Tonight's speech

I don't know if it's just because I've spent the past 8 years listening to a barely-literate doofus stammering through monosyllabic words, but goddamn can President Obama give a speech.

Seriously light on actual policy, of course, but you know what? He didn't spent thirty minutes talking about the terr'rsts and how we've gotta go get 'em, so I'm pretty happy.

Bonus points for "No one messes with Joe" (just pure awesome), listing community service/volunteering as exactly equal with military service, and pointing out that our military needs aren't the same as they were fifty years ago and maybe we should stop funding retarded Cold War era projects that don't work (*cough*missiledefence*cough*).

Heh

I know that eventually the shiny will wear off and I'll go back to my normal self, but this is really damn nice to see:In other news, my senior essay is going to kill me, so I'm going to go take a nice hot shower, drink a beer, and go to bed stupidly early.

Awwwwww...

Cutest Presidential couple ever.

At last!

This man is now the President of the United States of America:Yeah.

I could have done without Rick Warren's opening prayer, but it wasn't too offensive, all things considered. Aretha singing rocked, of course, as did the Itzhak Perlman/Yo-Yo Ma/two other guys quartet. (Seriously, with names like those, the question was just exactly how awesome will it be, not will it be awesome.) The poem was okay; I think I would have liked it better had the actual reading been a bit more dynamic. The VP's oath seemed weirdly rushed, and Roberts kind of fumbled the Presidential oath, Obama tried to recover, and they kind of tripped over each other a bit.

Now: the speech. "Restore science to it's rightful place"? Excellent! Including non-believers in the laundry list of religions? Fantastic! Talk about not abandoning Constitutional ideals, refusing to shift the blame for the economic crisis, busting out the George Washington quotes, and pretty much making Mr. 43 squirm? Hell yes.

Closing benediction was 'meh' until he went all Dr. Seuss meets Dr. King and then it was awesome. (Also? I totally dig that man's facial hair for some insane reason)
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Other bonuses: Biden apparently taking pictures for Malia, who in five years will be breaking the heart of every boy around her; not a single mention of eeeeeevil; a sort of (horrible) satisfaction at seeing Cheney injured; sitting through an entire Presidential speech without rage nor laughter at horrible misstatements, lies, and crimes against the English language.

Congratulations, Mr. President, and best of luck.