President Barack Obama is set to give his inauguration address today. The crowd is much smaller than his first term as is his popularity. The new Gallop poll shows Obama at a 49 percent popularity rate. While he remains personally popular, the overall popularity rate below fifty percent is comparable to Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford — two presidents who ultimately languished in office.
Frankly, I think it is very disappointing that former President George W. Bush is not present. That absence takes away from the celebration of our unified faith in the democratic system.
Leslie and Jack have gone to listen to the inauguration downtown with my brother and his two kids. My 86-year-old mother drove in from Chicago with my brother for the inauguration. She was here for the first Obama inaugural and remains a steadfast supporter. However, given her mobility limits, she is watching on television with me and the three other kids. I have to write on the speech for USA Today so logistics (and laziness) has me watching a home with my mother.
For civil libertarians, this inauguration is not as joyful as it is for many others. As I have written previously, Obama has been a disaster for civil liberties and left many of us . . . to put it lightly . . . estranged. I do not consider Obama to be an inspiring figure after his first term. It is not clear if he will embrace the principles that he abandoned so quickly in his first term on surveillance, privacy, torture, and secrecy laws. While he is free of the pressure of a future election, his party leadership is expected to continue the same policies and cynical treatment of civil liberties. The Republican offer no better alternative. Obama has created an imperial presidency by general acquiescence – the silence of liberals who remain loyal to Obama as an individual despite policies that are anathema to traditional liberal values. For that reason, many of us now see Obama as a symbol of the loss of principle and values in our political system. The rampant hypocrisy that inundates our policies and politics has become stifling. My respect for Obama’s family and his personal character does not overcome those conflicts over constitutional principles and civil liberties values.
I also continue to amazed at the coverage by Fox and MSNBC — two networks that tend to follow predictable takes on Obama. MSNBC anchors have been gushing over his popularity despite the polls showing little change in the unpopularity numbers. Fox has been highlighting the divisive views of Obama to a degree that makes him look like a bunkered recluse. It is part of our new echo chamber of news where people just watch networks that reaffirm what they want the world to look like — despite evidence to the contrary.
I do view this as a celebration of another peaceful transition of government and always have the kids watch, I do not view inauguration speeches as quite as significant as suggested by the coverage. I do not expect that the 51 percent on the unpopularity side of Obama are likely to be transformed by a speech — any more than many were won over by Bush’s speech. We all can take pride in the stability of our system and another peaceful transition. Yet, on Tuesday, we will still have a dysfunctional political system controlled by a monopoly of power by the two parties. For those who want change, it will have to come by seeking changes in this system against the fixed interests of these parties and the White House.
Yes, the popularity of government policy usually wears off onto those who are in the government (with good reason I might add).
“Obama at a 49 percent popularity rate. While he remains personally popular, the overall popularity rate below fifty percent is comparable to Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford — two presidents who ultimately languished in office.”
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By my calculation he has a 51.06% relative approval rating which is exactly the popular vote of the election. That’s the only poll that matters.
One big, happy group:
Zoom in with the tool in the upper right to check out all the smiling faces.
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/20130121-inauguration/obama-inauguration-zoomer-2013.html
Another edition of calling a spade a spade by Marcy Wheeler:
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“This Term’s Inauguration Day Order: Nominate Drone Assassination Czar CIA Director”:
“Four years ago, the first act President Obama took after swearing to protect and defend the Constitution was to order the closure of Gitmo.”
“Rather than closing Gitmo, Obama’s Administration greatly expanded our prison in Bagram, and gutted habeas so as to keep a probably innocent man in Gitmo; that man has since died under suspicious circumstances.
“Today, on this day celebrating the heroism of Martin Luther King Jr., Obama’s first act will be equally as symbolic as last term’s–though it will likely be a good deal more honest about the direction of his Administration.
“Along with Jack Lew, John Kerry, and Chuck Hagel to their new posts, Obama will formally nominate John Brennan, his Drone Assassination Czar, to lead the CIA.
“Update: And he just signed it, just after swearing to protect the Constitution.
http://www.emptywheel.net/2013/01/21/this-terms-inauguration-day-order-nominate-drone-assassination-czar-cia-director/
@ Woosty ” I doubt that we saw even half of the obstacles he faced in office as the first Black President and to do anything surrounded by the kind of personal hostility leveraged at him by those with little Grace is even harder to imagine.”
I think this is quite a right observation, and one I’ve had myself. However (there’s always an however), my impatience runs something along these line, acknowledging that I know nothing: the nation really cannot afford to have Obama work out all the/his hangups in lieu of meaningful action. If he can’t take action it behooves him to find an effective way to delineate the crisis.To find that effective way might require greatness. The scope of the role of president is tailor made to allow for greatness.
I have no idea whether Obama is basically totally coopted by the PTB, or in full accord. My view of his performance, and perhaps his preparation and personality are much at fault, is that he is a flop when it comes to greatness. His marker as the first black president may be his most lasting contribution. The nation, however (to repeat) heeds greatness from some quarter, Now not 50 years from now.
Those who say Romney would have been a disaster may be trapped in the status quo thinking that extrapolates in a straight line — expectations based on an uninspired sameness to the trajectory of our politics. I tend to think that too. but I am not so entrapped by linear thinking not to believe that our nation is on a depressing and dangerous trajectory, regardless of which suit plays uninspired president
SWM,
Crossing my fingers for you both. Why come to Wash? None of my business……your choice. I would too, if I could.
re two-time Kenyan president. We are an exceptional country. Time to let the outstanding people of the world lead us. Idealistic over-kill? Yes.
ElaineM,
How nice to see you. And your sobering/laughing gift of a piece by Pierce.
I will just on Woodward saý that Russ Baker in his Bush Family book (500+pages and densely referenced, and +++ review by MikeS)
puts Woodward, (ex-mil intelligence (top level)) in an improbable job at Wash Post, getting a year’s minor league prep course, and then Woodward is placed strategically as the responsible to handle the first stages of Watergate on his city beat covering local crime in WashDC.
Baker goes on to say that Woodward was a CIA agent/officer who steered the Watergate agenda. Why and who would want that to happen?
HW Bush, cleverly the RNC chairman, and a few others who felt for different reasons that it was time to unseat him (more to be said here). Nixon was too liberal as Noam Chomsky declared to Harvard OWS student celebrators. Utube.
So at any rate, HW used his CIA connections to get what he wanted.
Bob? He became the celebrity who keeps his torch lit and held high. Behind the scenes spooking did not appeal to him. Now he is a celebrity. To each his own.
Any proofs? Addressing that question to me is futile.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/18/obama-for-america-to-morph-into-organizing-for-action/ Its real purpose is to avoid a repeat of 2010.
rafflaw 1, January 21, 2013 at 1:12 pm
ap,
I understand. I think it was just another hit piece. If these advisors feel so alienated, they can resign and go public.
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Maybe it was a hit piece, maybe it wasn’t.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/author/DavidRothkopf
” For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. ”
———————-
the efforts of most women are so far off the charts that few could truly afford to reimburse fairly….. 😉
yea, idealist, I have a hard time believing Obama is a good poker player.
DHM Carver,
Always glad for a dissenting thoughtful opinion here.
But wonder if you are not overreacting to a few whining voices and confusing it with the liberal crowds opinion.
And let’s face two things: The wheel that squeals gets the grease. and good news is not news and who listens to that—-so to retain your speaker soapbox you have to come with the bad stuff.
I am honestly not well informed but your summation of the the political bind he was dealt by the congressional power swing—-all to get him out, does give compelling reasons to give him a pass.
But, for myself, his results on Obama-care was practically a total losers capitulation to insurance companies et al.
And his teams political ineptness and his striving to appear fair, reasonable, in short his strivings to be the President of ALL the people, led instead to his not being the President who could lead his own troops, much less the nation.
Don’t make concessions of major points BEFORE negotiations have started.
He does constantly. I don’t give a skit if he is fair, I want my causes advanced, skillfully and cleverly.
Sorry, wrong thread… (my comment to shano), but it works here, too, unfortunately.
“President Obama made history today when he mentioned both the Stonewall uprising and gay and lesbian people being treated “like anyone else under the law” during his second inauguration speech.
“We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall…” he said.
He continued:
“It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.”
This the first time that a president has addressed gay rights during an inauguration speech.” Huffington Post
It’s wicked out there, shano… as you know.
“If these advisors feel so alienated, they can resign and go public.” -rafflaw
If we’re lucky, maybe some of them will.
‘
WASHINGTON (AP) — Some of the most cared for spectators at President Barack Obama’s inauguration were the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots.
Most of those attending Monday were in wheelchairs. And active duty members of the military gave them green army blankets and checked on them every few minutes.
The special attention was far different from how the airmen were treated in the World War II era. One of them, Homer Hogues of Dallas, says he marched with the segregated unit in the inauguration of President Harry S. Truman. Hogues says they were put up the night before in a segregated hangar with little heat while white forces were in barracks.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/Tuskegee-Airman-recalls-Truman-inauguration-4211151.php#ixzz2IdRuEAnj
Frankly, I think it is very disappointing that former President George W. Bush is not present.
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I don’t believe he squandered opportunities and I don’t think him a political coward by a longshot. I doubt that we saw even half of the obstacles he faced in office as the first Black President and to do anything surrounded by the kind of personal hostility leveraged at him by those with little Grace is even harder to imagine.
Mr. Romney also lost an opport-unity to close the division in this Country by not showing up and showing us what good citizens the Republicans can be. There is interesting commentary on the lack of civil behaviour in the Republican party on the BBC as I type…. but if President Obama does nothing more than survive in office he will have done more good for this Country than many previous Presidents could boast….
as an aside, has anyone else heard the terms ‘mob’ and ‘coup’ ever uttered in previous inaugerations?
ap,
I understand. I think it was just another hit piece. If these advisors feel so alienated, they can resign and go public.
Not making much headway in the pile. So much to consider and say Amen to.
Angela Davis,
“To overcome poverty, to overcome racism, we must also overcome xenophobia, homophobia. Justice for African Americans is organically linked to justice for Palestinians. ”
MLKjr said when against the advice of his support and addressing the subject of total committment: (paraphrase)
“As long as a Vietnamese is not free, then I am not either”
Some truthful words are said in church, NONE, unimpelled by money, are said in Congress……and that could be extended through all of society at leading levels.
The guiding dictum is: ” What’s in it for me”