Barack Obama Inaugural Speech
Here is the transcript of the inaugural address or speech of the 44th US President Barack Obama, delivered on January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C.
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
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.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
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.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Related Entries:
Charice Pempengco to sing in Barack Obama inauguration
Barack Obama elected US President
Final SONA 2008 Speech of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Call centers in the Philippines and the Obama presidency
Al Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize
Miss China Zi Lin Zhang is Miss World 2007
Bill Gates: Richest person no more
Charice and Celine Dion duet at the Madison Square Garden
FHM Philippines 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2007
Vote now – FHM Top 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2009 (Philippines)
January 21st, 2009 at 2:26 am
bilis ah. katatapos lang ng speech sa tv.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:20 am
THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL
INAUGURATION DAY SCHEDULE
» 8:25 a.m.: Obamas leave Blair House for prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church
» 8:35 a.m.: Prayer service
» 9:45 a.m.: Church service ends; Obamas depart for the White House
» 10:05 a.m.: Obamas arrive at White House for coffee with the Bushes
» 11 a.m.: Motorcade departs for the Capitol
» 11:30 a.m.: Bushes and Obamas proceed to platform on the West Front; California Senator Dianne Feinstein will issue the call to order and deliver brief welcoming remarks, followed by an invocation from Dr. Rick Warren and a performance from Aretha Franklin (who also sang at Bill Clinton’s first inauguration)
» 11:50 a.m.: Joe Biden is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice John Stevens
» 12 p.m.: Barack Obama is sworn in as president by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama, with his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural Bible, will recite the same oath as his predecessors: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) 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.” Musical performance from John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill, followed by “Hail to the Chief” and a 21-gun salute
» 12:05 p.m.: Inaugural address, followed by a poem written and recited by Elizabeth Alexander and a benediction from Dr. Joseph Lowery. The national anthem will be performed by the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters
» 12:30 p.m.: Ceremony concludes
» 12:35 p.m.: Bush departs via helicopter; Cheney departs by limo
» 12:45 p.m.: Obama signs inauguration papers in the President’s Room
» 1:00 p.m.: Obama attends congressional luncheon
» 2:15 p.m.: Obama and Biden review troops at Capitol
» 2:30 p.m.: President Obama leads the parade from the Capitol along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House
» 3:15 p.m.: Arrival at the White House
» 3:45 p.m.: Obamas and Bidens proceed to the reviewing stand; inaugural parade continues until 6 p.m.
» 7 p.m.: The official inaugural balls begin with the Neighborhood Ball at the Washington Convention Center, with performers scheduled to include Beyoncé. Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Stevie Wonder and others. Nick Cannon will DJ.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:21 am
INAUGURATION DAY SCHEDULE
» 8:25 a.m.: Obamas leave Blair House for prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church
» 8:35 a.m.: Prayer service
» 9:45 a.m.: Church service ends; Obamas depart for the White House
» 10:05 a.m.: Obamas arrive at White House for coffee with the Bushes
» 11 a.m.: Motorcade departs for the Capitol
» 11:30 a.m.: Bushes and Obamas proceed to platform on the West Front; California Senator Dianne Feinstein will issue the call to order and deliver brief welcoming remarks, followed by an invocation from Dr. Rick Warren and a performance from Aretha Franklin (who also sang at Bill Clinton’s first inauguration)
» 11:50 a.m.: Joe Biden is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice John Stevens
» 12 p.m.: Barack Obama is sworn in as president by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama, with his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural Bible, will recite the same oath as his predecessors: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) 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.” Musical performance from John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill, followed by “Hail to the Chief” and a 21-gun salute
» 12:05 p.m.: Inaugural address, followed by a poem written and recited by Elizabeth Alexander and a benediction from Dr. Joseph Lowery. The national anthem will be performed by the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters
» 12:30 p.m.: Ceremony concludes
» 12:35 p.m.: Bush departs via helicopter; Cheney departs by limo
» 12:45 p.m.: Obama signs inauguration papers in the President’s Room
» 1:00 p.m.: Obama attends congressional luncheon
» 2:15 p.m.: Obama and Biden review troops at Capitol
» 2:30 p.m.: President Obama leads the parade from the Capitol along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House
» 3:15 p.m.: Arrival at the White House
» 3:45 p.m.: Obamas and Bidens proceed to the reviewing stand; inaugural parade continues until 6 p.m.
» 7 p.m.: The official inaugural balls begin with the Neighborhood Ball at the Washington Convention Center, with performers scheduled to include Beyoncé. Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Stevie Wonder and others. Nick Cannon will DJ.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:36 am
Celebrities Arrive for Obama Inauguration
Tuesday January 20, 2009
Beyonce and Jay-z
eyonce Knowles and husband Jay-Z arrive on the inaugural stage ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Buzz up!
A slew of stars have arrived at the Capitol for Barack Obama’s inauguration, set to take place at noon today.
Beyonce and Jay-Z are now in the audience, as are Oprah Winfrey and beau Stedman Graham.
Jamie Lee Curtis is dancing with husband Christopher Guest to try to stay warm.
More celebs are expected, including Pete Wentz (wife Ashlee Simpson and newborn son Bronx are staying home) and Courteney Cox and David Arquette.
See more photos of celebs at the Inauguration!
Arquette said the inauguration is “a moment in history that I want to be a part of.
“These moments don’t happen a lot in a person’s lifetime, so to be a part of it is a great honor,” he told Us.
January 21st, 2009 at 5:34 am
“nick cannon will dj” hahahahah
January 21st, 2009 at 7:42 am
oh well good luck sa kanya. sana ay panindigan nya ang sandamukal na mga pangakong binitiwan nya noong nangangampanya sya.
January 21st, 2009 at 10:56 am
Yeheyyyyyyyy! libre na ang Motilium! goodbye dyspepsia!
January 21st, 2009 at 11:07 am
Nice!Maraming bansa ang aasa nyan…hahaha!!!!
lalo na ang bansang pilipinas na sentro ng kurakutan……….hehe.
January 21st, 2009 at 11:45 am
Tapos na ang panunumpa kaya umpisan mo ng magtrabaho Obama…
January 21st, 2009 at 12:21 pm
tuwang-tuwa ang mga taga SOUTH DAKOTA!!! esp. RyeAjieSarah…
January 21st, 2009 at 1:44 pm
mga tao dyan parang taga US na kung mag salita parang presidente nila ang nanumpa kung mag mura… mga mayayabang talaga iba jan… sa alam ko wlang paki c obama sa pilipinas, kaya huwag kayo mag mura sa kanya murahin nyo mga Mayor nyo….
January 21st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
one thing for sure, he united at least 80% of the americans black and white, small and big eyes.. he is a rock star… i believe he can make a change, a change that will stop philippines from being dependent on the US help…. a help that only a few will benefit….
if the money changers(rothschild,rockafellers, morgans) will take over, then the Obama presidency will no different from the others that he succeeded… but this is not an option, its the only way if he want to finish his term and alive…
January 21st, 2009 at 2:01 pm
BONGGANG BONGGA ANG Coverage ng ANC at ABS-CBN..
Kagi nakatutok na kami from Bandila pa lang grabe ganda!! English pa ang coverage ahhh..
SOSYAL.. nagandahan kami sa coverage ng abs-CBN….
Iba tlga ang ANC!!!! grabe!!!!!! wow tnx sa coverage ahh..
January 21st, 2009 at 2:31 pm
@United we stand
paano mo naman nasabing ‘he united 80% of the americans’? san mo nakuha yung 80%?
baka naman na-overwhelm ka lang sa dami ng dumalo sa inaugural nya pero hindi lang naman sila ang tao sa USA…dahil karamihan ng mga tao dun ay BUSY sa paghahanap-buhay habang yung mga nasa inaugural ay busy sa pagpaparty no!
January 21st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I watched the coverage of ANC and ABS-CBN, too! It’s a job well done
January 21st, 2009 at 2:57 pm
hoi! fattyacid pwedi bang tumahimik kana lang wla namang laman yang utak mo puro taba lang… basahin mo nga yung mga post mo puro basura… yan ang mapapal sa sobrang taba…. tira ka nang tira sa ibang tao ikaw parang baboy paki alamira, palamunin pa, wlang sildi sa buhay kundi maki alam…
January 21st, 2009 at 6:24 pm
may point naman si fatty acid ahh…tsk tsk,,be nice…it’s his opinion so let’s just leave him alone…mas mukhang basura ung comment mu dukie.no hard feelings-just stating a mere fact..i just hope n wag tayong msyadong maapektohan ng recession sa us
January 21st, 2009 at 6:41 pm
talaga namang itung mga fanatic ng kapamilyuckz e sinisingit ang pagkocoverage ng abs cbn…heller!!!!!!!wag nyung isama yan sa topic dahil hindi yan nakapaloob sa inaugural speech ni obama!oopz..maraming maiiniz nyan..hehehehe…maxadu naman kaung desperado para banggitin pa ang pagcocoverage ng abs..haha,hindi na kasi napaguusapan..huhu..
January 21st, 2009 at 6:57 pm
akoy batangueno..pakemu? anong paki mo din sa sinabi ko about kay taba?
January 21st, 2009 at 8:11 pm
hoi duckie kung hindi mo naiintindihan ang mga post, wala na akong magagawa. and fyi, ang mga duck ay sobrang taas ng FAT CONTENT no! siguro fat ka rin like me kaya you named yourself duckie?!
January 21st, 2009 at 9:30 pm
ganda ng speech ni Barack Obama promise…..
January 21st, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Naku CONGRATS sa ABS-CBN at ANC,,, ang galing ng coverage.. tlgang oks na oks sa amin..
Congrats ki Ricky at Cez. Thanks ahh Kapamilya..
oo nga eh panay english ang gagaling nila tlga pati reporter kala ko tagalog, pero magaling tlga… magaling..
Congrats ki pres OBAMA!!! Nakakatuwa at nakakaaliw lang nung nagkamali sya at medyo tumawa yung asawa.. heheheh pero seems good naman na leader.. parang kengkoy.. hehhee
January 21st, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Hay U L I K B A!!!
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:01 am
by Martin Luther King Jr.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”
>>>>>>>
The statement proves that Obama destined to the Great Leader in the future. And realizes the dream of the Great Martin Luther.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:08 am
change has come
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:09 am
I admire u very much as my president even kno im in 6th grade and i couldn’nt vote 4 u.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 am
obama can touch the hearts of people and can make a difference. let’s see what’s in store from his platforms.
too bad. first 100 days is critical.
XD
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
i think change has really come…this guy could do more on america…i’m a hypocrite if i will not tell that i’m his fan…i really believes on him…he’s so great,
imagine how he truly strive to make united states a united country…for he believes that there are no black or white americans, but there is a united america…that looks at everyone as one and the same…………………………………………………….syeteh, nosebleed!
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
he’s such a superhero
amazing and really astonishing. he had touched everyones hearts.
he have done a remarkable change in the politics in one of the most powerfull democratic nation.
goodluck president Obama, im hoping for your success
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:46 pm
maganda ang coverage ng GMA, promise!! hahaha
January 24th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
@fattyacid kaya nga my SN is dedicated for you…. hahahaha
March 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
…..,hui guys wag kayo mag-awayaway….,hmmmp!!!!!!!!!magtulungan nalang tayo…waah!!!
March 16th, 2009 at 3:59 am
may the lord of mercy be upon you as you rule this WORLD not with your might but HIS might!!!be blessed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 12th, 2009 at 10:10 am
i admire Barack Obama because he is very charismatic and he is liberal minded.