Barrack Obama - US President

[Sean1875]

Brilliant speech. :top marks

Good luck to him. :agree:

[Delboy4]

Brilliant speech. :top marks

Good luck to him. :agree:

Yeah, was outstanding.
:top marks

[Andy74]

Yeah, was outstanding.
:top marks

He speaks well, let's hope he can actually deliver.

[ancienthibby]

Yeah, was outstanding.
:top marks

Have to say he did not inspire me.

But then I lived in North America through the assassination of JFK and Martin Luther (and then the Vietnam War and the shooting at Kent State, to say nothing of the trickeries of Dickie Nixon)!!

Plus, I think the world has so fundamentally changed since these days that it will be just so very difficult for a new, albeit inspirational President to overcome all the vested forces of America that have grown so strong in the meantime, such as the FBI, the CIA and the military.

There are just TOO many vested interests.

[Woody1985]

I think there are a few funny things surrounding his election.

1. People are going on how America has changed so much. Yet they need tens of thousands of security staff to protect him!

2. There's been so much made of white vs black in America. Yet as soon as there was a black candidate millions of black people registered to vote who had never voted before?!?!

Now I won't pretend to claim to know everything about how America was in the bad old days but I guess the reason people haven't voted is because of deep rooted hatred towards white people and could probably be justified to an extent why they wouldn't want to vote for a white guy.

But surely those millions of black people who decided to vote this time must have at least liked one white candidate in the past and their policies? I get the feeling that if there was a black candidate who said he wanted to go to war with the whole world he would probably have still had those millions of votes, not because of his policies.

Anyway, good luck to the guy. Hope he does well and can change things for the good.

[Sir David Gray]

There is no doubt that he is a very eloquent public speaker, although it was quite funny to see him fluff his oath of allegiance lines. :greengrin However there's just something about him that I can't quite take to.

No matter what happens and how well he does, it is almost impossible for him to live up to expectations as many people in America (and others across the world) have him down as being some sort of miracle worker. Anyone who thinks that of him, is bound to feel let down by the time he leaves the White House.

We'll see how he responds to the first major problem that presents itself during his Presidency.

8 months into George Bush's first term, he had to contend with the devastation of 9/11. Whilst I don't think Obama will have to deal with something as major as that, any time soon, it will be very interesting to see how he copes with adversity.

[HibsMax]

There is no doubt that he is a very eloquent public speaker, although it was quite funny to see him fluff his oath of allegiance lines. :greengrin However there's just something about him that I can't quite take to.

No matter what happens and how well he does, it is almost impossible for him to live up to expectations as many people in America (and others across the world) have him down as being some sort of miracle worker. Anyone who thinks that of him, is bound to feel let down by the time he leaves the White House.

We'll see how he responds to the first major problem that presents itself during his Presidency.

8 months into George Bush's first term, he had to contend with the devastation of 9/11. Whilst I don't think Obama will have to deal with something as major as that, any time soon, it will be very interesting to see how he copes with adversity.
He didn't fluff his lines. ;) The Justice fluffed the lines and Obama corrected him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have to say that I am ecstatic that he is our new president and it's nothing to do with the colour of his skin. After 8 years of GWB, this guy, to me, seems like he can make a difference. I think the fact that he is black certainly helped his cause in securing more votes but the last 8 years (9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Gitmo Bay, Illegal wire-tapping, etc.) has left a bad taste in people's mouths.


I wish him nothing but the best. Not because he's black but because it's time for America to be respected again. That was never gonna happen under Bush / Cheney.

[Sir David Gray]

He didn't fluff his lines. ;) The Justice fluffed the lines and Obama corrected him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have to say that I am ecstatic that he is our new president and it's nothing to do with the colour of his skin. After 8 years of GWB, this guy, to me, seems like he can make a difference. I think the fact that he is black certainly helped his cause in securing more votes but the last 8 years (9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Gitmo Bay, Illegal wire-tapping, etc.) has left a bad taste in people's mouths.


I wish him nothing but the best. Not because he's black but because it's time for America to be respected again. That was never gonna happen under Bush / Cheney.

I know that now. I read yesterday about it not being Obama's fault.

Apologies, Barack. :wink:

[hibsdaft]

to quote Danny Baker, "he may be the first black President, but he's not the first Politician President" :greengrin

i can't help but think that he's been built up as some sort of world saviour and anyone with such expectations is going to be very disappointed.

good luck to him anyway though, and cheeerio Bush :bye:

[HibsMax]

I know that now. I read yesterday about it not being Obama's fault.

Apologies, Barack. :wink:

He says, "No worries, Falkirk Hibee" and, "GIRUY". ;)

[HibsMax]

to quote Danny Baker, "he may be the first black President, but he's not the first Politician President" :greengrin

i can't help but think that he's been built up as some sort of world saviour and anyone with such expectations is going to be very disappointed.

good luck to him anyway though, and cheeerio Bush :bye:
I know what you're saying but I think it's a combination of different things, not least of which is how terrible Bush was. I don't think it would have mattered who got into the White House, people would still generally think that Bush's replacement has to be better because (s)he couldn't be worse. In other words, Bush's low popularity has the affect of making everyone else look vastly superior.