unscrupulous lending and borrowing that leads only to destructive cycles of bubble and bust.

It is time to set a new course for this economy, and that change must begin now. We should have an open and honest discussion about this recovery plan in the days ahead, but I urge Congress to move as quickly as possible on behalf of the American people. For every day we wait or point fingers or drag our feet, more Americans will lose their jobs. More families will lose their savings. More dreams will be deferred and denied. And our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.

That is not the country I know, and it is not a future I will accept as President of the United States. A world that depends on the strength of our economy is now watching and waiting for America to lead once more. And that is what we will do.

It will not come easy or happen overnight, and it is altogether likely that things may get worse before they get better. But that is all the more reason for Congress to act without delay. I know the scale of this plan is unprecedented, but so is the severity of our situation. We have already tried the wait-and-see approach to our problems, and it is the same approach that helped lead us to this day of reckoning.

That is why the time has come to build a 21st century economy in which hard work and responsibility are once again rewarded. That’s why I’m asking Congress to work with me and my team day and night, on weekends if necessary, to get the plan passed in the next few weeks. That’s why I’m calling on all Americans – Democrats and Republicans – to put good ideas ahead of the old ideological battles; a sense of common purpose above the same narrow partisanship; and insist that the first question each of us asks isn’t “What’s good for me?” but “What’s good for the country my children will inherit?”

More than any program or policy, it is this spirit that will enable us to confront this challenge with the same spirit that has led previous generations to face down war, depression, and fear itself. And if we do – if we are able to summon that spirit again; if are able to look out for one another, and listen to one another, and do our part for our nation and for posterity, then I have no doubt that years from now, we will look back on 2009 as one of those years that marked another new and hopeful beginning for the United States of America. Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless America.

Sources: Change.gov, MSNBC

Blagojevich's Lawyer Subpoenas Obama's Staff! (Jackson Jr. Too!) More G.O.P. Tricks!

More G.O.P. Dirty Tricks! Seems as if doomed Illinois Gov. Rob Blagojevich wants to pull everyone down with him on his way out the door.

Is Blagojevich's Political Career over? More disturbing is he on his way to jail?

Perhaps yes or no, however this latest turn of events in which his Lawyers are attempting to Subpoena Obama's staff is certainly telling.

Ed Genson one of Blagojevich's Attorneys, has approached the Illinois Legislative Panel overseeing the Governor's Impeachment, for permission to Subpoena more than a dozen witnesses.

The Witness List is comprised of some of Obama's closest Confidantes including Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel.

U.S. House of Representative member Jesse Jackson Jr. is also named.

Although no response has yet to be offered regarding the request, the Panel is expected to meet again on Monday, Dec. 29Th.

This dude knows he is headed straight for the Penitentiary!

What's worse is due to Jealousy, Greed and Fear he is now trying to take everyone else with him.

Everyone knows this nothing more than another dirty G.O.P. Trick to discredit Obama before he even begins to govern.

Why else would the FBI and Illinois U.S. Attorney General Patrick Fitzgerald suddenly now decide to expose Blagojevich's corruption after investigating him for three years?

It's NOT going to work Blagojevich! The TRUTH is going to come out. You are Guilty dude!

After he's locked up I say Good Riddance to Trash the State of Illinois doesn't need.

Don't drop the soap!

Check out Blagojevich on the clip below proclaiming his "Innocence"! Doesn't he sound convincing? Its obvious he's a nut!



Sources: Huffington Post, CBS2Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Youtube, MSNBC, TPM