The Obama Speech

Contrary to what appears to be public opinion, I thought Obama's inauguration address (scroll down) was actually very astute. I was particularly interested to hear of how he addressed the rest of the world (not at all, other than a call for religious unity), and how he bade farewell to my old chum, George W. Bush: tersely, immediately, as if to say "ah, glad that's over with", before reciting with key precision how he intends to reinstate science to its rightful place. As James Wolcott noted also, the use of the word nonbelievers was a welcome inclusion among the frequent references to god. The speech was concise and appropriate; there's no more need to garner every possible vote with grand rhetoric and vocal crescendo. He showed himself to be serious, intelligent, a leader, a doer, and, importantly, a president. I hear he's already ordered an executive bill to close Gauntanomo Bay within the year, and begun work on the Israeli conflict. Here in Tucson pathetic, grimy protesters stand on corners with their biroed placards lamenting Israel for striking the fanatical Muslim Brotherhood. And so it brought me great amusement the other day when my Israeli teammate stuck his entire upper half out of the car window and shouted without sarcasm, "Fuck you, mother fuckers!" How refreshing.