I was not able to catch the inaugural speech of US President Barack Obama (last Jan 20) as there is a 14 hour difference between Manila and Washington. I am already in deep sleep when he delivered it so I just searched for the full transcript of his speech in the web.
It was goosebumps moment for me while reading it. He touched very salient points in said speech which were worded quite simply yet with so much depth and yes boldness! He talked about of course the financial crisis that the US is currently facing, the war that they are waging, the effect of such foolishness in their daily lives but my favorite was his short discussion on the way that they have been negligent in caring for their environment and natural resources.
What is so awesome however is the crowd that he draws in. I saw the pics in the papers of the people who went to his inauguration and they were a lot! And as I watch the footage a day after of the event, the wave of emotion that flows amongst the crowd is clearly shown. Is it because he is the first African American President that makes him such a novelty? Is it because he is young and has a relatively fresh face that you can warm up to so easily? Is it because he talks with so much clarity that you cannot help but listen? Even John McCain has noticed this and thus branded him as a "rock star" connoting that he is just a personality - which did more good than harm to Obama's campaign by the way. He has something in him than I cannot pinpoint. He is an enigma. Perhaps, a symbol of hope and change for many. I guess that was the factor that put him in the White House.
Enigma or not though, great expectations are in his shoulders and it is up to him to keep America's hopes high yet make the people realize that what and where they are now is their own undoing and yes -it will take a hell of a lot of time. Per Obama's words, "Today I say to you 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."
It was goosebumps moment for me while reading it. He touched very salient points in said speech which were worded quite simply yet with so much depth and yes boldness! He talked about of course the financial crisis that the US is currently facing, the war that they are waging, the effect of such foolishness in their daily lives but my favorite was his short discussion on the way that they have been negligent in caring for their environment and natural resources.
What is so awesome however is the crowd that he draws in. I saw the pics in the papers of the people who went to his inauguration and they were a lot! And as I watch the footage a day after of the event, the wave of emotion that flows amongst the crowd is clearly shown. Is it because he is the first African American President that makes him such a novelty? Is it because he is young and has a relatively fresh face that you can warm up to so easily? Is it because he talks with so much clarity that you cannot help but listen? Even John McCain has noticed this and thus branded him as a "rock star" connoting that he is just a personality - which did more good than harm to Obama's campaign by the way. He has something in him than I cannot pinpoint. He is an enigma. Perhaps, a symbol of hope and change for many. I guess that was the factor that put him in the White House.
Enigma or not though, great expectations are in his shoulders and it is up to him to keep America's hopes high yet make the people realize that what and where they are now is their own undoing and yes -it will take a hell of a lot of time. Per Obama's words, "Today I say to you 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."
