Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

WASHINGTON—Barack Hussein Obama took his place in history in front of more than a million people on Tuesday, January 20, as he was sworn-in as the 44^th President of the United States.

Moments before the swearing-in, crowd chants of "Obama! Obama!" and "Yes, We Can" reverberated in the air every time Obama’s image was shown on the giant jumbotron screens, strategically placed around the capitol and the National Mall for spectators to get a closer look.

Many consider this as a fitting finale to Obama’s historic journey to the White House. He is the nation’s fourth-youngest president, at 47, and the first African-American, a barrier-breaking achievement believed impossible by generations of minorities.

A few minutes past noon, Obama stepped forward on the West Front of the Capitol to lay his left hand on the same Bible that President Abraham Lincoln used at his first inauguration in 1861 and took his oath of office.

In his inaugural address that was both electrifying and inspiring, Obama called on his fellow Americans to unite as a nation to face and overcome the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

"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," Obama said, his address broken a few times by wild applause.

"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," Obama said.

"Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions—that time has surely passed."

As if trying to drive home a point, the president emphasized that Americans need to work overtime.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America."

From where we were seated, the most well-applauded part of Obama’s speech was when he said that the time has come to "set aside childish things" and that it was time to carry forward that "precious gift." and that called for a political truce in Washington to end "the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

"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," he said amid deafening applause and standing ovation from almost everyone in our section.

While he mentioned that all countries are America’s friends, he issued a stern warning: "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," Obama said in his address, which ran 18 1/2 minutes.