Saturday, January 17, 2009

The Obama/Lincoln Express.......HE is arriving. THE ONE is near.......

PHILADELPHIA — President -elect Barack Obama called for "a new declaration of independence" before pulling out of the 30th Street Station here on Saturday morning, embarking on a mini-version of the train trip to the nation's capital that his political hero Abraham Lincoln made before his own inauguration 148 years ago.

"What is required is a new declaration of independence, not just in our nation but in our own lives, from ideology and small thinking, prejudice and bigotry," Obama said. Alluding to Lincoln's first inaugural address, he called for "an appeal not to our easy instincts but to our better angels."

Obama's planned one-day route, from Philly to Wilmington, Del. , to Baltimore and finally Washington , is far shorter than the one that took Lincoln a dozen days to traverse in February 1861 , from Springfield, Ill. , to the nation's capital. Lincoln's trip was plagued by assassination threats, which required him to reroute his trip at one point and sneak through Baltimore unannounced and incognito.

Security on Obama's trip was extremely tight, but his events were marked by a sense of ease and congeniality. Obama will be taking office with a mandate for change, unlike Lincoln, and without the level of division that preceded the Civil War.

Z: How do you guys like his coming in on the train like Lincoln, with the Lincoln Bible used for his swearing in? Better yet, how do you feel about his call for a "NEW Declaration of Independence"? Is he kidding? And, "without the level of division that preceded the Civil War!"? I see a pretty deep division. But, I guess when you control the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch, and it's only a few months before he'll probably control the Judicial....."No division!", right? My heart's breaking for America. NOBODY wants division, but there is only "no division" when the left gets their way on everything. Simple! No division.

This is enormous. I heard a Lefty say, straight facedly on TV the other day, that "Obama won by 80%" Well, that's how he's acting. As if the 46% who did vote for McCain don't exist. This is breath taking.

Imagine if a Republican president-elect had done any of what Obama's doing? We'd have seen how many millions of ways our media could have said "who does he think he IS?" And "hip hoppers at an Inaugural?" and "WHO is PAYING FOR THIS?" and "He's got millions left over in his campaign fund, why doesn't he pay for it that way?" and "Man, a Democrat would never EVER do this in these times of economic trouble: TYPICAL REPUBLICANS" What else.......there are hundreds. But, the media's too excited.

Earlier this week, I said I take very little pleasure in criticizing America's president elect, and I don't. I wonder if you believe that. Do you feel this dichotomy, too? Have you ever felt it this strongly?

Will you be watching on Tuesday?

z

34 comments:

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Tax and spend; that is what we shall have. Printing money. Reduced freedoms. And if anyone thinks he's lean "centrist" well, then, I might suggest a second think. His hollow oratory has already captivated some moderate Republicans and THAT is why I do not donate ANY cash to the RNC or any other GOP organization, EXCEPT directly to specific and local candidates.

Obama cannot make a firm and cogent decision. And he simply cannot vote "present" whilst occupying the White House.

If Obama fails we fail so I do not wish failure; I do not, however, see logic and perspective in our future.

BZ

Z said...

We sure don't want him to fail, BZ..
the thing is, people pray for HIS SUCCESS and HIS idea of success and MY idea of success are so different that all I can pray for is AMERICA'S SUCCESS< you know?

Mike said...

I'm wondering who is paying for this ceremonial train trip.

A procession of this magnitude sounds expensive...especially when many Americans are feeling the direct effects of a troubled economy.

Anonymous said...

Well, I want his stupid ideas to nationalize everything to fail.

If his advisors have their way, what will America be? A colony of Europe?
No thanks.

And no, I am not watching Tuesday.

I will be busy tweezing my eyebrows.
WVDOTTR

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure the Declaration of Independence is null and void until it bears the Obama signature.

I think it was the PBS coverage of the Bush farewell address I was watching. Commentator said that Obama is a contrast to Bush, and that the dissatisfaction with Bush has paved the way for the Obama presidency. The commentator went to far as to compare Bush to John the Baptist. But if Bush is John the Baptist, then that would make Obama.....oh, my.

--Tio Bowser

Pasadena Closet Conservative said...

The image of that train this morning on the news made me sad for the youths of America. They'll never get a well-rounded understanding of Lincoln in their history classes, so this is about all they have to go on. It's very disappointing that O'Bummer is exploiting President Lincoln's record for his own gain.

shoprat said...

It's called hubris and Obama's filled to the brim with it. His arrogance will be his undoing.

Whom the gods destroy they first make mad.

Anonymous said...

Z have you seen Fox's fawning coverage? It's enough to make you ill.

Morgan

Anonymous said...

I'll watch the Inauguration out of respect for the office, but I'm not watching the pre-game or post-game hype.

Obama's already over exposed. Two years worth. That's enough of a sacrifice.
Heck, Obama himself admittedly only watched the first minutes of President Bush's farewell remarks. Ah, repect is a wonderful thing huh? Small thinking, Barack!

So, here we go again, it wasn't enough with Clinton and everything being about Bill. Now everything will be about Barack.

As for calling for a "new Declaration of Independence" the original serves us just fine. We'd better remind Obama that he is not there to tell us how to think or feel.

If Obama initiates policies destined to fail, make us more vulnerable to our enemies, or that rob us of freedom, you bet I will want him to fail.

I only care that America succeeds, free and unfettered.

Pris

CJ said...

I'll probably watch it. It seems necessary to keep up with political reality to that extent, although political reality is becoming more and more surreal and distasteful these days.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Everybody clap for Democrats!

They've given a black man an office with power, what, over 150 years after Republicans started doing it?

Next we'll work on shapes and colors.

David Wyatt said...

Beamish! That was a good 'un!

Hello Z! Forgive my (almost) nonexistent maners tonight! Good to "see" ya!

Rio Arriba said...

I will start my 7th decade this year and I can never remember a time when we were even close to being divided as we are today, as a nation and as a people.

Obama is riding a razor-blade. I do not want him to fail, but fear that he will. Considering the dynamics of history, he can do almost nothing else BUT fail. I fear for my country.

We already have a Declaration of Independence. We don't need another one.

Anonymous said...

Hubris is exactly the word here.
This type of over exposed...hanging on every utterance, is asking for failure.

SO be it.


No, I do not think this man is good for the country.
If I thought he was , I would have voted for him and I did not vote for him.

WHy does he keep trying to pretend he has these Republicans in his acts?
Lincoln , King?

Oh that's right, because there is nothing there.

Same old nothing.

WVDOTTR

Anonymous said...

WE are paying for the train trip.
WVDOTTR

Anonymous said...

If Obama fails, he fails in turning us into a more socialist
nation, so you bet I want him to fail.
Nothing personal but America has been mutated enough.
WVDOTTR

Papa Frank said...

Driving a train....high on cocaine.........

dmarks said...

Why aren't any of the more strgonly anti-Obama folks calling this train the "Hogwash Express"?

sue said...

hip hoppers are Americans too.

yes, I will be watching.

Chuck said...

I'm sorry, did he say a new Decleration of Independance? Did he say who we were declaring independance from? I look at this man and I think, there is no there there.

Z said...

Oh, you guys are just terrific!!

Papa...YOU LIKE THE GRATEFUL DEAD TOO!?? DRIVING A TRAIN..HIGH ON COCAINE..BRILLIANT! We laughed out loud here.

CHUCK..."Who's he declaring independence FROM?" SUBLIME~!! WHY didn't I think of that!??

Sue...you know what I mean. Yes, hip hoppers are Americans, too..NO doubt about it, and they have every right to be hip hoppers...I was trying to make a point.

WV..sadly, that's how I feel. I can't pray for HIS success because we'll NEVER have our country back again. I pray for AMERICA'S SUCCESS.

DMARKS..HOGWASH EXPRESS. perfect. sooooooooooooiiiieeeee

Average American said...

NO, I WON'T BE WATCHING TUESDAY!

NObama is NOT the first part-black American President.

If he wants to BE just like Lincoln, maybe he will END UP just like Lincoln.

I hope he succeeds in the war on terror. I hope he succeeds in turning the economy around. I hope he fails in most other things he has promised.

Anonymous said...

I suppose we could do a Declaration of Dependence.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for a self-reliant people to cease being citizens and become serfs of its government, a decent respect for the opion of mankind requires that a list of reasons be given.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: That no one should be responsible for his own actions. That actions only have consequences because conservatives are being killjoys. That no one should have to pay for his own health coverage, house, or education. That the goverment can always make better decisions than individuals. That the laws of economics don't apply when the president is sufficiently charismatic. That standard of living must never be improved at the slightest cost to the environment. That America must never take any action that might offend Europeans, Arabs, or any other members of the world community.

To these principles, we solemnly swear the lives and fortunes of those Americans who don't agree with this, but will be better off if they allow the governenment to take care of them.

--Tio Bowser

Ducky's here said...

Tax and spend; that is what we shall have. Printing money.

---------------

Unlike don't tax and plenty of spending as we've had for eight years.

Everyone knows the far right is unwilling to pay their bills.

Time to get down off your hobbyhorse.

Z said...

TIO BOWSER:
FANTASTIC new Declaration of Independence from the Left..thanks. It is marvelous.

Ducky...does it worry you or burst your bubble of hate that most Republicans did not approve of Bush's spending? Doesn't it hurt you to know your party so rarely disagrees within itself; that it's so horribly agenda-driven than the sheeple just go along with their leaders?
Does it bug you to know that even some liberal analysts are now saying the spending wasn't Bush's idea but he was coerced by the big spending dems who said "You want your war money, you'll do what we want otherwise!?" That Bush saw how important it was to continue in Iraq and had to beg and give in on other things to continue?

And then they skewered him for big spending. How cheap.

Anonymous said...

Ducky,
If your criticism of the last 8 years is profligate spending, I think conservatives would agree with you. If your complaint is with the tax cuts, I think you have to prove that tax cuts reduced tax receipts. Andrew Laffer et al show that receipts increased with reducing capital gains and dividends tax.

--Tio Bowser

The Daily Gun Pictures and Hunting Blog said...

Obama = yak yak yak blah blah blah

cube said...

I don't want BO's liberal policies to succeed. I do want America to succeed.

No, I won't be watching the Obamapalooza lovefest.

sue said...

z - and your point about the hip
hoppers was?

average american - 'if he wants to be like lincoln maybe he will end up like lincoln.' is that what you are hoping for?

Z said...

Sue, MEA CULPA!
I'd have thought it's clear that I should have written GANSTA RAPPERS. OKay? See where I"m going?
I'm a bit concerned at how many rappers adore this man...A man who'd be ridiculed by the people like rappers who have pretty awful words and meanings in their 'music' would be someone I'd be a little less worried about. Ya, I think I feel more secure if people like gansta rappers hate my leaders; shows we're on the right track.

We're not now. They adore him......he's their MAN!

I almost deleted Avg American's comment because that's not something we even want in the ether.....I decided to let it stay.
Fire away, both of you. go at it.
I disagree. I will be praying for Obama's safety.
I wish Obama would be praying for all of ours but his plans of getting rid of Don't Ask Don't Tell don't bode well, and closing Gitmo, and announcing to the world we're not torturing anymore, and the fact that friends of mine and other bloggers have mentioned that their friends/family who were going to reenlist don't want to now as they don't want to fight under Obama.

Ya, I hope Obama will pray for MY safety, too. And DO something about it. God help us.

David Wyatt said...

You know Z, like I posted on another thread, with BO in charge, I feel like good ol' Homer & Jethro once said, "Today we feel we have a great future behind us, and we have never let failure go to our heads."

Ducky's here said...

Doesn't it hurt you to know your party so rarely disagrees within itself..

-------------------------

Are you new?

Average American said...

No Sue, I do not hope it, however, it would not cause me to lose much sleep. It may take liberals years to understand this type of feeling, and some never will, but many of you will once you see what a BIG mistake electing him was. And also, I find it extremely egotistical for him to dare compare himself to such a great leader as Lincoln was.

Sorry Z. Thanks for leaving it up, but I would have understood if you hadn't.

Z said...

It should SCARE people whose party doesn't disagree...but I think we're about to see some BIG TIME disagreement among the DEMS..BIG PUBLIC disagreement. Let the games begin.

AVerage..thanks....maybe I should have deleted it but ..whatever made me keep it there, that's what happened.