In line with our project of telling Barack what would be good in his Inaugural Speech (taken up by the good BarbinMD today--tho she doesn't tell you whom to mail at TeamObama, bless her), let's focus on significance. Obviously the speech is significant because Obama is making it, but that itself doesn't mean the speech will have significant subject matter...e.g, if he made the speech about pink unicorns, etc.
It would be hard for him to deliver a bad speech, knowing him, but hopefully, something besides "job creation" and even "reform", "hope", and "change" would be nice to see, e.g., something grand and noble and of world-historical significance.
Bush did not deliver on much in his eight years, but his inaugural speeches weren't all bad, cf. some of the stuff on freedom from his first address,
(more Bushery, and Obamary, below...thanks for your patience)
...Through much of the last century, America's faith in freedom and democracy was a rock in a raging sea. Now it is a seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations. ...
The second inaugural was even more world-historical sounding,
...At this second gathering, our duties are defined not by the words I use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half century, America defended our own freedom by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire. ...
Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world:
All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you. ...
From all of you, I have asked patience in the hard task of securing America, which you have granted in good measure. Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom. And as hope kindles hope, millions more will find it. By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well - a fire in the minds of men. It warms those who feel its power, it burns those who fight its progress, and one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world. ...
We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because freedom is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul. When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction, set by liberty and the Author of Liberty.
When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.
May God bless you, and may He watch over the United States of America.
Nooo, I'm not arguing that Bush CAME THROUGH on his words; but the words were not bad, actually. And I would hope that BHO could ring similar notes, notes of world-historical scope and grandeur, on global freedom and otherwise. (It's a little too much to hope that he'll, say, call for the end of monarchy and state religion everywhere, but one can only hope... :D )
Once again, even though it's slightly late, it's not too late to let Obama's team know your thoughts: mail the PIC (Presidential Inaugural Committee), at least Adam Elkington and Timothy Skoczek, at this link, aelkington@pic2009.org, tskoczek@pic2009.org, and fun Obama honcho Steve Hildebrand can be e-mailed at THIS link. Maybe if you send them your speech ideas, world-historical or otherwise, they'll make their way to You Know Obama Who, and he'll include some of your shining and epochal words.
And to quote the great Mel Gibson, the not-so-great George Walker Bush, and hopefully the very great Barack Obama tomorrow: "FREEEEEEEEDOOOOOOMMMM!!!" Spread the meme! You have the dream!!! !
(P.S. You were successful in getting Sully invited to the inauguration, cf. my diary showing you whom to mail to ask for it; so ask Obama to speechify as you like, hopefully with a request for world-historically-transformative themes, and it will be granted, no doubt...)