Yes, in continuing with his practice of emulating the Great Emancipator president-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in on Abraham Lincoln's inaugural bible, making it the first time the tome has been used for such an occasion in over 140 years.
Now my well known anathema for organized religion aside, this is indeed a historical relic from the history of this country and my only hope is that it is treated with the requisite care it deserves; in other words, a book this old and important should be handled with gloves at all times because oils and acids from human skin can damage older leather and paper but I suppose the thirty or so seconds that Obama has his bare hand on it can be forgiven in a historical context.
Not to be a relic-Nazi or anything, but every person who winced along with me when the Declaration of Independence was rolling across a DC street after being tossed around like a rolled up dorm poster in the Nick Cage flick National Treasure will know exactly what I'm talking about. Just one more reason to hope for sunny skies on Jan. 20th, I suppose.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Obama To Be Sworn In On Lincoln's Bible
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2 comments:
It will be a remarkable moment...
And then it will be a very tough year.
Some of our "opponents" - who think Cheney and Bush (note order of names) have done nothing requiring forgiveness - will not forgive Obama a broken fingernail.
The absolute and unfettered moral perfection that they hold those guys to have is not dented by the smallest notion that perhaps some things should have happened a bit differently these last years...
Thousands of American and allied troops dead? - "oops"
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead and near civil war? - "who cares?"
America's relations with some of the most pivotal allies in the toilet? - "fuck 'em"
Katrina aftermath, trashed economy, wiretaps, torture...?
Oh but the man has "moral certitude"...
okay, he means well, in his own mind.
Which fixes what?
I know I've said all this before and will say it again but the sheer absolutism of all this makes me sick.
This Bush administration has been, and will be remembered as a monumental misstep in American political history.
I don't expect perfectionism of Obama and there is a limit to what I will forgive, but I'm optimistic.
At least I can wake up each day knowing that the new President of the United States is an intelligent man, who expects to make mistakes, who wants to hear all sides, who can make up his own mind, not call Putin some sick silly nick-name like Putey-poo, have the capacity to understand the damage that he can do if he makes a mistake, and the immensity of the challenge in front of him.
Merry Christmas JBW. You're a true patriot.
Merry Christmas to you as well Van Zan, and thanks: yours is one of the prouder compliments I've received on this site.
I too expect neither miracles nor perfection from Obama but I do have hope...
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