In 7 days time the world will breathe a sigh of relief and expectation as Barack Obama will be inaugurated as 44th President of the United States on the 20th January. The Presidency of George W Bush has ended as his father’s did, with America in recession and much unfinished business abroad. With the massacre continuing in Gaza and the economy nose diving it is clear change cannot come too soon. It is instructive to reflect on how far Barack Obama has travelled and remember what he said on the 5th November 2008 when it was clear he had won.
“America is a place where all things are possible and the "dream of our founders" is alive, President-elect Barack Obama said. The man who will be the first black President of the United States was cheered by hundreds of thousands of supporters as he walked on to a stage in Chicago with his wife Michelle and young daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, at his side. His era-changing victory came as he swept a series of key battleground states, winning Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
"We are, and always will be, the United States of America," he said and that it was time to put "hands on the arc of history and bend it once more to the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America."
The last Blog posting from President Elect Barack Obama was sent to me on the 4th December and said;
“Exactly one month ago, you made history by giving all Americans a real opportunity for change. Now it's time to start preparing and working for change in our communities. Barack and Joe have a clear agenda and an unprecedented opportunity for change. But they can't do it alone.”
In paying homage to his hero Barack Obama paid a visit to the Lincoln Memorial at the weekend, publicly honouring the man who inspired his career and whose legacy is to provide a major theme for the inauguration in seven days. The President-elect took his family to the monument on Saturday night, where they admired the statue of the 16th President, before studying the inscriptions of his greatest speeches, including the Gettysburg Address.
http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/11/obama-nation.html
It was the latest indication that Mr Obama intends to begin his presidency citing his hero, an opponent of slavery who led the abolitionist North during the Civil War of 1861-65. He has decided to be sworn into office using Abraham Lincoln's bible, and will spend three days this week travelling by train from Philadelphia to Washington, following the final leg of an identical journey taken by Lincoln. Of course as a rail fan can I also note it is a long time since the US President travelled on Amtrak!
The theme of Mr Obama's inauguration week, "A New Birth of Freedom", was inspired by Lincoln's speeches, while the menu for the lunch following his swearing-in is a replica of the one enjoyed by his predecessor. According to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies, which has published recipes on its internet site, 200 guests will be served on plates identical to the fine bone china ordered for the White House by Lincoln's wife, Mary.
The appetiser will be seafood stew, while the main course is to be "a brace of American birds". This will have duck breast with sour-cherry chutney and herb-roasted pheasant, all served with molasses, sweet potatoes and winter vegetables. Lincoln, who grew up on the frontier in Kentucky and Indiana, was a fan of root vegetables and game. The "apple cinnamon sponge cake" being prepared for dessert is said to provide a nod to Mr Lincoln's love of both apples and cake.
Mr Obama and Abraham Lincoln have plenty in common. Both overcame poor backgrounds to become successful lawyers in Illinois. They share a skill for inspirational speechmaking, and both took office at a time of political turbulence. Although opponents detect a whiff of the PR stunt in the President-elect's efforts to ally himself with such a pivotal figure, Mr Obama's affection for Lincoln appears to go back a long way. It is mentioned throughout Mr Obama's book The Audacity of Hope, and was also cited when he announced his decision to run for the presidency in Springfield, Illinois, on the steps of the Old Capitol, where Lincoln was a legislator.
Before his Election Night speech in Chicago, Barack sent out this message to supporters (who include The Sage):
“I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first. We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbours about why you believe it's time for change. I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign. We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you,
Barack “
Or as Barack’s inspiration Abe Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863 when he gave America a vision of equality which went beyond the U.S. Constitution;
“That these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/11/government-of-people-by-people.html
After 20th January 2009 these words will have acquired real meaning.
For those who want to have an Inauguration Lunch at home here is the full menu and recipes;
http://inaugural.senate.gov/documents/doc-2009-recipes.pdf
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