Comments | atpolittlebit: Inauguration

atpolittlebit

Inauguration

Jan 20, 2009 09:41

Watching the inaugural activities I realized that the last time I'd heard the President's inaugural address live it included the words:

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."

Huh. Thinking thinky thoughts.

politics, actual content

Comments 5

cactuswatcher January 20 2009, 15:34:57 UTC

Interesting.

I was just thinking of the last address I heard live. It was Jimmy Carter. I can't remember a word of it, but I do remember he and Rosalyn walking all the way from the Capitol back to the White House.

atpolittlebit January 21 2009, 05:14:10 UTC

I would have been 5 when Kennedy took office, and I oddly remember that after the speech the news people started 'explaining' what he said and wondering who needed it explained.

I honestly don't remember watching any other inaugurals.

bhadrasvapna January 20 2009, 19:15:13 UTC

I went to Clinton's first inauguration. We kept the flags we were given to wave since we were on the parade route. We could see the Capital from where we stood. It was a cold day and when Clinton let us all down, it hit hard because I had braved the cold just to be part of something that never happened.

atpolittlebit January 21 2009, 05:19:58 UTC

I was at the Mall for the 1984 4th of July concert when the Beach Boys were invited back by Nancy, There were 750,000 people there, each claiming their own two square feet to stand in. I remember how the anticipation felt as we waited for them to take the stage (with Ringo sitting in as the drummer since Brian Wilson had drowned the previous year).

I can only imagine how charged the crowd was as they waited for Obama to come front and center.

zargon10 January 21 2009, 06:38:56 UTC

It was a first for all of us! I didn't realize until Jeroen asked, but I had never seen an inaguration before either. I said 'well, it was always on the news, and they became president and you didn't need to watch it...' and he was 'so you have to leave the US to be interested in things like that?' :D It was also the first time Alexandra was allowed to watch tv. She wasn't very interested; just wandered around and kept brining us books to read while we were trying to watch and make dinner at the same time (Harvest Pork Stew: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Harvest-Pork-Stew/Detail.aspx).