Good Luck, Mr. President

Good Luck, Mr. President

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

I can't compete with the eloquence of the moment. A couple notes:

When listing the faiths, he actually acknowledged the nonbelievers.

Roberts botched the oath.

Mediacom Cable went out for 30 or so seconds for a "monthly test" RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE SPEECH. (Update: They claim it was "random." Shyeah, right. Either some corporate techie is a bitter Republican or, more likely, someone just didn't think. CSPAN ain't re-airing it till after our party starts, so you'll see a gap.)

No offense to Yo-Yo Ma, but they should have flipped the order; Bush stayed president four minutes too long. And did Warren have to do the whole Lord's Prayer bit? (But Joseph Lowery was nice.)

They're hauling Bush away in the chopper instead of the handcuffs. Give it time.

Are there any protesters anywhere? Granted, I am watching MSNBC, the official Obama network, but still. (Of course, as Chris Matthews has implied a couple times, it's all about Chris Matthews. HA!)