There is no substitute for history. Then Illinois State Senator Barack Obama delivers the speech that launched him to the White House – the keynote address of the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
** QUICK HITS. President Barack Obama was re-sworn in as president this afternoon in a private session with yesterday’s flubbing Chief Justice John Roberts, just to remove any shadow of a doubt … Caroline Kennedy, the favorite to be appointed to Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat by surprise Governor David Paterson, notwithstanding some rocky interviews, has withdrawn her name from consideration. … Clinton herself was confirmed as the new secretary of state on a 94-2 vote in the Senate. … California state Controller John Chiang says he will block Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s order for state employee furloughs, increasing the pressure on legislators to come to agreement on a new budget. … President Obama, a Mac guy with an iPod, will keep his BlackBerry, a point of major controversy. With added encryption.
** IN WAKE OF CHIEF JUSTICE FLUB, SHOULD OBAMA RETAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE? Some experts say yes. Several constitutional lawyers said President Obama should, just to be safe, retake the oath of office that was flubbed by Chief Justice John Roberts.
The oath reads: “I do solemnly swear 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.”
In giving the oath, Roberts misplaced the word “faithfully,” at which point Obama paused quizzically. Roberts then corrected himself, but Obama repeated the words as Roberts initially said them.
A do-over “would take him 30 seconds, he can do it in private, it’s not a big deal, and he ought to do it just to be safe,” said Boston University constitutional scholar and Supreme Court watcher Jack Beermann. “It’s an open question whether he’s president until he takes the proper oath.”
The courts would probably never hear a challenge, and some might argue that Obama automatically took office at noon because that’s when President Bush left the office. But because the procedure is so explicitly prescribed in the Constitution, Beermann said if he were Obama’s lawyer, he would recommend retaking it, just as two previous presidents, Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur, did under similar circumstances.
“The Constitution says what he’s supposed to say,” Beermann said. “… It’s kind of surprising the chief justice couldn’t get it right.”
** NEW COLUMN COMING … OBAMA AND HIS COMMANDERS.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.)
As the hours count down to his inauguration, Barack Obama must be hearing the hoofbeats of history. He certainly invokes it. Indeed, he seeks to be one of its great riders.
For all the president-elect’s evocation of Abraham Lincoln — and his own description of Lincoln in “The Audacity of Hope” as both deep-seated idealist and ultra-pragmatist was more revealing of Obama’s political character than anything produced by any media outlet — fate and his own design cast what Obama says as our brand-new president alongside somewhat more contemporary figures.
Obama takes office as the 44th president of the United States at a moment of multi-faceted crisis. But it is not a moment like that of Lincoln’s inauguration. President Bush and his essentially feckless administration leave behind the worst economy since the Great Depression, an environment increasingly out of whack, two troubled, troubling, and mismanaged wars, a black eye around the globe, and a sense of fatigue from years of overwrought hysteria. Lincoln’s challenge was of a very different nature.
So the figures of comparison for Obama, his fellow riders of history if you will, are, notwithstanding his hero Lincoln, different. …
From my new Huffington Post column.
** OBAMA TODAY. After attending services in the National Cathedral with the first lady, the Bidens, and the Clintons, President Barack Obama has a rather busy day in Washington.
The new president, after an eventful inaugural day replete with hitting 10 inaugural balls, hits the ground running today. Long-time press secretary and traveling strategist Robert Gibbs cancelled the customary media briefing as Obama consulted with his economic team in the morning. And prepped to consult with his extended national security team in the afternoon.
Obama is putting the finishing touches on his economic revival program with his friend, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, and his former colleague, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
And he is consulting with his commanders on the multiplex challenges of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, the overall Middle East, and Russia.
General David Petraeus is in Washington after visiting with top Russian figures and the leaders of the various former Soviet republics in Central Asia. Obama will consult with Petraeus, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Advisor Jim Jones, Defense Secretary Bob Gates, and Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton, and Obama’s combatant commanders around the world this afternoon.
President Obama this morning ordered a four-month suspension of trials of Guantanamo prisoners as he reviews the system.
Meanwhile, Obama is catching a break on some geopolitical crises. Not that they are necessarily “breaks,” as Obama and his emissaries have been in touch with global players for months.
Israel has all its troops out of the Gaza Strip. And Russia is restarting natural gas flows to Europe through Ukraine. At a cost down the line to the notion of Ukraine joining NATO.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has private talks in and around the Capitol today. His focus is on the chronic California budget crisis. Schwarzenegger has no scheduled public events today.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama had one last swing round the dance floor at the last of the 10 Inaugural Balls they attended last night.
** ANOTHER DAY: 24 AND THE AGE OF OBAMA. One of the signature TV series of the Bush/Cheney years is back. What relevance, if any, does it have in the new age of Obama? … From my January 13th column.
** CIA: THE PANETTA PICK AND THE FEINSTEIN FACTOR. President-elect Barack Obama named his top intelligence leadership team on Friday. And, as I expected, new Senate Intelligence Committee chair Dianne Feinstein rather quickly backed down from her opposition to Leon Panetta and championing of a CIA insider for the post, of only a few days ago. The whole exercise was very instructive in old and new political dynamics. … From my January 12th column.
** CIA: PARSING THE PANETTA PICK. … From my January 6th column.
** OBAMA: VACATION’S END. … From my January 2nd Huffington Post column.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel. You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, which I know as a former DemRussia advisor, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** SCHWARZENEGGER’S CALIFORNIA. Here is my series of five columns on the governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Los Angeles Times in debate with Pulitzer Prize-winning former Times reporter/editor Bill Boyarsky, whose columns are also included.
Among them is what I’m sure is the first piece examining Schwarzenegger’s legacy as governor of California. Since he will actually be governor of California until 2011. No technology known to be disruptive to the space/time continuum was used in its preparation.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. After crashing over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, crude oil is trading in the $41 to $42 per barrel range. This is a significant advance since the inauguration of President Barack Obama, relecting the oil market’s view that the US economy will experience a recovery under the new American administration
The drop of $106 per barrel since the record high over the summer comes on acknowledgment that the weak US economy will cut future demand and on the easing of previous geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. It is clear that that, contrary to much chatter, neither the US nor Israel is about to launch a strike against Iran. And the Russian war with Georgia, confounding much speculation and reporting to the contrary, actually decreased the geopolitical risk premium in the oil market.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum.
Read 
| Comments (48) |
Obama’s 2004 keynote makes it clear why he would be the President.
Whoa.
Way cool.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was featured on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.)
It’s good Obama is straightening out Guantanamo. They ain’t all boy scouts.
Okay, Michelle is kinda hot.
Not as hot as the girls in that “Things Can Only Get Better” video you keep playing.
What an amazing speech FOUR YEARS AGO.
Who would have guessed?
At least it’s not the Eagles. lol
Jonas Blane Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:18 am
Not as hot as the girls in that “Things Can Only Get Better” video you keep playing.
Who would have guessed? lol
Len Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:27 am
What an amazing speech FOUR YEARS AGO.
Who would have guessed?
Who would guess the Limey would have a better theme song? ..
Oh, I don’t know …
Indeed.
># Ann Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:41 am edit
Who would have guessed? lol
Len Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:27 am
What an amazing speech FOUR YEARS AGO.
Who would have guessed?
Definitely not the Eagles …
># Ann Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:40 am edit
At least it’s not the Eagles. lol
Jonas Blane Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:18 am
Not as hot as the girls in that “Things Can Only Get Better” video you keep playing.
Four years? Seems like a lifetime.
># Len Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:27 am edit
What an amazing speech FOUR YEARS AGO.
Who would have guessed?
You know, that is a mid-’90s video …
># Jonas Blane Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:18 am edit
Not as hot as the girls in that “Things Can Only Get Better” video you keep playing.
NWN is not going there.
># Jonas Blane Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:17 am edit
Okay, Michelle is kinda hot.
Clearly not.
># Jonas Blane Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:15 am edit
It’s good Obama is straightening out Guantanamo. They ain’t all boy scouts.
Thank you.
># Capitol Boy Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:14 am edit
Whoa.
Way cool.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was featured on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.)
In retrospect, it is all very clear …
At that point, I was thinking who the frak is this guy?
># Jonas Blane Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 9:11 am edit
Obama’s 2004 keynote makes it clear why he would be the President.
William,
Thanks for yesterday’s wonderful coverage. See that you continue on with excellence today. Very good stuff.
Signing off now for a couple days…look forward to touching base with you over the weekend. Keep up the good work!!!!!
Second the kudos for the great coverage.
As I was leaving the house this morning CNN was reporting on a leak of a draft executive order directing the closure of Guantanamo within 18 months, coming on the heels of this morning’s order suspending the kangaroo trials.
Congratulations!!
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was featured on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.)
Via L.A. Observed here is a link to Jon Coupal commentary “What Budget Crisis?”
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/jon-coupal/what-budget-crisis
I wonder if he has sent the mailing list one of his patented panic letters to shake money out of those who still think the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association actually serves any function other than providing Coupal and his buddies cushy well paid jobs. This guy is shameless!
That nitwit is an attention-seeking clown.
By “no crisis” Coupal means every constituency save his own needs to take a severe whack, and that’s not a “crisis” because those aren’t his people.
Bill, Thank you for the superb coverage of the entire campaign, election, and inauguration, right up to today. It has been educational, inspiring, and valuable, with knowledge, insights, and analysis which can’t be found anywhere else.
EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT MUBARAK (The Curious Religion of Islam)
The Arab Islamic Community according to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, is more uncomfortable with another Islamic State supported by Shi-ite Persian Iran, to the point that Egypt’s President would not open it’s boarders to permit innocent civilian men, women and children to flee in the face of an Israeli Genocide, as War Crimes were being committed as (1,300) One-Thousand Three Hundred, and (7000) seven thousand were wounded, and (85%) eighty-five percent of an Islamic State was damaged or destroyed, to gain some sense of being an Islamic leader.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and Saudis leaders are more sceptical of other Islamic groups and giving money to such groups as Hamas for one reason, they think Syria and Iran are using Hamas to destabilize the region and provide the Iranians for an opportunity to further penetrate the Arab region, feeling that “The Persians are trying to devour the Arab states”, and just what is the (USI/MIC) United States of Israel, and its (51st) State, The Tip of the Spear into the heart of the “Islamic crescent, Middle Eastern and Central Asian, Israel devouring the Sunni Arab and Shi-ite Persian Islamic States, with the State of Israel, the manager state of those territories forever.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, should look to his own history, and present day history, how many bus tours and how much international currency is his country gaining from tours of historic religious sites, which now do no more than provide museums with items of display, and tourist with amusement. Egyptian President Mubarak, should ask himself how long, how many generations after Israel has become the Manager State of the former lands of Islam, before Mecca, and Medina with a copy of the Koran in a glass case for viewing but not reading, will join the list of tourist sites, as the curious religion of Islam.
But, who knows possibly Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the Saudi Family , will be mentioned during the tours or in some text about the curious religion of Islam, for his part in its ending and birth of the New Era Israeli crescent, of Middle Eastern and Central Asia, by urging other Islamic Peoples and especially Arab countries to join with Israel, in suspending the (2002) Arab peace initiative, The (GZL) resolution of (2002), offer made by all (22) twenty-two Islamic Arab Nations, (35) Non-Arab Islamic nations, and the representatives of the Palestinian People, is still on the table, and continues to be rejected by the State of Israel. The compact is the total recognition of Israel, the ending of all hostilities between the signing nations, in return for the total evacuation by Israel of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and a (2) two state solution, and the creation of a new resolution recognizing the creation the Israeli Crescent, of Eastern and Central Asia.
Regarding #25–ditto!
What did folks think of Monday’s “24″?
Typical Bush appointee. lol
** IN WAKE OF CHIEF JUSTICE FLUB, SHOULD OBAMA RETAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE? Some experts say yes. Several constitutional lawyers said President Obama should, just to be safe, retake the oath of office that was flubbed by Chief Justice John Roberts.
The show;s good again.
Is Renee dead?
Dana Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Regarding #25–ditto!
What did folks think of Monday’s “24″?
Hah!
Ann Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Typical Bush appointee. lol
** IN WAKE OF CHIEF JUSTICE FLUB, SHOULD OBAMA RETAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE? Some experts say yes. Several constitutional lawyers said President Obama should, just to be safe, retake the oath of office that was flubbed by Chief Justice John Roberts.
I’m wiped out from yesterday.
Anybody else?
Uh, me …
Indeed.
># Capitol Boy Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 3:15 pm edit
Hah!
Ann Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Typical Bush appointee. lol
** IN WAKE OF CHIEF JUSTICE FLUB, SHOULD OBAMA RETAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE? Some experts say yes. Several constitutional lawyers said President Obama should, just to be safe, retake the oath of office that was flubbed by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Renee is not dead.
In fact, Annie Wersching, the actress who plays her, is in all 24 episodes this season.
># Capitol Boy Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 3:14 pm edit
The show;s good again.
Is Renee dead?
Dana Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Regarding #25–ditto!
What did folks think of Monday’s “24″?
I thought it was terrific, but am overwhelmed by the Inaugural.
># Dana Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 1:15 pm edit
Regarding #25–ditto!
What did folks think of Monday’s “24″?
Not really following here …
>TRIATHLON Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 12:36 pm edit
EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT MUBARAK (The Curious Religion of Islam)
You are very welcome.
># larry Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 11:28 am edit
Bill, Thank you for the superb coverage of the entire campaign, election, and inauguration, right up to today. It has been educational, inspiring, and valuable, with knowledge, insights, and analysis which can’t be found anywhere else.
That is a distinctly non-serious piece of writing.
># Wilbur Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 11:06 am edit
By “no crisis” Coupal means every constituency save his own needs to take a severe whack, and that’s not a “crisis” because those aren’t his people.
Thanks.
Otherwise, I would have paid no attention to this on this day.
># Dana Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 10:46 am edit
Via L.A. Observed here is a link to Jon Coupal commentary “What Budget Crisis?”
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/jon-coupal/what-budget-crisis
I wonder if he has sent the mailing list one of his patented panic letters to shake money out of those who still think the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association actually serves any function other than providing Coupal and his buddies cushy well paid jobs. This guy is shameless!
Thanks!
># Jack Aubrey Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 10:45 am edit
Congratulations!!
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was featured on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.)
Gitmo will close, for that stuff. Gitmo will always be there otherwise.
It’s a question of how, as some of those folks really are dangerous.
># Wilbur Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 10:24 am edit
Second the kudos for the great coverage.
As I was leaving the house this morning CNN was reporting on a leak of a draft executive order directing the closure of Guantanamo within 18 months, coming on the heels of this morning’s order suspending the kangaroo trials.
Thanks, Solon! Hope you are well!
># Sacramento Solon Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 10:04 am edit
William,
Thanks for yesterday’s wonderful coverage. See that you continue on with excellence today. Very good stuff.
Signing off now for a couple days…look forward to touching base with you over the weekend. Keep up the good work!!!!!
“It’s a question of how, as some of those folks really are dangerous.”
I think that was the point of today’s order — move out the real bad guys and then start shut-down procedures.
BB: “Gitmo will close, for that stuff. Gitmo will always be there otherwise. It’s a question of how, as some of those folks really are dangerous.”
Agreed. The federal prison system has some very, very secure facilities. The dicey thing is that these guys are going to be entitled to real trials, you know, that silly due process thing in the Constitution, and the government will have to balance its desire for secrecy about sources, methods etc. with the need, if they want to KEEP people locked up, to give up the proof. Which is the Constitutional bargain, and fits directly into Obama’s comment in his awesome Inaugural about the false choice between security and our fundamental freedoms. Man, did that make my heart sing. But on the ground, in these cases, it will force some difficult choices.
Re: the flubbed oath, somebody, i think it was Turley, said he would be surprised if there hadn’t already been a private readministration just to cover all bases. Sounds about right.
Obama told Roberts that if he didn’t give the oath again, Ann Coulter would be appointed to the Supreme Court.
California state Controller John Chiang is cutting off welfare payments to protect state workers, who get Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, and Columbus Day off as paid holidays. Nice.
What new video today?
Macs and gas.
Chiang has been a very staunch ally of the public empployee unions throughout the budget crisis.
># Sam Loomis Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 8:16 pm edit
Obama told Roberts that if he didn’t give the oath again, Ann Coulter would be appointed to the Supreme Court.
California state Controller John Chiang is cutting off welfare payments to protect state workers, who get Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, and Columbus Day off as paid holidays. Nice.