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January 20th marked the beginning of a new chapter in American history as we moved away from the partisan and war-minded administration of George W. Bush to the more modern and hopeful Barack H. Obama. And, he’s the first African American President elected to office, a detail retired General Colin Powell noted following the inaugural address.

A southpaw from Illinois, President Obama has already signed Executive Orders and begun the undoings of the last eight years. First to go was the steadfast rule of jackets or blazers required in the oval office by former President George W. Bush.

And then President Obama announced that his entire staff will be required to attend an ethics class. Pay freezes have been implemented for staff making over $100,000, and on his first full day on the job, Obama was already busy on the phone calling officials in the Middle East.

And yet amidst all the festivities and celebrations, at least one thing did go wrong – the Presidential Oath. As Wolf Blizter commented on CNN,

Chief Justice Roberts had one job to do today, and he kind of screwed it up.

He is of course referring to the blunder that occurred in administering the Presidential Oath of Office, a 35 word dissertation. Legally, though, Barack Obama was already crowned President at high noon, a stipulation of the Constitution of the United States.

Regardless of the mess up, change has already begun. The White House website was switched over promptly at noon, and re-runs of the inauguration are abundant. Watch below to relive the history as it happened, and remember where you were, what you were doing, when this historic event happened. Your kids may ask you someday.

[photo by The White House]

“We have chosen Hope.” ~President Barack Hussein Obama

Change has come to America as former Senator Barack Hussein Obama (D-IL) was sworn in by Chief Justice Roberts just past noon eastern standard time. Festivities filled and packed with supporters and hopefuls, Capitol Hill became the stage for this historic inauguration. The 44th President of the United States Barack Obama represents more than hope, more than change. He is the nation’s first African American President. He calls out to the Middle East and offers peace to those who will join the movement against terrorism. He calls out the past as problematic, and he lays the path for a bumpy road ahead.

But it is a brighter day. With an estimated attendance of over 2 million, plus the billions that watched the inauguration around the world on the Internet and on television, Obama made clear one thing – he will represent an administration of you, of Us. And as George Walker Bush flew off on Executive One for the last time, we were reminded of the past, and happy about the future.

CNN is getting its viewers involved in cataloging a historic moment in American History. On January 20th, viewers will be able to email photos to CNN, which will in turn will import those photos to Microsoft’s PhotoSynth application, to render (hopefully) a true to life 3D model of Washington DC as the festivities unfold.

At 12pm EST, the Moment will happen. President-Elect Barack Obama will shed the ‘elect’ from his name as he places his hand on the Bible and takes the presidential oath of office. And we will get to see that moment in unprecidented HD coverage, via the news networks on tv and this year, online, and even on your iPhone.

Common, if this makes Wolf Blitzer giddy, it’s gotta be big.

[CNN, photo by AFP/Getty]

Keeping your friends close and your enemies even closer (rivals).

President-Elect Obama invited Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to his transition team’s headquarters in Illinois today to clear the air and move forward. In what began as a clearly awkward meeting, Obama’s official Change.gov website released the following statement:

“We had a productive conversation today about the need to launch a new era of reform where we take on government waste and bitter partisanship in Washington,” President-elect Obama and Senator McCain said in a joint statement released after the meeting. “We hope to work together in the days and months ahead on critical challenges like solving our financial crisis, creating a new energy economy, and protecting our nation’s security.”

In order for Obama to be successful to any degree in his upcoming term, he must develop relationships with prominent officials on both sides of the political spectrum. So far, Obama is doing just that. He wants to run a bi-partisan administration which promotes inter-connectedness and cooperation amongst both Republicans and Democrats. Obama wants and needs to create a government not dialed back by party differences, but a government that works together with one common goal – working for the benefit of the American people and for the American nation.

This meeting that Obama called for with McCain is the first step towards mending any woes that were created during the long Presidential campaign.

In order for Obama to see any level of success, he needs to reach out to his opponent and attain a common ground. Senator McCain has vast knowledge in areas of energy, military, and varying views on economic policy, among many other areas of expertise. By working with McCain, Obama will likely gain the support of McCain advocates, and see easier results in working with the Senate and Congress.

Many have begun speculating that McCain may find himself with a seat in Obama’s administration, specifically a cabinet-level position. Realistically, this is looking less like a reality. But McCain will more than likely play a large role in the Obama administration, offering his input on various issues and lending his Congressional pull.

President-Elect Obama has made many relationships in the Senate as a Senator for the State of Illinois the past few years. He will need to utilize these friendships to create a government that can bring about the drastic changes he has proposed and the changes that this country needs. Obama has walked into a pile of problems, both economically and politically, that need to be fixed. And he has his work cut out for him.

Easing the tensions between his campaign rival McCain will certainly help.

Below is the press video released of the two’s initial meeting and praiseful remarks.

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With the election decided, President-Elect Barack Obama has a long road ahead of him. Walking into a deep hole, one that has been dug deep the past eight years, Obama has outlined and already begun work on bringing change to this country. Cabinet positions are being discussed, and Congress is already being called upon to enact legislation that will jump start the Obama administration’s efforts.

Obama is the first President to be declared a technology junky. He carries his BlackBerry everywhere he goes, and is trying to be the first President to have his Apple laptop at the ready in the Oval Office. Open information acts such as the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record, ultimately up for review and possible subpoena, as well as various national security issues may prevent these wishes from being granted, but his technological fascination has led to the creation of the countries first Chief Technology Officer (CTO) as a cabinet-level position.

Reed Hundt (right), the former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman during the Clinton administration, has been tapped by the Obama team to lead the transition team’s technology efforts. His expertise will likely bring large-scale reform to the FCC, a commission that has been led by Republican chairmen since Clinton was termed out of office.

What this means for America is change. Obama is looking to bring drastic change to technological policies, including implementing net-neutrality – something current communication and justice leaders oppose due to the deep pockets of telecommunication companies. This nation can expect President-Elect Obama and his administration to focus on promoting net-neutrality and open-access to information through federal broadband lines in rural areas, bringing broadband connections to more areas than before.

The 21-month long Presidential race has tested Obama’s strength, and he has proven he is up for the challenges he is only months away from inheriting. And Obama is showing us that he is not going to wait until inauguration day to put his plans in motion. In an interview with 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft, Obama shared his thoughts and goals on where he plans to take the nation and offered some insight into his transition team. He is currently working on finalizing his National Security team, he is working tirelessly on his cabinet team, and working with lawmakers and Congress to help save the economy.

The next four years will test the endurance of President-Elect Obama. But he is already beginning his work during the transition.

The CBS 60 Minutes interview embedded below.

Photo Credit: Welt Online and Ars

Developing story…

Check out the Digg widget on the Social Interaction section [Linked] in the time being for top stories.

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If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

…We are and always will be – the United States of America.

The words spoken by our next President of the United States of America, President Elect Barack Obama. Speaking to an estimated crowd of over one million people packed in and around Grant Park in his home state of Illinois, Obama embraced the peoples’ nomination and congratulated the people on record turnouts at the polls this year. Obama has brought us the hope that has inspired us to vote, a feeling that unfortunately had left many Americans for so long.

The polls opened to record turnouts and closed with change. Our future seems brighter now, a sigh of relief and a glimmer of hope that we won’t have to suffer through more of what has become the same over the last eight years – incompetency, mistakes, and a clearly driven (backwards thinking) energy agenda.

Smiles all around – save for one big exception, the McCain campaign – but for America, the right candidate was picked.

Take a minute to watch the following video clips. The first is from the Obama campaign on their YouTube Channel, their final punch on Election Day.

I will finish off the post with a video feed of Obama’s acceptance speech. He has raised the bar in delivering motivating and inspirational speeches, but this one tops them all. This speech marks the beginning of our bright future. It is spoken with eloquence and charisma, and an energy that good old John McCain can not muster up beyond three o’clock in the afternoon everyday simply due to age.

Congratulations President Elect Barack Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden – Change Is Possible, and Change has come to America.

Photo Credit: Washington Times

With the end in sight, Barack Obama is not backing down. Quite to the contrary as Barack is leading the offensive attack to win the Presidency. Purchasing airtime from seven major national news networks this last Wednesday night, Obama aired a 30-minute infomercial on what he offers America, and how America of the past eight years has failed its citizens.

Work hard, study hard, and make something of yourself. That is exactly what Barack Obama is doing, and it is becoming ever more clear that America is recognizing his efforts, sympathizing with his ideals, and aligning themselves in overwhelming support.

This video was not an attack on his opponent, Senator John McCain, it was focused on the issues at hand. Obama made clear where he stands on issues of the economy, of political relations, of the environment. The impact of the new media on society has been ever increasing, and Barack Obama’s informercial was not overkill, it was not repetitive. Obama used his airtime to show the struggles of real Americans, and how the last eight years have failed them. His video included a diverse set of Americans, a great attribute to reach the masses. We are days away from changing America, and this video is a perfect Final Argument for the Presidency. Obama showed himself as an American that cared not about the glory of the White House seat, but cared about changing America, about fixing the economy, about restoring a quality of life that the hard working American citizens deserve.

“I think it is the true ideals and dreams of America to have an African-American president named Barack Obama to be the representation of the United States at a time like this…[Obama] is a man that has great policies, a man that is a great intellectual, who knows what he’s doing,” says Leonardo DiCaprio in an interview on The Huffington Post

Barack Obama is clearly the candidate of choice. He has a clear plan – a plan that will work. He offers America the change that it needs. Obama has used untraditional methods to reach out to Americans, and it appears to be working. Whether it is a televised infomercial or in-game advertising in the popular video game Burnout Paradise, Barack Obama is reaching to a new league of voters. Young voters turnout is expected to be the largest ever, and Obama’s approach is working.

When approached by the video game maker Electronic Arts (EA), the McCain campaign turned down the offer to advertise in the game to compete with Obama’s ads, a huge falter on the McCain camp. In any event, Barack Obama is showing no signs of slowing down, sticking to his hard work ethics and commitment to earning the highest position in this country, Commander in Chief. Obama wants to change this country for the better, he wants to restore order and success to American economic systems and wants to reward hard-working middle class Americans who have been unfairly hurt throughout the last eight years. Watch, if you haven’t, Obama’s informercial, embedded below. See what changes lie ahead if we elect Barack Obama, changes we need.

Photo Credit: xGray – Flickr

Making prime-time news once again was Barack Obama last night on The Colbert Report, where Stephen Colbert himself made his endorsement public, and offered some suggestions to Obama’s running mate, Senator John McCain:

There are plenty of things out there that you can endorse, but not support. (Like the Constitution) No, I am voting for John McCain. He may be in an uphill struggle in these final days, but I believe he can still win! He just needs to do something to prove he has the judgement to lead and knows where this country wants to go. You know what – I’ve got it. Senator McCain, you need to endorse Barack Obama. And that, would make you a Maverick. And that’s the Word.

As Colbert pointed out, prominent Republicans have been flocking to Obama’s campaign. The American media (sans the ultra right wing FOX News) has predominately backed Barack Obama. We are seeing key battleground states align their allegiance to Obama. The State of Nevada has just switched to a probable Obama state on CNN’s Electoral Map from a likely McCain nomination.

As discussed by CNN’s John King, much of the recent success Barack Obama has seen in the tough battleground and toss up states is due to grassroots systems organizing support efforts. Nevada has seen a large influx of Latino support as a result of door to door campaigning by ordinary citizens concerned with the future of this country. In 2004, there were 9 million registered Latino voters. Fast forwarding to today, there are 12 million, the largest increase in registrations amongst the Latino demographic in recent history.

Citizens, irregardless of skin color, ethnicity, and religion have seen what the last eight years have done to this country, and have had enough. Gone are the days of a budget surplus under the Clinton administration, gone are the days of a stable economy. The percentages of new voters is astronomical this election, and will prove to be a crucial element to the outcome of this election.

I’ll leave you for now with a couple videos, and a quote from Yosemite Sam, who, like Stephen Colbert, endorsed Senator Barack Obama last night…

Consarnit! This lily-livered rackin’ frackin’ varmint would restore America’s image on the world stage. Kablam. Pow. – Yosemite Sam, October 28th, 2008

Editor’s Note: I have posted the videos on my other site as it won’t embed properly on WordPress. [Linked]

In the first embedded video, CNN’s John King explains recent changes to projected electoral votes in key battleground and toss up states.

And embedded below the first video is a video clip from last night’s episode of The Colbert Report, airtime which Colbert reached out to viewers to publicly endorse Barack Obama.

Photo Credit: Times Union Blog

Top news article of the day, perhaps of the weekend, is the endorsement of Senator Barack Obama by General Colin Powell.

More to follow when I wake up in the morning, for now, the video feed from MSNBC:

Continued…

General Colin Powell’s (retired) endorsement of Barack Obama came just as expected over the weekend, a detrimental setback to the McCain campaign. In the seven minute long interview with NBC’s Tom Brokaw, Powell dissects the reasoning that went into his decision, a clearly thought out and well analyzed decision.

Citing Governor Palin’s lack of experience and apparent inability to perform the duties of the Presidency, if called upon, “which is the job of the Vice President” Powell states, and a clear confusion with regards how to handle the current economic situation our country faces, Powell found himself troubled with the task of voting for his party’s elected candidate.

Powell points out that Obama has displayed “a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge, and an approach to looking at problems like this, picking a Vice President that is ready to be President on day one.” Obama has shown intellectual vigor throughout his campaign, and is displaying a professionalism worthy of the Presidency. His campaign has grown and his future cabinet promises to be one that offers hope, change, and a brighter future.

Powell’s endorsement marks a huge accomplishment for Barack Obama, something he has clearly earned through his campaigning and display of qualification. Surely this is not sitting well with the McCain camp.