President Obama and first lady Michele Obama, Inauguration Day, 1/20/2009Over two million people crowded the National Mall this morning to watch Obama get sworn in as our 44th president. A new era begins...finally. He gave a rousing inaugural address, and called for unity and responsibility.
"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," he said at one point, a jab at the last man to hold the job. "We've chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over discord." There were tough times ahead, but "we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work."
(Watch the complete speech above, or read the full text which is linked below.)
President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama leave the presidential limousine to walk in the inaugural parade. Raw video: Obama parades to the White House.
"The sun's rising glow illuminated a mass of humanity gathering on the Mall this morning, a singing, celebrating and at times solemn sea of people wrapped in layers head to toe and determined to claim a piece of history by witnessing the inauguration of Barack Obama as the nation's 44th president." -Washington Post, 1/20/09Read the full text of Obama's speech here.
