A Great Day!

We started this great day at 6, making coffee for watching the inauguration. Now we're in the Fireside Lounge watching the pregame show on CNN. We'd started with CNBC but its commentators were annoying; CNN is much more straightforward.

Feinstein's Speech

"We come here every 4 years to bestow the power of the Presidency"

"The nonviolent struggle for justice & equality"

"The turning point ... this was the moment when the dream that once echoed from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial finally reached the White House"

Feinstein knew the 1st rule of public speaking: don't go on too long. When it's not about you, it's really not about you.

Rick Warren

"Hingepoint in history"

"Bless and protect him"

"We are Americans, united"

"humility and civility even when we differ"

I found Rick Warren deeply humorous, although not in a way that would please him.

• Does God *really* need to be told how big he is? I mean, doesn't God know that already?
• Who really CARES if God changed Rick Warren? It's not like WARREN is supposed to be the center of attention today.
• Rick, please ask Feinstein about the1st rule of public speaking.
• Please, could someone give this guy the hook?

Aretha Franklin

"My Country Tis of Thee"
Aw, that's great!

I really think "My Country Tis of Thee" would be a better national anthem than The Star Spangled Banner; it's much more loving of our nation & far easier to sing.

Biden!

Joe's a great guy.

Good backup, and he'll give good advice.

Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma etc.

Very nice!

Who's the guy on clarinet? I'll look it up.

Noon: Obama is president NOW!

Per constitution, at noon today, he became president. The Oath is just a ceremony

The Oath and the Speech

Very gracious beginning!

Lordy, I'll just link to the text. It's pretty good!

The Poem

"What if the mightiest word is Love?"

I'm sorry, but the poem left me unimpressed. The best poets of our era are songwriters: Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Dolly Parton,Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, Bernie Taupin, Carly Simon, even Madonna.

Benediction

The poem leading off the benediction is pretty good. I gotta get the text for this one. It's pretty good.

The National Anthem

Our flag's still there!