'Nobody disputes the quality of the First Lady': President Obama pays loving tribute to wife Michelle as she appears in stunning red dress at the Inauguration Ball
- The President and First Lady attend two inauguration balls at the Washington Convention Center
- First Lady chose another dress by designer Jason Wu - who made the gown for 2008 ball
- President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden sworn in at grand ceremony at the Capitol on Monday
- In progressive speech, Obama vowed to fight climate change and secure equal rights for same-sex couples
- Ceremony was attended by 700,000 supporters - a million fewer than at his first inauguration in 2009
By Louise Boyle and Lydia Warren
|
Barack Obama made an emotional tribute to wife Michelle last night as America's first couple held each other close and danced at the inauguration balls to celebrate the beginning of the President's second term.
The Obamas appeared on stage at the Washington Convention Center to wild cheering and thunderous applause from thousands of people. First Lady Michelle's choice of dress was finally revealed - a dramatic, red chiffon and velvet gown by Jason Wu. The designer had also created her dress for the 2008 ball.
Obama paid tribute to his wife saying that although he was often criticized as President, 'nobody disputes the quality of the First Lady'. The couple then danced as Jennifer Hudson sang Al Green's Let's Stay Together.
Scroll down for videos
Let's stay together: President Obama and First Lady
Michelle celebrate at his second inauguration ball at the Washington Convention
Center on Monday night as Jennifer Hudson sang an Al Green classic
Glamor: President Obama paid a glowing tribute to First
Lady Michelle on Monday evening as she wowed in a striking red dress by designer
Jason Wu
First Lady in red: Michelle Obama stuck to what she knows
and picked another dress by Jason Wu - a dramatic ruby-colored velvet and
chiffon creation made especially for her
Enduring love: President Obama and wife Michelle danced
closely at the first of two Inauguration Balls
May I have this dance? An elegant Michelle dances with
Michelle as thousands cheered at the Washington convention center
Honored: Barack and Michelle dance with service members
during the ball to celebrate his second term
Got the moves: The couple took a spin around the dance
floor on the day Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United
States
Hold me close: The Obamas slow dance to the Al Green
classic as sung by Jennifer Hudson at the Inauguration Ball
Ravishing: Michelle Obama looked radiant in another gown
by Jason Wu who also designed the dress she wore at the 2008 inauguration ball
VIDEO The President and First Lady have their first dance
The President spoke briefly and offered his deep gratitude to the military, saying: 'I have no greater honor than being your commander-in-chief'.
He then spoke to troops in Afghanistan via video-link, telling them: 'You will be on our minds tonight and every single night until our mission in Afghanistan is completed." He promised them they would get the equipment and support they need.'
Obama then turned his focus to Michelle to whom he paid glowing tribute as First Lady and his wife.
He continued: 'I've got a date with me here. She inspires me every day. She makes me a better man and a better president. The fact that she is so devoted to taking care of our troops and our military families is just one more sign of her extraordinary love and grace and strength. I'm just lucky to have her.'
The First Lady's choice of the same dress designer surprised many as she had returned to Wu, whose career was made by her decision four years ago. She teamed the red gown with shoes by Jimmy Choo and a diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald.
Wu told Women's Wear Daily that he was completely surprised by the First Lady's decision to wear another of his designs. He said: 'Mrs Obama likes to keep her secrets. She fooled me again.'
The Inaugural Ball saw performances from Alicia Keys, Black Violin, Brad Paisley, Far East Movement, FUN., members of the Glee cast, John Legend, Katy Perry, Maná, Smokey Robinson, Soundgarden, Stevie Wonder and Usher.
Four more years: The Obamas celebrate the beginning of a
second term in the White House in front of thousands of supporters
Sing along: Barack and Michelle sway along to the music as
Jennifer Hudson serenaded the first couple
Beaming: President Obama looked incredibly proud as he
danced with wife Michelle to celebrate his second term in the White
House
The world is watching: Thousands attended the Inauguration
Ball in Washington which was viewed by millions on Monday evening
Appreciation: The Obamas expressed their deep gratitude
for all the Armed Forces during the glitzy Washington event
Stunning: Jill Biden looked fabulous in a blue silk
creation by Vera Wang alongside a dapper VP Joe
Double act: VP Joe Biden and wife Jill react to the crowd
as they appear at the Inaugural ball on Monday evening in D.C.
Smooth operator: Joe Biden dances with wife Jill while
Jamie Foxx sings Ray Charles I Can¿t Stop Loving You
Applause: VP Biden thanks Jamie Foxx after he sang at the
Inaugural Ball on Monday night
Diva: Jennifer Hudson looked slender in a tight-fitting
black gown with draped neckline as she sang Al Green's Let's Stay Together while
the Obamas danced
Warm words: President Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden
spoke briefly at the Inauguration ball and offered their deep gratitude to
American troops
The President's second inauguration sees the lowest number of official balls in 60 years. Obama cut back this year's festivities to two balls and a concert honoring military families as an effort to reduce government spending in line with current economic conditions.
Alicia Keys took to the stage in a backless, floor-length, sequined gown where she sang an altered version of her hit Girl On Fire for President Obama. Her performance was followed by Mexican band Mana.
Jennifer Hudson who sang Al Green classic Let's Stay Together to the first couple looked slender and glamorous in a form-fitting black gown with plunging neckline and sparkling platforms.
Vice-President Joe Biden appeared with his wife Jill who was glamorous in a blue silk dress by Vera Wang. The couple danced as Jamie Foxx sang the Ray Charles' song I Can't Stop Loving You before pairing off with young members of the military.
Earlier today, President Obama urged Americans to stand together to secure prosperity and freedom for the entire nation as he was sworn in to his second term as president at his spectacular inauguration ceremony in Washington D.C.
Canons fired and hundreds of thousands of elated supporters cheered after Obama was sworn into office by Chief Justice John G. Roberts as the president's proud wife Michelle and two daughters, 11-year-old Sasha and 14-year-old Malia, looked on.
And as he left the celebrations, Obama was seen turning back towards the crowds and taking a moment to reflect on the vast sea of people before him.
Military moves: Joe Biden dances with Army Staff Sgt.
Keesha Dentino as Jill Biden dances with Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick
Figueroa
Gratitude: Obama shakes the hands of (left to right)
Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler; Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Micheal Barrett; Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Michael Stevens; Chief
Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy and Master Chief Petty Officer of the
Coast Guard Michael Leavitt
Star attraction: Alicia Keys performs at the Inaugural
Ball in front of tens of thousands
Glittering performance: Alicia Keys leaves the stage after
she sang an altered version of her hit Girl On Fire in honor of the
President
Time for country: Singer Brad Paisley was one of the first
performers at the Commander-In-Chief's ball in Washington
Rocking out: The Mexican pop rock band Mana performs
during the Inaugural Ball
Rocking celebration: Fun perform during the 57th
Inauguration ball on Monday evening
Honor: Jennifer Hudson was picked to sing the song for the
President's first dance and performed a version of Al Green's Let's Stay
Together
Fiery performance: Marc Anthony struts his stuff as he
performs at the Commander-in-Chief's ball in Washington
'I want to look out one more time because I'm not going to see this again,' he said to someone next to him as he took in the spectacular view.
The president appeared just as grateful for the support as he walked hand-in-hand with his wife along Pennsylvania Avenue, waving to the crowds as part of the Inauguration Parade as it snaked through the streets after the ceremony.
The walkabout came after Obama addressed the crowd of supporters in an impassioned speech and urged the country to work together.
'Our individual freedoms requires collective action,' he said. 'We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few... We must act together, as one nation and one people.'
'We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity... Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.'
He also announced his aims for his coming term, vowing to lead the fight against climate change and maintaining the country's strong alliances across the globe. And in a particularly progressive move, he became the first president to address gay rights in his inauguration speech.
Proud: President Obama and his wife Michelle wave to the
thousands of supporters along the inauguration parade route after he was sworn
into office on Monday
Joyous: The Obamas wave after emerging from the
presidential limousine during the inaugural parade from the Capitol to the White
House
Swearing in: Obama's wife and daughters, Sasha and Malia,
look on as he is sworn into office by Chief Justice John G. Roberts
Ceremony: Obama and Vice President Biden listen to an
invocation by Myrlie Evers-Williams during the 57th Presidential Inauguration
ceremonial swearing-in
We the people: Hundreds of thousands gathered on the West
Front of the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in
Washington
Party time! The Obama girls dance as Michelle and Barack
look more serious as they watch the parade from the presidential box
Photobomb! Malia Obama pulls a silly face i n front of her
parents' kissing as her sister Sasha snaps it on her smartphone
Captivating: Beyonce sings the U.S. National Anthem as
President Obama and Senator Charles Schumer listen during swearing-in
ceremonies
Thankful: Singer and Obama supporter Beyonce is greeted by
the president after her performance
Fans: The Obamas cheer and laugh with Beyonce after she
finishes her spectacular performance at the inauguration ceremony
Friends: First lady Michelle Obama greets singer Beyonce
after she performs the National Anthem on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol
'Our journey is not complete until our gay
brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,' he said. 'For
if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another
must be equal as well.'And perhaps in a jab at his critics in the recent gun debate and wrangling over fiscal cliff bill, he added that 'name-calling is not reasoned debate' and lawmakers 'cannot substitute spectacle for politics'.
Under the Constitution the president officially begins his new term on January 20, but because the date fell on a Sunday this year, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were sworn in at a mostly private ceremony yesterday and the nation will celebrate with the president today.
As many as 700,000 people gathered to watch the day's celebrations, brandishing flags and wearing patriotic hats and pins. Despite the enormous outpouring of support on display in the capital, there were one million fewer people in the crowds than at Obama's first inauguration in 2009.
VIDEO Beyonce sings the national anthem at Obama's second
inauguration
VIDEO
Kelly Clarkson performs 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' at the inauguration
Passionate: Kelly Clarkson sings My Country 'Tis of Thee
during swearing-in ceremonies on Monday morning in the nation's
capital
Starstruck: Kelly Clarkson is greeted by President Obama
and Vice President Joe Biden following her performance
WHAT'S ON THE MENU? THE 3,000 CALORIE INAUGURAL LUNCH
Obama, Biden, their families and the Senate
will gorge on a 3,000 calorie feast.
First Course Steamed Lobster with New England Clam Chowder Sauce
Second Course Hickory Grilled Bison with Red Potato Horseradish Cake and Wild Huckleberry Reduction
Third Course Hudson Valley Apple Pie with Sour Cream Ice Cream, Aged Cheese and Honey
Wines Tierce Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (2010); Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvée California Champagne; Bedell Cellars Merlot (2009)
NBC reported each meal is worth a staggering 3,027 calories - minus the alcohol.
First Course Steamed Lobster with New England Clam Chowder Sauce
Second Course Hickory Grilled Bison with Red Potato Horseradish Cake and Wild Huckleberry Reduction
Third Course Hudson Valley Apple Pie with Sour Cream Ice Cream, Aged Cheese and Honey
Wines Tierce Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (2010); Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvée California Champagne; Bedell Cellars Merlot (2009)
NBC reported each meal is worth a staggering 3,027 calories - minus the alcohol.
The crowd erupted
into cheers as the grinning president took to the stage on Monday morning,
following his wife Michelle, former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senators and other officials.
President Obama
embraced members of the crowd and greeted his wife and daughters, Sasha and
Malia, who were dressed smartly in brightly-coloured winter coats, before the
ceremony got underway at 11.30 a.m.
Myrlie
Evers-Williams, the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, delivered
the invocation at the opening of the ceremony, delivering a message of hope and
unity for the country as Obama bowed his head in prayer.
'May all your people,
especially the least of these, flourish in our blessed nation,' she said before
the crowd.
'We celebrate the
spirit of our ancestors, that has allowed us to move from a nation of unborn
hopes and disenfranchised hopes to today's expression of a more perfect
union.
'We are strong,
fierce in our strength, and ever vigilante in our pursuit of
freedom.'
Sonia Sotomayor, the
first Hispanic woman to sit on the Supreme Court, then swore in Joe Biden as
Vice President, using the Biden family bible.
After performances by
musical stars Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor, the ceremony
concluded and the Obamas, Biden and his wife Jill, left for a congressional
luncheon.
Former presidents
Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were both at the Capitol, yet the Bushes were not
in attendance.
Mass celebration: The Mall continues to fill with
supporters to watch President Barack Obama be sworn in as the 45th U.S.
President at the U.S. Capitol
Message of hope: Obama speaks after he was ceremonially
sworn in for a second term as the 44th President of the United States
Determined: Obama's speech called for the American people
to work together to secure a future of equality for the entire
country
Second term: Vice President Joe Biden takes his oath using
the family bible as his wife Dr. Jill Biden and his son Beau Biden look on
This afternoon, an
inaugural parade featuring floats by 60 organisations took off at 2.30 p.m. to
pass the Washington Memorial and the White House, before it concludes at 5.30
p.m. in time for the inaugural ball at 6 p.m.
Barack and Michelle
Obama stepped from their motorcade as it drove along a jam-packed Pennsylvania
Avenue and walked hand-in-hand as they waved to cheering supporters.
The trappings for
today's ceremony were in place early this morning. The flag-draped stands were
ready outside the Capitol, while tables have been set inside for the traditional
lunch with lawmakers.
Across town, a
specially made reviewing stand rested outside the White House gates for the
president and guests to watch the traditional inauguration parade march down
Pennsylvania Avenue.
VIDEO: President Obama: 'I want to look out one more
time'
VIDEO Obama's inauguration speech at the Capitol in
Washington D.C.
Celebrated: Former President Jimmy Carter arrives at the
ceremony with his wife Rosalynn to massive cheers from the crowds
Arrival: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is joined by
her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as she arrives at the
inauguration
First family: Malia and Sasha Obama arrive at the Capitol
building followed closely by their maternal grandmother
Proud: The girls burst into giggles as the crowd cheered
when their names were announced. They joined their mother Michelle on stage
The weather forecast
was encouraging. High temperatures are predicted for the lower 40s during the
day, with scattered snow showers during the evening, when two inaugural balls
will conclude the official proceedings.
More than 2,000
police officers were drafted from across the country to patrol alongside the
D.C. police, Secret Service, FBI and other agencies.
As the day dawned,
Washington was in security lockdown, with thousands of police and National Guard
troops across the city and Humvee military vehicles blocking major
intersections.
Even though the
atmosphere lacked the buzz of Obama's first inauguration in 2009, many of his
supporters celebrated through the night.
'Yes, I can sense the
inauguration is not as big as last time, but there is nonetheless excitement,'
Carrie Solages told the Chicago Tribune as she attended a pre-inaugural ball on
Sunday. 'We are still here to be a part of history.'
Before heading to the
festivities, President Obama attended a church service at St. John's Episcopal
Church with wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia for a moment of
reflection.
Famous fans: High-profile Obama supporters actress Eva
Longoria, left, and Jay-Z and Beyonce, right, arrive at the swearing in
ceremony
All smiles: President Barack Obama grins as he arrives to
cheers during the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, DC
While attending the
service, Obama apparently took a moment to send a message to his supporters,
tweeting: 'I'm honored and grateful that we have a chance to finish what we
started. Our work begins today. Let's go. -bo.'
Vice President Joe
Biden, sporting a pair of suave aviator sunglasses, also attended the service
with his wife Jill.
On Sunday night, the
Obamas attended a glitzy reception in
Washington D.C. with Biden and wife Jill.
The event at the National Building Museum to celebrate those who supported the
campaign and benefactors of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Michelle looked
glamorous in a sequined, black cocktail dress and statement earrings while Dr
Biden wore a navy blue dress with a bold necklace.
Obama thanked his
many donors for their support at the event and said his second inauguration is a
celebration of the country and its citizens, not the election
results.
Signature: President Obama signs a proclamation to
commemorate the inauguration, entitled a 'National Day of Hope and Resolve',
flanked by Biden and House Speaker John Boehner
Watching over: From left, Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid, Sen. Lamar Alexander, Sen. Charles Schumer, Vice President Joe Biden,
House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and House
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
Extravagant: The President and guests gather for the
Inaugural Luncheon in Statuary Hall following the swearing-in
ceremony
Together: President Obama and Michelle sit beside Speaker
of the House John Boehner and his wife Deborah Gunlack at the luncheon
Good humoured: Vice President Biden shares a joke with
Senator Lamar Alexander as his wife Dr. Jill Biden stands to his left
He reminded the crowd
that 'what we're doing is celebrating each other and celebrating this incredible
nation that we call home'.
He encouraged the
crowd to enjoy the inauguration and said he needs them to work as hard as they
can on issues important to them.
Obama said the
inauguration is a reminder that 'there is something bigger than
ourselves'.
He kept his comments
brief and quipped that he has to save some of his lines for his speech on
Monday. He also gave his opinion on a much-debated matter his week - his wife's
new haircut.
He said: 'I love her
bangs. She looks good. She always looks good.'
First lady Michelle
Obama unveiled her new haircut in a White House photo released last Thursday for
her 49th birthday.
Thankful: Joe Biden and his wife Dr Jill Biden wave as
they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade
Route: A map shows the route of the inauguration parade
taking place on Monday afternoon following Obama's swearing in
Obama was sworn in
for four more years earlier on Sunday in a simple ceremony at the White House,
embarking on a second-term quest to restore a still-shaky economy and combat
terrorists overseas while swearing an age-old oath to 'preserve, protect and
defend' the Constitution.
'I did it,' a smiling
president said to his daughter Sasha seconds after following Chief Justice John
Roberts in reciting the oath of office. First Lady Michelle and the couple's
other daughter, Malia, were among relatives who bore witness.
The quiet moments
were prelude to today's public inaugural events when Obama and Biden will be
sworn in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol before a television audience counted
in the millions.
The 44th chief
executive is only the 17th to win re-election, and his second-term goals are
ambitious for a country where sharp political differences have produced
gridlocked government in recent years.
Celebratory: Kennedi Franklin, 8, cheers as she sits on
the shoulders of her father Edward Franklin, of Mobile, Alabama, as they wait on
National Mall
Celebration: People cheer as they enter the National Mall
before the ceremonial swearing-in ceremonies
Patriotic: Obama supporters wait on the National Mall for
the start of the ceremonial swearing in on Monday morning
Restoration of the
economy to full strength and pressing the worldwide campaign against terrorists
sit atop the agenda. He also wants to reduce federal deficits and win
immigration and gun control legislation from Congress, where Republicans control
the House.
If he needed a
reminder of the challenges he faces, he got one from half-way around the globe.
An Algerian security official disclosed the discovery of 25 additional bodies at
a gas plant where radical Islamists last week took dozens of foreign workers
hostage.
In Washington on
Sunday, tourists strolled leisurely on an unseasonably warm day.
'I'm very proud of
him and what he's trying to do for immigration, women's rights, what they call
Obamacare and concerns for the middle class,' said Patricia Merritt, a retired
educator from San Antonio, in town with her daughter and granddaughter to see
the inauguration and parade. 'I think he's more disrespected than any other
president,' she added, referring to his critics.
Sean Payton, an
operations analyst from Highland Ranch, Colorado, said he hoped to hear 'a nice
eloquent speech that makes people feel good about being an American'.
First family: President Obama, his wife Michelle and
daughters Sasha and Malia were smartly dressed as they arrived at the church
ahead of the inauguration
Welcome: The Obama family was greeted by Rev. Luis Leon as
they arrived at St. John's Church on Monday for a service
Suave: Vice President Joe Biden arrived at St. John's
Church - sporting a pair of aviators - shortly after the Obama family
Looking for something to do? As he attended the church
service, Obama apparently tweeted this message to his Twitter followers
Republicans lent a
touch of bipartisanship to the weekend.
'We always want any
president to succeed, to do well, that means America does well and Americans do
well,' Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming said on CNN's State of the
Union.
Obama took the oath
in the White House Blue Room where portraits of Presidents John Adams, Thomas
Jefferson, James Madison and John Tyler grace the walls. He placed a hand on a
Bible held by his wife. His daughters stood nearby.
The nation's
political divisions seemed scarcely to intrude as Obama, a Democrat, shook hands
with Roberts, a Republican appointee, in a rite that renews American democracy
every four years. Unlike four years ago, when Roberts stumbled verbally, the
chief justice recited the oath without
error.
Supporters: Singers John Mayer and Katy Perry, left,
attend the event while Rev. Jesse Jackson, right, waits for the start of the
presidential inauguration
Family: Michelle Obama's brother Craig Robinson, head
coach of Oregon State, left, and their mother Marian Robinson watch the
Inaugural Parade
Gearing up: People begin to gather along Pennsylvania Ave.
before the inauguration at the U.S. Capitol
Preparation: US navy sailors stand at the West Front of
the US Capitol hours before the ceremony
Before the
swearing-in, the president listened from a second-row pew at the 175-year-old
Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church as the Rev. Jonathan V. Newman
asked God's blessing for the him and his family. 'But also prepare him for
battle ... because sometimes enemies insist on doing it the hard way,' he
said.
Like Obama, Biden
began his day early on Sunday. He attended Catholic Mass at his official
residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory a few miles from the White
House.
Justice Sonia
Sotomayor, the first Hispanic justice and an Obama appointee, administered the
oath of office.
Biden joined Obama at
the cemetery, where the two men placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and
observed a moment of silence as a bugler sounded Taps.
'WE MUST ACT TOGETHER': TRANSCRIPT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PASSIONATE INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice,
Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow
citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.'
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.
For more than two hundred years, we have.
Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone.
Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher.
But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.
We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult.
But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.
We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.
It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.
That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.
For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.
My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.
They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope.
You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.
You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.
Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.
Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.'
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.
For more than two hundred years, we have.
Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone.
Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher.
But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.
We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult.
But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.
We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.
It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.
That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.
For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.
My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.
They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope.
You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.
You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.
Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.
Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2266156/Obama-inauguration-2013-Barack-Michelle-attend-inaugural-ball-Washington-Convention-Center.html#ixzz2Ih6MV6Zr
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
