Even as the President Urges Senate Democrats to Move Quickly, a Congressional Budget Office Ruling Lowers a Hurdle that Tripped Up the Clinton-Era Reform EffortBy GAIL RUSSELL CHADDOCKStaff WriterJune 6, 2009 1 comment FONT SIZE EMAIL PRINT RSS DIGG SHARE President Obama, with a strong assist from Congress's budget watchdog, is moving healthcare reform to the fast track on Capitol Hill -- with or without Republican support. President Barack Obama is forging ahead with healthcare reform. But will he have the support of Republicans as well as Democrats?(ABC News Photo Illustration)The next two months are a "make or break period" for getting healthcare done, the president told Senate Democrats at a White House meeting on Tuesday. Mr. Obama says he still wants a bipartisan plan, but Republicans worry that Tuesday's Democrats-only meeting signals a new tack that may leave them behind. Call it un-HillaryCare. The president's rush to closure, even before details of the plan are in place, is in sharp contrast to the White House-driven healthcare reform effort in the first two years of the Clinton administration. Obama is leaving the drafting of the plan largely to Congress, where competing plans are emerging on both sides of the aisle this week. Meanwhile, the White House is making the overall case for reform and generating a sense of inevitability that a plan will clear Congress this year.
President Obama, with a strong assist from Congress's budget watchdog, is moving healthcare reform to the fast track on Capitol Hill -- with or without Republican support.
The next two months are a "make or break period" for getting healthcare done, the president told Senate Democrats at a White House meeting on Tuesday. Mr. Obama says he still wants a bipartisan plan, but Republicans worry that Tuesday's Democrats-only meeting signals a new tack that may leave them behind.
Call it un-HillaryCare. The president's rush to closure, even before details of the plan are in place, is in sharp contrast to the White House-driven healthcare reform effort in the first two years of the Clinton administration.
Obama is leaving the drafting of the plan largely to Congress, where competing plans are emerging on both sides of the aisle this week. Meanwhile, the White House is making the overall case for reform and generating a sense of inevitability that a plan will clear Congress this year.
Barack Obama Presidential Transition Play Video ABC News – Obama: Health Care Reform 'Will Not Wait' Slideshow:President Barack Obama Play Video Video:Obama: Health care must be reformed now AP Play Video Video:Loss of Daschle clouds health reform prospects AP AFP – US President Barack Obama makes a statement from the Diplomatic Room of the White House.(AFP/Jim Watson) The Obama administration will announce a 10-year, $634 billion reserve fund Thursday aimed at expanding health care coverage – and will pay for half the plan with a new tax hike on wealthy Americans that surprised health care advocates and angered Republicans. Ahead of Thursday’s budget release, administration officials said Obama will adhere to eight principles to guide his health reform effort, including allowing patients to maintain their choice of insurers and doctors, POLITICO has learned. The officials, speaking on a conference call Wednesday to health-care insiders, described Obama’s plan as a “down-payment” on a covering all Americans. In fact, the Obama team is coining a new phrase – that he’ll “aim for universality,” without offering specifics of how he would reach that goal, or when. He wants Congress to fill in the details. “The goal is still to bring down the cost of care and to get universal coverage,” said an administration source. In the conference call, White House health care officials repeatedly stressed how critical the budget was to the larger health care reform effort. "We can't underestimate the importance of rallying around this budget and making sure that in fact it goes forward and serves as a footprint for something bigger and something larger with regard to our health care plan," said Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. And he’ll pay for half his plan — $318 billion over 10 years – with new tax hike on Americans making more than $250,000. Obama had pledged throughout his campaign to roll back Bush tax cuts for Americans making more than $250,000 a year in fiscal year 2011 – a plan that also will be included in Thursday’s budget — but this is different, aimed at reducing the itemized deduction rate for those taxpayers. Some advocates for universal health coverage said they were surprised to learn that Obama would turn to a tax increase to create a dedicated fund for his program. The other half of the $634 billion would come from changes in savings in Medicare, including ending subsides to private insurance companies that participate in the Medicare Advantage programs in rural areas. But the tax increase also opened Obama up to criticism from the congressional Republicans, who sensed an opening to attack Obama over one of the oldest political fault lines in Wahsington, tax increases."Everyone agrees that all Americans deserve access to affordable health care, but is increasing taxes during an economic recession, especially on small businesses, the right way to accomplish that goal? Given the size of our $1.2 trillion deficit, a proposal costing up to $1 trillion must raise troubling questions," House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement.Under current law, high earners who are in the 35 percent tax bracket can take deductions at that rate. Under Obama’s plan, they would be capped at 28 percent – meaning instead of getting $3,500 back from $10,000 in mortgage interest or other deductions, these taxpayers would get $2,800. The plan would phase in during fiscal year 2011, just as Obama plans to let the Bush tax cuts expire. Ahead of the release of his budget Thursday, Obama has endorsed eight guiding principles for health reform, the White House officials said on the conference call. They stressed that they intend to work with lawmakers and other stakeholders on how to accomplish the goals, but the principles will lay down a marker for any congressional plan. Other goals include maintaining choice of insurance and doctors, ensuring affordable coverage, protecting Americans financial health, investing in prevention and wellness, improving patient safety and quality of care and is fiscally responsible, sustainable and portable. Early reviews for Obama's effort were favorable from health-care advocates. "We think this is an enormously positive step in the right direction," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a consumer health advocacy group. "What is so remarkable is within 24 hours of saying health care reform must be done, the president showed his commitment to putting significant money on the table in a fiscally responsible way." Anna Burger, secretary-treasurer of Service Employees International Union, said Congress “must continue to step up with the same commitment and work with the president to pass comprehensive health care reform this year.” “The American people expect solutions, not excuses,” Burger said. Obama previewed his broader plans for health care in his address to Congress Tuesday night, saying his budget contained "a commitment to comprehensive health care reform - a down payment on the principle that we must have quality, affordable health care for every American." Obama has generally shied away from using the term "universal health care" and the $634 billion is not being billed as an achievement of that goal but a big step in that direction. About 47 million Americans don't have health insurance. OMB chief Peter Orszag is to announce the plan while outlining Obama's budget in a press conference Thursday.
Play Video ABC News – Obama: Health Care Reform 'Will Not Wait'
The Obama administration will announce a 10-year, $634 billion reserve fund Thursday aimed at expanding health care coverage – and will pay for half the plan with a new tax hike on wealthy Americans that surprised health care advocates and angered Republicans.
Ahead of Thursday’s budget release, administration officials said Obama will adhere to eight principles to guide his health reform effort, including allowing patients to maintain their choice of insurers and doctors, POLITICO has learned.
The officials, speaking on a conference call Wednesday to health-care insiders, described Obama’s plan as a “down-payment” on a covering all Americans. In fact, the Obama team is coining a new phrase – that he’ll “aim for universality,” without offering specifics of how he would reach that goal, or when. He wants Congress to fill in the details.
“The goal is still to bring down the cost of care and to get universal coverage,” said an administration source.
In the conference call, White House health care officials repeatedly stressed how critical the budget was to the larger health care reform effort.
"We can't underestimate the importance of rallying around this budget and making sure that in fact it goes forward and serves as a footprint for something bigger and something larger with regard to our health care plan," said Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
And he’ll pay for half his plan — $318 billion over 10 years – with new tax hike on Americans making more than $250,000.
Obama had pledged throughout his campaign to roll back Bush tax cuts for Americans making more than $250,000 a year in fiscal year 2011 – a plan that also will be included in Thursday’s budget — but this is different, aimed at reducing the itemized deduction rate for those taxpayers.
Some advocates for universal health coverage said they were surprised to learn that Obama would turn to a tax increase to create a dedicated fund for his program. The other half of the $634 billion would come from changes in savings in Medicare, including ending subsides to private insurance companies that participate in the Medicare Advantage programs in rural areas.
But the tax increase also opened Obama up to criticism from the congressional Republicans, who sensed an opening to attack Obama over one of the oldest political fault lines in Wahsington, tax increases.
"Everyone agrees that all Americans deserve access to affordable health care, but is increasing taxes during an economic recession, especially on small businesses, the right way to accomplish that goal? Given the size of our $1.2 trillion deficit, a proposal costing up to $1 trillion must raise troubling questions," House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement.
Under current law, high earners who are in the 35 percent tax bracket can take deductions at that rate. Under Obama’s plan, they would be capped at 28 percent – meaning instead of getting $3,500 back from $10,000 in mortgage interest or other deductions, these taxpayers would get $2,800. The plan would phase in during fiscal year 2011, just as Obama plans to let the Bush tax cuts expire.
Ahead of the release of his budget Thursday, Obama has endorsed eight guiding principles for health reform, the White House officials said on the conference call. They stressed that they intend to work with lawmakers and other stakeholders on how to accomplish the goals, but the principles will lay down a marker for any congressional plan.
Other goals include maintaining choice of insurance and doctors, ensuring affordable coverage, protecting Americans financial health, investing in prevention and wellness, improving patient safety and quality of care and is fiscally responsible, sustainable and portable.
Early reviews for Obama's effort were favorable from health-care advocates.
"We think this is an enormously positive step in the right direction," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a consumer health advocacy group. "What is so remarkable is within 24 hours of saying health care reform must be done, the president showed his commitment to putting significant money on the table in a fiscally responsible way."
Anna Burger, secretary-treasurer of Service Employees International Union, said Congress “must continue to step up with the same commitment and work with the president to pass comprehensive health care reform this year.”
“The American people expect solutions, not excuses,” Burger said.
Obama previewed his broader plans for health care in his address to Congress Tuesday night, saying his budget contained "a commitment to comprehensive health care reform - a down payment on the principle that we must have quality, affordable health care for every American."
Obama has generally shied away from using the term "universal health care" and the $634 billion is not being billed as an achievement of that goal but a big step in that direction. About 47 million Americans don't have health insurance.
OMB chief Peter Orszag is to announce the plan while outlining Obama's budget in a press conference Thursday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1m_k2dCj0M&eurl=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/02/62687523/1?se=yahoorefer&feature=player_embeddedIt was quite a moment at the end of President Obama's town hall meeting in Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday. As The News-Press writes, 19-year-old Julio Osegueda "rocketed from a Cape Coral teenager who flips burgers for $7.85 an hour at a McDonald's to an instant celebrity of sorts."And he got a temporary job.For those who didn't see what happened at the town hall when Osegueda asked the president about when he and other low-wage workers might be able to get job benefits, here's the video: "I have never felt this good except maybe when I got my PlayStation 3 for Christmas," Osegueda told the News-Press later.After the event, the newspaper adds, Osegueda:Picked up another job -- if just for a day -- as the color announcer for the Fort Myers Miracle baseball team's radio broadcast for its home opener April 10. The one-day gig typically pays $25, but the Miracle said the salary is negotiable."I'll be ready," he said about his debut.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1m_k2dCj0M&eurl=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/02/62687523/1?se=yahoorefer&feature=player_embedded
It was quite a moment at the end of President Obama's town hall meeting in Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday. As The News-Press writes, 19-year-old Julio Osegueda "rocketed from a Cape Coral teenager who flips burgers for $7.85 an hour at a McDonald's to an instant celebrity of sorts."
And he got a temporary job.
For those who didn't see what happened at the town hall when Osegueda asked the president about when he and other low-wage workers might be able to get job benefits, here's the video:
"I have never felt this good except maybe when I got my PlayStation 3 for Christmas," Osegueda told the News-Press later.
After the event, the newspaper adds, Osegueda:
Picked up another job -- if just for a day -- as the color announcer for the Fort Myers Miracle baseball team's radio broadcast for its home opener April 10. The one-day gig typically pays $25, but the Miracle said the salary is negotiable."I'll be ready," he said about his debut.
UPDATE 2-US Treasury to roll out financial rescue plan By obama democrat - 9:09pm - 1 author - 0 replies Holder Confirmed As the First Black Attorney General By obama democrat - 9:07pm - 1 author - 0 replies Sources: Sen. Judd Gregg accepts commerce secretary post By obama democrat - 9:02pm - 1 author - 0 replies House OKs $819B stimulus bill with GOP opposition By obama democrat - Jan 28 - 1 author - 0 replies Next week the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is due to be passed by Congress and sent to the President By obama democrat - Jan 27 - 1 author - 0 replies Obama tells Muslim world: 'Americans are not your enemy' By obama democrat - Jan 26 - 1 author - 0 replies Remarks by the Presidenton Jobs, Energy Independence, and Climate Change By obama democrat - Jan 26 - 1 author - 0 replies Monday, January 26th, 2009 at 6:30 pm Press Briefing Highlights By obama democrat - Jan 26 - 1 author - 0 replies
UPDATE 2-US Treasury to roll out financial rescue plan By obama democrat - 9:09pm - 1 author - 0 replies Holder Confirmed As the First Black Attorney General By obama democrat - 9:07pm - 1 author - 0 replies
UPDATE 2-US Treasury to roll out financial rescue plan By obama democrat - 9:09pm - 1 author - 0 replies
Holder Confirmed As the First Black Attorney General By obama democrat - 9:07pm - 1 author - 0 replies
Sources: Sen. Judd Gregg accepts commerce secretary post By obama democrat - 9:02pm - 1 author - 0 replies House OKs $819B stimulus bill with GOP opposition By obama democrat - Jan 28 - 1 author - 0 replies Next week the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is due to be passed by Congress and sent to the President By obama democrat - Jan 27 - 1 author - 0 replies Obama tells Muslim world: 'Americans are not your enemy' By obama democrat - Jan 26 - 1 author - 0 replies Remarks by the Presidenton Jobs, Energy Independence, and Climate Change By obama democrat - Jan 26 - 1 author - 0 replies Monday, January 26th, 2009 at 6:30 pm Press Briefing Highlights By obama democrat - Jan 26 - 1 author - 0 replies
(Washington, DC) The Senate passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is a long-awaited victory for women’s rights, removing a critical hurdle in restoring the ability of victims of wage discrimination to fight for equal pay for equal work, the National Women’s Law Center said today. A statement from Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center, follows.“The Senate passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act means that women’s ability to challenge unequal pay will be restored. We celebrate today with women and their families who can once again stand up and fight for the pay they so desperately need and deserve. “Lilly Ledbetter’s story represents an unfortunate turn in our nation’s laws. The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in 2007 left women without the most basic legal means to fight for equal pay. But President Obama has pledged to sign the Ledbetter bill and soon our country’s workers will be a part of a different story – one that rejects discrimination and holds employers accountable for injustice.“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores the law that existed for decades in virtually every region of the country prior to the Ledbetter decision and gives women back critical tools they need to fight wage discrimination in court. The Ledbetter bill makes it clear that each discriminatory paycheck is a new act of discrimination that resets the 180-day limit to file a claim. In doing so, it reestablishes the law’s incentive for employers to correct discriminatory pay practices. Employers will no longer have the free pass to continue to discriminate against their employees without ever having to worry about being held accountable. At the same time, plaintiffs still can only recover back pay for a period of no more than two years before they challenge the discrimination. “The Senate was right to defeat the amendments offered today. An amended bill would not have fully restored the protections women had before the Ledbetter decision. It would have created new and untested legal standards, leading to more litigation and less equal pay. The Senate deserves the thanks of families across the country for joining the House in passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. We look forward to our new President signing the bill into law, and righting a festering wrong that five justices had done to the nation’s basic equal pay protections.”The Ledbetter bill now goes back to the House of Representatives for a final – and what is expected to be quick – vote before it is sent to President Obama for his signature. To speak with Marcia D. Greenberger or Lilly Ledbetter, contact Ranit Schmelzer at 202-588-5180. For more information about the campaign for pay equity, visit www.nwlc.org/fairpay. A fact sheet on Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. is available here: http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/Broad_Ledbetter_Fact_Sheet_111008.pdf A fact sheet on the wage gap is available here: http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/Pay_Equity_Fact_Sheet_Nov2008.pdf
(Washington, DC) The Senate passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is a long-awaited victory for women’s rights, removing a critical hurdle in restoring the ability of victims of wage discrimination to fight for equal pay for equal work, the National Women’s Law Center said today. A statement from Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center, follows.
“The Senate passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act means that women’s ability to challenge unequal pay will be restored. We celebrate today with women and their families who can once again stand up and fight for the pay they so desperately need and deserve.
“Lilly Ledbetter’s story represents an unfortunate turn in our nation’s laws. The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in 2007 left women without the most basic legal means to fight for equal pay. But President Obama has pledged to sign the Ledbetter bill and soon our country’s workers will be a part of a different story – one that rejects discrimination and holds employers accountable for injustice.
“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores the law that existed for decades in virtually every region of the country prior to the Ledbetter decision and gives women back critical tools they need to fight wage discrimination in court. The Ledbetter bill makes it clear that each discriminatory paycheck is a new act of discrimination that resets the 180-day limit to file a claim. In doing so, it reestablishes the law’s incentive for employers to correct discriminatory pay practices. Employers will no longer have the free pass to continue to discriminate against their employees without ever having to worry about being held accountable. At the same time, plaintiffs still can only recover back pay for a period of no more than two years before they challenge the discrimination.
“The Senate was right to defeat the amendments offered today. An amended bill would not have fully restored the protections women had before the Ledbetter decision. It would have created new and untested legal standards, leading to more litigation and less equal pay. The Senate deserves the thanks of families across the country for joining the House in passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. We look forward to our new President signing the bill into law, and righting a festering wrong that five justices had done to the nation’s basic equal pay protections.”
The Ledbetter bill now goes back to the House of Representatives for a final – and what is expected to be quick – vote before it is sent to President Obama for his signature.
To speak with Marcia D. Greenberger or Lilly Ledbetter, contact Ranit Schmelzer at 202-588-5180. For more information about the campaign for pay equity, visit www.nwlc.org/fairpay. A fact sheet on Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. is available here: http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/Broad_Ledbetter_Fact_Sheet_111008.pdf A fact sheet on the wage gap is available here: http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/Pay_Equity_Fact_Sheet_Nov2008.pdf
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NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The Obama administration plans to tighten the nation's financial regulatory system, including stricter federal rules for hedge funds, credit rating agencies and mortgage brokers, the New York Times reported in Sunday editions.The broad changes include increased oversight of the complex financial instruments that helped spawn the current economic crisis, the newspaper said on its website Saturday night.The newspaper based its story on interviews with officials as well as confirmation hearings for senior administration appointees, and a recent report by an international committee led by Paul Volcker, one of President Obama's chief economic advisers.These officials want rules that would eliminate conflicts of interest at credit rating agencies that gave top investment grades to the ultimately shaky financial instruments that have been one source of market turmoil.The officials pointed out that under the present system, the agencies are paid by companies to help them structure financial instruments -- which the agencies then grade."Until we deal with the compensation model, we're not going to deal with the conflict of interest and people are not going to have confidence that the ratings are worth relying on, worth the paper they're printed on," the newspaper quoted the newly confirmed Securities and Exchange Commission head Mary Schapiro as saying.Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner made similar written and verbal comments before Senate Finance Committee, it said.The officials said the Obama administration has embraced one of the themes of the Volcker report as a guiding principle -- that major companies and financial instruments that are mostly unsupervised must be brought back under a larger regulatory umbrella.While some actions will be require legislation, others should be achievable through regulations adopted by federal agencies, the Times said. Continued...1 | 2 Next > © Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. | Learn more about Thomson Reuters
NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The Obama administration plans to tighten the nation's financial regulatory system, including stricter federal rules for hedge funds, credit rating agencies and mortgage brokers, the New York Times reported in Sunday editions.
The broad changes include increased oversight of the complex financial instruments that helped spawn the current economic crisis, the newspaper said on its website Saturday night.
The newspaper based its story on interviews with officials as well as confirmation hearings for senior administration appointees, and a recent report by an international committee led by Paul Volcker, one of President Obama's chief economic advisers.
These officials want rules that would eliminate conflicts of interest at credit rating agencies that gave top investment grades to the ultimately shaky financial instruments that have been one source of market turmoil.
The officials pointed out that under the present system, the agencies are paid by companies to help them structure financial instruments -- which the agencies then grade.
"Until we deal with the compensation model, we're not going to deal with the conflict of interest and people are not going to have confidence that the ratings are worth relying on, worth the paper they're printed on," the newspaper quoted the newly confirmed Securities and Exchange Commission head Mary Schapiro as saying.
Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner made similar written and verbal comments before Senate Finance Committee, it said.
The officials said the Obama administration has embraced one of the themes of the Volcker report as a guiding principle -- that major companies and financial instruments that are mostly unsupervised must be brought back under a larger regulatory umbrella.
While some actions will be require legislation, others should be achievable through regulations adopted by federal agencies, the Times said. Continued...
© Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. | Learn more about Thomson Reuters
Oliver Burkeman and Ed Pilkington The Guardian, Saturday 24 January 2009 Article history Obama and his wife and daughters. Photograph: Chuck Kennedy/AP1 Said: "So help me God." The phrase is not required by the constitution, so it's arguable that he, Barack Obama, was president by the time he said it, making these his first words in office.2 Delivered a 17-minute inauguration address, telling the crowds it was time to "pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America".3 Invoked biggest cheer of the day from the 2 million-plus crowd with the words: "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many ... But know this, America - they will be met."4 Then the words: "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." George Bush, sitting to his left, looks decidedly uncomfortable.5 With his wife, Michelle, escorted George and Laura Bush to the waiting helicopter, where the two men hugged before the former president began his journey home to Texas.6 As the helicopter disappeared into clear skies, Obama now had Washington, and the United States, all to himself. His relief was palpable.7 Inside the Capitol building, signed his first documents as president, including cabinet nominations.8 "I'm a lefty. Get used to it," he said, as he signed. Obama is the fourth southpaw, or left-handed, president out of the past five (Dubya is right-handed).9 Signed a proclamation declaring 20 January 2009 a national day of renewal and reconciliation.10 Completed the signing session, looking wistfully at the object in his left hand. "I was told not to swipe the pen," he said.11 Attended a lunch with congressional leaders, where he dined on a menu from Lincoln's day: pheasant, duck and apple cake served on replica Lincoln White House china.12 Addressed the assembled crowd, minus Ted Kennedy, who was removed on a stretcher with medical difficulties.13 Entered his limousine, nicknamed The Beast, to begin the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to his new home at number 1600.14 The armour-plated Beast has tinted windows, but through them Obama could be seen clearly practising his military salute.15 Walked two stretches of the 1.7-mile route, waving at the crowds lining the street.16 Briefly entered the White House with his family - the Obamas' first moments in their new home.17 As he entered the North Porticoe into the central entrance, he passed a portrait of the elder George Bush on his left and Bill Clinton on the right. Straight ahead of him, above the door to the Blue Room, was the seal of the US president. His seal.18 Took his position in the reviewing stand outside the White House, to watch 40 bands and other groups parade past, including the World Famous Lawn Rangers from Illinois, who pushed decorated lawn mowers.19 Tried out that salute, as cadets marched by. Not bad, though he needs to keep his hand straight.20 Instructed military prosecutors to seek a 120-day halt to legal proceedings involving detainees at Guantánamo Bay.21 Issued an order instructing government agencies to halt all pending regulations signed by Bush - a way of combating efforts by the outgoing administration to force through last-minute changes without congressional approval.22 Danced with Michelle to Beyonce's rendition of At Last, by Etta James, as the opening dance of the Neighbourhood Ball.23 Appeared to step on the train of Michelle's custom-designed gown by Jason Wu, but otherwise showed himself to be a decent dancer.24 Gave a brief interview to ABC News, whose reporter said: "Mr President - sounds good, doesn't it?" "It's got a certain ring to it," he replied.25 Danced and spoke again at the Home State Ball, for Illinois and Hawaii.26 A quick transfer to the Commander-in-Chief ball, with many military attendees, and a satellite link to war zones. Obama danced with Army Sergeant Margaret Herrera of Texas, who burst into tears.27 Visited the Youth Ball, for people aged between 18 and 35.28 Visited the Home State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania, in honour of Joe Biden, his vice-president.29 Briefly visited the Mid-Atlantic Ball.30 ... And the Western Ball ...31 ... And the Midwestern Ball ...32 ... And the Southern Ball ...33 ... And the Eastern Ball. The couple looked increasingly exhausted as the evening progressed, and sped up their appearances, ending the night ahead of schedule.34 Back to White House at 12.55am to spend his first night there. 35 The Obamas slept in the master bedroom in the private residence on the first floor of the White House. Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, who were treated to a treasure hunt by White House staff on their first evening culminating with a surprise visit by their favourite music act the Jonas Brothers, slept in bedrooms over the corridor once occupied by Amy Carter, Tricia Nixon, Luci Johnson and Caroline Kennedy.36 Four hours of sleep and he was up and at it on his first full day. Lights were reported in the private residence at 5am.37 Obama probably squeezed in a visit to the exercise room on the second floor. He has daily 45-minute gym sessions.38 Spent his first 10 minutes alone in the Oval Office.39 Got to sit for the first time behind the Resolute desk, a gift from Queen Victoria to America in 1880.40 Read the letter that Bush had left for him, according to tradition, in the top drawer of the desk, marked: "To #44, From #43". Its contents have not been revealed.41 Discussed the day's events with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. It's their first Oval Office meeting.42 Posed for pictures taken by his personal White House photographer of him and Emanuel in deep discussion. Press photographers later expressed their anger that they weren't invited to capture the moment.43 Briefly spoke with his wife, Michelle, in the Oval Office.44 Attended morning-after post-inauguration service with his family, the Bidens, and the Clintons, at the Washington National Cathedral.45 Laughed when Rev Samuel Lloyd proclaimed: "This is their first full day on the job and the best way we can imagine to begin is by praying for them."46 Listened, with head bowed, to the first sermon at a president's inaugural church service delivered by Rev Sharon Watkins.47 Telephoned the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas - according to Abbas's spokesman, the call was Obama's first to a foreign leader.48 Phoned the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.49 Phoned King Abdullah of Jordan.50 Phoned Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak. The Middle Eastern calls, Obama's press spokesman said, were intended "to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term".51 Issued executive order limiting the powers of former presidents and vice-presidents to block the release of sensitive records of their time in the White House. It would allow the administration to approve release of former vice-president Dick Cheney's records, among others, against his objections.52 Issued instruction to government agencies to be more responsive to freedom of information requests.53 Announced a tightening of rules on ex-lobbyists working in government.54 Announced a pay freeze for his staff earning $100,000 (£73,000) or more. "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington," he said.55 Witnessed the swearing-in of about 50 senior members of White House staff.56 Told his top team that "transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency".57 Biden made a joke about Chief Justice Roberts's flubbing of the presidential oath as he prepared to lead the swearing in. Obama did not look amused. Was this one transparency too far?58 Personally greeted each of the newly sworn-in staff.59 Obama hosted an "open house" in the White House for 200 people who had been granted tickets on a first-come, first-served basis; some were in tears.60 "Welcome, enjoy yourself," the president told one young man. "Roam around. Don't break anything."61 Met the joint chiefs of staff and other members of his national security team to discuss Iraq and Afghanistan. His first chance to check out the wizardry in the Situation Room, with its screens receiving satellite images from around the world and its banks of incoming top-secret messages.62 Met economic advisors to discuss his stimulus package, which could be worth $900bn.63 Re-swore the oath of office in the White House Map Room out of an "abundance of caution". Or alternatively as a way of killing off the storm of right-wing agitprop that has been tearing through the internet suggesting that the first botched attempt at the oath means Obama is not rightfully president.64 This time they got it right. Roberts asked "Are you ready to take the oath?" Obama replied: "I am, and we're going to do it very slowly."65 "We decided it was so much fun." Obama joked to reporters after the event. "The bad news ... is there's 12 more balls."66 Ate dinner with his family at the White House on Wednesday evening in the private dining room on the first floor.67 Was waited upon by the 95-strong White House staff. Barack and Michelle will not have to make their own bed for as long as they are in the mansion, though Malia and Sasha will, at their mother's insistence.68 Gave a speech at a Wednesday night Thank You Ball for campaign workers at the Washington DC Armoury. "You guys dress a lot sharper than you did in Iowa!" he told the crowd.69 Walked up and down the rope line shaking campaign workers' hands - officially, the final act of the inauguration celebrations.70 On Thursday morning, said goodbye to his daughters, Sasha and Malia, who were returning to Washington's Sidwell Friends school after two days off for the inauguration.71 Back to the gym for likely work-out.72 Absorbed the news that the specially commissioned piece of music by John Williams played "live" at his inauguration by a quartet of world-class musicians had in fact been recorded two days' previously.73 Released statement on the 36th anniversary of the landmark Roe v Wade supreme court judgment, reaffirming his commitment to protecting abortion rights.74 To applause, signed executive order requiring the closure of the military prison at Guantánamo within one year.75 Obama said: "The message we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism ... and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals." Was Bush watching on TV at home in Dallas cringing?76 Signed second executive order requiring the closure of the CIA's network of secret overseas prisons, and making a commitment to not using torture in interrogations.77 Signed third executive order establishing an interagency taskforce on detainees, including Hillary Clinton and the defence secretary, Robert Gates, to decide what to do with the remaining Guantánamo inmates.78 Signed directive to delay proceedings in the case of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, currently awaiting a hearing at the supreme court, so that the president's team can review it. Marri is accused of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent.79 Visited the state department, where Clinton had earlier made an introductory address to staff.80 Watched, with impassive face, as Clinton said that she had appointed two special envoys to world trouble zones. The appointments had previously been billed as Obama's own. Was this a taste of rivalry to come?81 Endured second gaffe by his vice-president in a week. Biden stepped into the tension between Obama and Clinton, saying at first that the president would announce the envoys and then hurriedly saying Clinton would present them.82 Clinton got to name George Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader and Irish peace negotiator, as special envoy to the Middle East peace process. Obama later claimed him as his envoy. Who is in charge here?83 Clinton named the former UN ambassador Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama later names him as his envoy. Bully to you, secretary of state!84 Called on Hamas to end its rocket fire into Israel, and for Israel to "complete the withdrawal of its forces from Gaza", adding that Gaza's borders should be opened to humanitarian aid.85 Paid brief surprise visit to the White House press area, startling journalists. "Good to see you guys. I just wanted to make sure that I had a chance to say hello," he said. "I gotta say, it's smaller than I thought."86 Observing that CNN and Rupert Murdoch's Fox News had adjacent booths, he likened them to the goal for Israel and the Palestinians: "Living side by side in peace and security," he noted.87 Slight tetchiness entered the proceedings when a reporter asked a serious question about his nomination of a former lobbyist as number two at the Pentagon. "I can't come in and shake hands if I'm gonna get grilled every time," Obama said.88 Said that he had won his fight to keep a Blackberry. The president will be given a $3,000 special version with encryption to secure his email exchanges with a very limited number of vetted correspondents.89 Convened meeting with congressional leaders on the economic crisis. 90 Invited Republican leaders into the White House to air their discontent over the bail-out package. He is proving himself to be adept in defusing potential enemies.91 Sat in on the daily briefing of the National Security Council giving updates on threats around the world.92 Approves first American missile strikes under his presidency on tribal areas of Pakistan.93 Started the first of what will now be a new daily series of briefings on the economy led by Larry Summers.94 Budget meeting. With projections of an annual deficit of more than $1tr this year, there was plenty to talk about.95 Rounded off a gruelling first three days with a meeting in the Oval Office with Timothy Geithner, his nominee for treasury secretary who is still embroiled in a drawn-out confirmation process in the Senate.96 The Obamas had a choice of possible entertainments to round off their week. The choicest of all, most past presidents agree, is the private theatre, where they can watch Hollywood films before they are put on general release.97 Back to the gym. There is no way Obama would miss his work-out on a Saturday.98 Finally, a chance to take in the White House and its grounds at a slightly more relaxed tempo. The Obamas have said they will continue to spend weekends in their Chicago home, but this weekend is likely to be a time for acclimatising in their new residence.99 Obama may take the opportunity to test out the White House basketball court. The court has been modified to put up two nets, allowing for a full game.100 Obama retreats to his office on the first floor, puts his feet up on the desk, leans back and goes to light one of the cigarettes he has been struggling to give up. But alas smoking is banned in the White House.
Obama and his wife and daughters. Photograph: Chuck Kennedy/AP
1 Said: "So help me God." The phrase is not required by the constitution, so it's arguable that he, Barack Obama, was president by the time he said it, making these his first words in office.
2 Delivered a 17-minute inauguration address, telling the crowds it was time to "pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America".
3 Invoked biggest cheer of the day from the 2 million-plus crowd with the words: "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many ... But know this, America - they will be met."
4 Then the words: "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." George Bush, sitting to his left, looks decidedly uncomfortable.
5 With his wife, Michelle, escorted George and Laura Bush to the waiting helicopter, where the two men hugged before the former president began his journey home to Texas.
6 As the helicopter disappeared into clear skies, Obama now had Washington, and the United States, all to himself. His relief was palpable.
7 Inside the Capitol building, signed his first documents as president, including cabinet nominations.
8 "I'm a lefty. Get used to it," he said, as he signed. Obama is the fourth southpaw, or left-handed, president out of the past five (Dubya is right-handed).
9 Signed a proclamation declaring 20 January 2009 a national day of renewal and reconciliation.
10 Completed the signing session, looking wistfully at the object in his left hand. "I was told not to swipe the pen," he said.
11 Attended a lunch with congressional leaders, where he dined on a menu from Lincoln's day: pheasant, duck and apple cake served on replica Lincoln White House china.
12 Addressed the assembled crowd, minus Ted Kennedy, who was removed on a stretcher with medical difficulties.
13 Entered his limousine, nicknamed The Beast, to begin the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to his new home at number 1600.
14 The armour-plated Beast has tinted windows, but through them Obama could be seen clearly practising his military salute.
15 Walked two stretches of the 1.7-mile route, waving at the crowds lining the street.
16 Briefly entered the White House with his family - the Obamas' first moments in their new home.
17 As he entered the North Porticoe into the central entrance, he passed a portrait of the elder George Bush on his left and Bill Clinton on the right. Straight ahead of him, above the door to the Blue Room, was the seal of the US president. His seal.
18 Took his position in the reviewing stand outside the White House, to watch 40 bands and other groups parade past, including the World Famous Lawn Rangers from Illinois, who pushed decorated lawn mowers.
19 Tried out that salute, as cadets marched by. Not bad, though he needs to keep his hand straight.
20 Instructed military prosecutors to seek a 120-day halt to legal proceedings involving detainees at Guantánamo Bay.
21 Issued an order instructing government agencies to halt all pending regulations signed by Bush - a way of combating efforts by the outgoing administration to force through last-minute changes without congressional approval.
22 Danced with Michelle to Beyonce's rendition of At Last, by Etta James, as the opening dance of the Neighbourhood Ball.
23 Appeared to step on the train of Michelle's custom-designed gown by Jason Wu, but otherwise showed himself to be a decent dancer.
24 Gave a brief interview to ABC News, whose reporter said: "Mr President - sounds good, doesn't it?" "It's got a certain ring to it," he replied.
25 Danced and spoke again at the Home State Ball, for Illinois and Hawaii.
26 A quick transfer to the Commander-in-Chief ball, with many military attendees, and a satellite link to war zones. Obama danced with Army Sergeant Margaret Herrera of Texas, who burst into tears.
27 Visited the Youth Ball, for people aged between 18 and 35.
28 Visited the Home State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania, in honour of Joe Biden, his vice-president.
29 Briefly visited the Mid-Atlantic Ball.
30 ... And the Western Ball ...
31 ... And the Midwestern Ball ...
32 ... And the Southern Ball ...
33 ... And the Eastern Ball. The couple looked increasingly exhausted as the evening progressed, and sped up their appearances, ending the night ahead of schedule.
34 Back to White House at 12.55am to spend his first night there.
35 The Obamas slept in the master bedroom in the private residence on the first floor of the White House. Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, who were treated to a treasure hunt by White House staff on their first evening culminating with a surprise visit by their favourite music act the Jonas Brothers, slept in bedrooms over the corridor once occupied by Amy Carter, Tricia Nixon, Luci Johnson and Caroline Kennedy.
36 Four hours of sleep and he was up and at it on his first full day. Lights were reported in the private residence at 5am.
37 Obama probably squeezed in a visit to the exercise room on the second floor. He has daily 45-minute gym sessions.
38 Spent his first 10 minutes alone in the Oval Office.
39 Got to sit for the first time behind the Resolute desk, a gift from Queen Victoria to America in 1880.
40 Read the letter that Bush had left for him, according to tradition, in the top drawer of the desk, marked: "To #44, From #43". Its contents have not been revealed.
41 Discussed the day's events with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. It's their first Oval Office meeting.
42 Posed for pictures taken by his personal White House photographer of him and Emanuel in deep discussion. Press photographers later expressed their anger that they weren't invited to capture the moment.
43 Briefly spoke with his wife, Michelle, in the Oval Office.
44 Attended morning-after post-inauguration service with his family, the Bidens, and the Clintons, at the Washington National Cathedral.
45 Laughed when Rev Samuel Lloyd proclaimed: "This is their first full day on the job and the best way we can imagine to begin is by praying for them."
46 Listened, with head bowed, to the first sermon at a president's inaugural church service delivered by Rev Sharon Watkins.
47 Telephoned the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas - according to Abbas's spokesman, the call was Obama's first to a foreign leader.
48 Phoned the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
49 Phoned King Abdullah of Jordan.
50 Phoned Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak. The Middle Eastern calls, Obama's press spokesman said, were intended "to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term".
51 Issued executive order limiting the powers of former presidents and vice-presidents to block the release of sensitive records of their time in the White House. It would allow the administration to approve release of former vice-president Dick Cheney's records, among others, against his objections.
52 Issued instruction to government agencies to be more responsive to freedom of information requests.
53 Announced a tightening of rules on ex-lobbyists working in government.
54 Announced a pay freeze for his staff earning $100,000 (£73,000) or more. "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington," he said.
55 Witnessed the swearing-in of about 50 senior members of White House staff.
56 Told his top team that "transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency".
57 Biden made a joke about Chief Justice Roberts's flubbing of the presidential oath as he prepared to lead the swearing in. Obama did not look amused. Was this one transparency too far?
58 Personally greeted each of the newly sworn-in staff.
59 Obama hosted an "open house" in the White House for 200 people who had been granted tickets on a first-come, first-served basis; some were in tears.
60 "Welcome, enjoy yourself," the president told one young man. "Roam around. Don't break anything."
61 Met the joint chiefs of staff and other members of his national security team to discuss Iraq and Afghanistan. His first chance to check out the wizardry in the Situation Room, with its screens receiving satellite images from around the world and its banks of incoming top-secret messages.
62 Met economic advisors to discuss his stimulus package, which could be worth $900bn.
63 Re-swore the oath of office in the White House Map Room out of an "abundance of caution". Or alternatively as a way of killing off the storm of right-wing agitprop that has been tearing through the internet suggesting that the first botched attempt at the oath means Obama is not rightfully president.
64 This time they got it right. Roberts asked "Are you ready to take the oath?" Obama replied: "I am, and we're going to do it very slowly."
65 "We decided it was so much fun." Obama joked to reporters after the event. "The bad news ... is there's 12 more balls."
66 Ate dinner with his family at the White House on Wednesday evening in the private dining room on the first floor.
67 Was waited upon by the 95-strong White House staff. Barack and Michelle will not have to make their own bed for as long as they are in the mansion, though Malia and Sasha will, at their mother's insistence.
68 Gave a speech at a Wednesday night Thank You Ball for campaign workers at the Washington DC Armoury. "You guys dress a lot sharper than you did in Iowa!" he told the crowd.
69 Walked up and down the rope line shaking campaign workers' hands - officially, the final act of the inauguration celebrations.
70 On Thursday morning, said goodbye to his daughters, Sasha and Malia, who were returning to Washington's Sidwell Friends school after two days off for the inauguration.
71 Back to the gym for likely work-out.
72 Absorbed the news that the specially commissioned piece of music by John Williams played "live" at his inauguration by a quartet of world-class musicians had in fact been recorded two days' previously.
73 Released statement on the 36th anniversary of the landmark Roe v Wade supreme court judgment, reaffirming his commitment to protecting abortion rights.
74 To applause, signed executive order requiring the closure of the military prison at Guantánamo within one year.
75 Obama said: "The message we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism ... and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals." Was Bush watching on TV at home in Dallas cringing?
76 Signed second executive order requiring the closure of the CIA's network of secret overseas prisons, and making a commitment to not using torture in interrogations.
77 Signed third executive order establishing an interagency taskforce on detainees, including Hillary Clinton and the defence secretary, Robert Gates, to decide what to do with the remaining Guantánamo inmates.
78 Signed directive to delay proceedings in the case of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, currently awaiting a hearing at the supreme court, so that the president's team can review it. Marri is accused of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent.
79 Visited the state department, where Clinton had earlier made an introductory address to staff.
80 Watched, with impassive face, as Clinton said that she had appointed two special envoys to world trouble zones. The appointments had previously been billed as Obama's own. Was this a taste of rivalry to come?
81 Endured second gaffe by his vice-president in a week. Biden stepped into the tension between Obama and Clinton, saying at first that the president would announce the envoys and then hurriedly saying Clinton would present them.
82 Clinton got to name George Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader and Irish peace negotiator, as special envoy to the Middle East peace process. Obama later claimed him as his envoy. Who is in charge here?
83 Clinton named the former UN ambassador Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama later names him as his envoy. Bully to you, secretary of state!
84 Called on Hamas to end its rocket fire into Israel, and for Israel to "complete the withdrawal of its forces from Gaza", adding that Gaza's borders should be opened to humanitarian aid.
85 Paid brief surprise visit to the White House press area, startling journalists. "Good to see you guys. I just wanted to make sure that I had a chance to say hello," he said. "I gotta say, it's smaller than I thought."
86 Observing that CNN and Rupert Murdoch's Fox News had adjacent booths, he likened them to the goal for Israel and the Palestinians: "Living side by side in peace and security," he noted.
87 Slight tetchiness entered the proceedings when a reporter asked a serious question about his nomination of a former lobbyist as number two at the Pentagon. "I can't come in and shake hands if I'm gonna get grilled every time," Obama said.
88 Said that he had won his fight to keep a Blackberry. The president will be given a $3,000 special version with encryption to secure his email exchanges with a very limited number of vetted correspondents.
89 Convened meeting with congressional leaders on the economic crisis.
90 Invited Republican leaders into the White House to air their discontent over the bail-out package. He is proving himself to be adept in defusing potential enemies.
91 Sat in on the daily briefing of the National Security Council giving updates on threats around the world.
92 Approves first American missile strikes under his presidency on tribal areas of Pakistan.
93 Started the first of what will now be a new daily series of briefings on the economy led by Larry Summers.
94 Budget meeting. With projections of an annual deficit of more than $1tr this year, there was plenty to talk about.
95 Rounded off a gruelling first three days with a meeting in the Oval Office with Timothy Geithner, his nominee for treasury secretary who is still embroiled in a drawn-out confirmation process in the Senate.
96 The Obamas had a choice of possible entertainments to round off their week. The choicest of all, most past presidents agree, is the private theatre, where they can watch Hollywood films before they are put on general release.
97 Back to the gym. There is no way Obama would miss his work-out on a Saturday.
98 Finally, a chance to take in the White House and its grounds at a slightly more relaxed tempo. The Obamas have said they will continue to spend weekends in their Chicago home, but this weekend is likely to be a time for acclimatising in their new residence.
99 Obama may take the opportunity to test out the White House basketball court. The court has been modified to put up two nets, allowing for a full game.
100 Obama retreats to his office on the first floor, puts his feet up on the desk, leans back and goes to light one of the cigarettes he has been struggling to give up. But alas smoking is banned in the White House.
President Barack Obama signs and executive order, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, one of which would close the prison at Guantánamo Bay. CHARLES DHARAPAK / ASSOCIATED PRESS Photo Related ContentGates says 'challenge' in closing Guantánamo Kansas wary of being new home for Guantánamo detainees Obama orders review in al Qaeda sleeper case Obama intel nominee says no torture on his watch By JONATHAN S. LANDAYMcClatchy NewspapersWASHINGTON -- The three executive orders that President Barack Obama signed on Thursday to shut the Guantánamo Bay and CIA prisons began to untangle some of the legal, diplomatic and practical knots created by the Bush administration's war on terror policies.They marked a clear break with policies such as indefinite detention without charges or trial, which have been widely criticized as violations of U.S. and international legal principles and protections.The executive orders also embodied what appeared to be Obama's repudiation of the Bush administration's view that the Constitution gives the president unlimited powers when it comes to the conduct of war. The first of Obama's three orders directed the closure of the Guantánamo prison within a year and a freeze on military commissions, the panels of military officers created to try terror suspects.Unlike criminal proceedings in civilian courts, the commissions allow the government to introduce hearsay, evidence obtained by coercive means and secret materials that defendants and their lawyers are prohibited from seeing.A review of the cases against the estimated 245 prisoners at Guantánamo is to begin immediately to determine who can be freed and transferred to third countries because they face persecution or torture by their own governments.A senior administration official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said the review would "happen on a rolling basis," with Obama authorizing transfers as they're recommended.A second executive order created a special task force headed by the incoming attorney general and Defense Secretary Robert Gates that will recommend within 180 days new policies for detaining, trying, transferring or releasing suspected terrorists that adhere to U.S. and international laws.The third order revokes the Bush administration legal re-interpretations of interrogation methods permitted under the 1949 Geneva Conventions. It requires all interrogators, including those working for the CIA, to adhere to a revised U.S. Army Field Manual. The manual and the U.S. criminal code bars techniques such as waterboarding, which simulates drowning, that's considered torture.Tougher decisions still await Obama, however. The first is what to do with detainees who are considered terrorist threats but can't be tried because of a lack of evidence against them or because evidence is tainted by interrogation methods that some U.S. officials consider torture or too highly classified to use in court.Some experts want Congress to authorize a special counterterrorism court, court-martial-style tribunals or indefinite preventive detention. Others urge turning the detainees over to the criminal justice system and freeing them if there isn't enough evidence to indict them.Obama also will have to decide, based on high-level reviews authorized in his executive orders, which detainees can be freed and which can be prosecuted, what kind of court to try them in and where to hold them inside the U.S."What started today was a process that the president committed to during the campaign," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. "That process started today with his signature. That process will go on until the issues that were outlined are appropriately determined.""Determined" means closing the Guantánamo detention center, according to Obama's nominee for director of national intelligence. Full Story 1 2 Next »
WASHINGTON -- The three executive orders that President Barack Obama signed on Thursday to shut the Guantánamo Bay and CIA prisons began to untangle some of the legal, diplomatic and practical knots created by the Bush administration's war on terror policies.
They marked a clear break with policies such as indefinite detention without charges or trial, which have been widely criticized as violations of U.S. and international legal principles and protections.
The executive orders also embodied what appeared to be Obama's repudiation of the Bush administration's view that the Constitution gives the president unlimited powers when it comes to the conduct of war.
The first of Obama's three orders directed the closure of the Guantánamo prison within a year and a freeze on military commissions, the panels of military officers created to try terror suspects.
Unlike criminal proceedings in civilian courts, the commissions allow the government to introduce hearsay, evidence obtained by coercive means and secret materials that defendants and their lawyers are prohibited from seeing.
A review of the cases against the estimated 245 prisoners at Guantánamo is to begin immediately to determine who can be freed and transferred to third countries because they face persecution or torture by their own governments.
A senior administration official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said the review would "happen on a rolling basis," with Obama authorizing transfers as they're recommended.
A second executive order created a special task force headed by the incoming attorney general and Defense Secretary Robert Gates that will recommend within 180 days new policies for detaining, trying, transferring or releasing suspected terrorists that adhere to U.S. and international laws.
The third order revokes the Bush administration legal re-interpretations of interrogation methods permitted under the 1949 Geneva Conventions. It requires all interrogators, including those working for the CIA, to adhere to a revised U.S. Army Field Manual. The manual and the U.S. criminal code bars techniques such as waterboarding, which simulates drowning, that's considered torture.
Tougher decisions still await Obama, however. The first is what to do with detainees who are considered terrorist threats but can't be tried because of a lack of evidence against them or because evidence is tainted by interrogation methods that some U.S. officials consider torture or too highly classified to use in court.
Some experts want Congress to authorize a special counterterrorism court, court-martial-style tribunals or indefinite preventive detention. Others urge turning the detainees over to the criminal justice system and freeing them if there isn't enough evidence to indict them.
Obama also will have to decide, based on high-level reviews authorized in his executive orders, which detainees can be freed and which can be prosecuted, what kind of court to try them in and where to hold them inside the U.S.
"What started today was a process that the president committed to during the campaign," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. "That process started today with his signature. That process will go on until the issues that were outlined are appropriately determined."
"Determined" means closing the Guantánamo detention center, according to Obama's nominee for director of national intelligence.
Play Video AFP – Obama to close Guantanamo Bay camp Slideshow: President Barack Obama Play Video Video: Obama takes second Presidential oath Reuters Play Video Video: Obama to act swiftly on economy BBC AP – President Barack Obama signs an executive order closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Thursday, Jan. … WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama began overhauling U.S. treatment of terror suspects Thursday, signing orders to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, review military war crimes trials and ban the harshest interrogation methods."We intend to win this fight. We're going to win it on our terms," Obama said as he signed three executive orders and a presidential directive in the Oval Office. Obama explained each order before he put his pen to them and occasionally solicited input from White House counsel Greg Craig to make sure he was describing them correctly.With his action, Obama started changing how the United States prosecutes and questions al-Qaida, Taliban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans — and overhauling America's image abroad, battered by accusations of the use of torture and the indefinite detention of suspects at the Guantanamo prison in Cuba."The message that we are sending the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly and we are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," the president said.The centerpiece order would close the much-maligned Guantanamo facility within a year, a complicated process with many unanswered questions that was nonetheless a key campaign promise of Obama's. The administration already has suspended trials for terrorist suspects at Guantanamo for 120 days pending a review of the military tribunals.In the other actions, Obama:_Created a task force that would have 30 days to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future. Specifically, the group would look at where those detainees should be housed since Guantanamo is closing._Required all U.S. personnel to follow the U.S. Army Field Manual while interrogating detainees. The manual explicitly prohibits threats, coercion, physical abuse and waterboarding, a technique that creates the sensation of drowning and has been termed a form of torture by critics. However, a Capitol Hill aide says that the administration also is planning a study of more aggressive interrogation methods that could be added to the Army manual — which would create a significant loophole to Obama's action Thursday."We believe that the Army Field Manual reflects the best judgment of our military, that we can abide by a rule that says we don't torture, but that we can still effectively obtain the intelligence that we need," Obama said. He said his action reflects an understanding that "we are willing to observe core standards of conduct, not just when it's easy, but also when it's hard."_Directed the Justice Department to review the case of Qatar native Ali al-Marri, who is the only enemy combatant currently being held on U.S. soil. The review will look at whether al-Marri has the right to sue the government for his freedom, a right the Supreme Court already has given to Guantanamo detainees. The directive will ask the high court for a stay in al-Marri's appeals case while the review is ongoing. The government says al-Marri is an al-Qaida sleeper agent.An estimated 245 men are being held at the U.S. naval base in Cuba, most of whom have been detained for years without being charged with a crime. Among the sticky issues the Obama administration has to resolve are where to put those detainees — whether back in their home countries or at other federal detention centers — and how to prosecute some of them for war crimes.In his first Oval Office signing ceremony, Obama was surrounded by retired senior military leaders. He described them as outstanding Americans who have defended the country — and its ideals.
Play Video AFP – Obama to close Guantanamo Bay camp
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama began overhauling U.S. treatment of terror suspects Thursday, signing orders to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, review military war crimes trials and ban the harshest interrogation methods.
"We intend to win this fight. We're going to win it on our terms," Obama said as he signed three executive orders and a presidential directive in the Oval Office. Obama explained each order before he put his pen to them and occasionally solicited input from White House counsel Greg Craig to make sure he was describing them correctly.
With his action, Obama started changing how the United States prosecutes and questions al-Qaida, Taliban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans — and overhauling America's image abroad, battered by accusations of the use of torture and the indefinite detention of suspects at the Guantanamo prison in Cuba.
"The message that we are sending the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly and we are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," the president said.
The centerpiece order would close the much-maligned Guantanamo facility within a year, a complicated process with many unanswered questions that was nonetheless a key campaign promise of Obama's. The administration already has suspended trials for terrorist suspects at Guantanamo for 120 days pending a review of the military tribunals.
In the other actions, Obama:
_Created a task force that would have 30 days to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future. Specifically, the group would look at where those detainees should be housed since Guantanamo is closing.
_Required all U.S. personnel to follow the U.S. Army Field Manual while interrogating detainees. The manual explicitly prohibits threats, coercion, physical abuse and waterboarding, a technique that creates the sensation of drowning and has been termed a form of torture by critics. However, a Capitol Hill aide says that the administration also is planning a study of more aggressive interrogation methods that could be added to the Army manual — which would create a significant loophole to Obama's action Thursday.
"We believe that the Army Field Manual reflects the best judgment of our military, that we can abide by a rule that says we don't torture, but that we can still effectively obtain the intelligence that we need," Obama said. He said his action reflects an understanding that "we are willing to observe core standards of conduct, not just when it's easy, but also when it's hard."
_Directed the Justice Department to review the case of Qatar native Ali al-Marri, who is the only enemy combatant currently being held on U.S. soil. The review will look at whether al-Marri has the right to sue the government for his freedom, a right the Supreme Court already has given to Guantanamo detainees. The directive will ask the high court for a stay in al-Marri's appeals case while the review is ongoing. The government says al-Marri is an al-Qaida sleeper agent.
An estimated 245 men are being held at the U.S. naval base in Cuba, most of whom have been detained for years without being charged with a crime. Among the sticky issues the Obama administration has to resolve are where to put those detainees — whether back in their home countries or at other federal detention centers — and how to prosecute some of them for war crimes.
In his first Oval Office signing ceremony, Obama was surrounded by retired senior military leaders. He described them as outstanding Americans who have defended the country — and its ideals.
20.January 2009, 19:55 It was an historic day for the United States of America: President-elect Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president, and the first African-American president in the nation's history. Speaking to the hundreds of thousands present at the National Mall, and millions watching on television, President Barack Obama delivered his inauguration address. Picture: REUTERS U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his speech after taking the Oath of Office to become the 44th President of the United States, during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. The following is the full text of U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration address on Tuesday. Obama, a Democrat, was sworn in on the steps of the Capitol as the 44th U.S. president around noon EST (1700 GMT), taking over from President George W. Bush, a Republican."My fellow citizens:I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.Related Articles Barack Obama is sworn in as president Huge crowds throng Mall, threat is investigated Obama to meet with military officials on Wednesday Obama offered Biden job as secretary of state Obama-mania sweeps into Washington Inauguration will mark milestone in racial history Smart Power - A new approach in U.S. foreign policy Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, U2 play for Obama Barack Obama rolls into Washington, D.C. The long-weekend of change Barack Obama and his moment in history That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remakingAmerica. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.More Pictures President Obama The 44th president is sworn in Inauguration Day An historic day in Washington, D.C. Team Obama Obama’s cabinet is taking shape Barack Obama Trivia Learn more about the 44th U.S. President The 44 US Presidents From Washington to Obama Michelle Obama The new First Lady of the U.S.A. Meet the Presidents Obama meets his predecessors The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.Tags Barack Obama president inauguration speech transcript White House Capitol This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet.America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."Back to English News homepage
It was an historic day for the United States of America: President-elect Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president, and the first African-American president in the nation's history. Speaking to the hundreds of thousands present at the National Mall, and millions watching on television, President Barack Obama delivered his inauguration address.
U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his speech after taking the Oath of Office to become the 44th President of the United States, during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history.
The following is the full text of U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration address on Tuesday. Obama, a Democrat, was sworn in on the steps of the Capitol as the 44th U.S. president around noon EST (1700 GMT), taking over from President George W. Bush, a Republican.
"My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking
America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.
Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The 44th president is sworn in
An historic day in Washington, D.C.
Obama’s cabinet is taking shape
Learn more about the 44th U.S. President
From Washington to Obama
The new First Lady of the U.S.A.
Obama meets his predecessors
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.
And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet.
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."
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THE ADMINISTRATIONPresident Barack ObamaVice President Joe BidenFirst Lady Michelle ObamaDr. Jill BidenThe CabinetWhite House StaffExecutive Office of the President PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMABarack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States.His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants.He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community.President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online.He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. He and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.
President Barack Obama
Vice President Joe Biden
First Lady Michelle Obama
Dr. Jill Biden
The Cabinet
White House Staff
Executive Office of the President
Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States.
His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.
With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.
After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants.
He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community.
President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online.
He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. He and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.
Sasha Obama, left, laughs with her father President Barack Obama ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Sasha Obama, left, laughs with her father President Barack Obama following his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. At rear is first lady Michelle Obama. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his younger daughter ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his younger daughter Sasha as his wife Michelle and older daughter Malia watch after he is sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President George W. Bush waves to Michelle Obama, wife of President-elect ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President George W. Bush waves to Michelle Obama, wife of President-elect Barack Obama and daughter, Malia, as he arrives for swearing-in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)Barack Obama is accompanied by his wife Michelle and daughters ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama is accompanied by his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha while he takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, waves after his inaugural address in Washington January 20, 2009. Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush are at right. Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha are to the left of President Obama. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister, right, stands with his ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister, right, stands with his daughters, Sasha, right, and Malia as they arrive for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his youngest daughter ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his youngest daughter Sasha as his wife Michelle and oldest daughter Malia look in after being sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States during inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama is congratulated by Chief Justice John ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama is congratulated by Chief Justice John Roberts after Obama was sworn in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. Looking on are first lady Michelle Obama and daughter, Malia. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes the oath given by US. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (lower right) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Daughters Malia and Sasha (R) look on, as Michelle Obama holds the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th president ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th president of the United States from U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts as his wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha watch during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha wave during his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama, right, joined by his wife Michelle, second from ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Barack Obama, right, joined by his wife Michelle, second from right, and daughters Sasha, second from left, and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States takes the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States takes the Oath of Office as his wife Michelle (3rd L), and daughters Malia and Sasha and former President George W Bush (L) and former Vice President Dick Cheney (2nd L) look on during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath as Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama moves to kiss his daughter, Malia, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama moves to kiss his daughter, Malia, as his wife Michelle and daughter Sasha look on during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his daughter Malia as first ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his daughter Malia as first lady Michelle Obama and their younger daughter Sasha (lower R) look on after the Oath of Office was given at the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from left, and daughters Sasha, third from left, and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, kisses his wife Michelle after being sworn in during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama, right, is congratulated by daughter ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama, right, is congratulated by daughter Sasha, lower left, as first lady Michelle Obama looks on after taking the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)Barack Obama, right, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Barack Obama, right, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, as his wife Michelle holds the Lincoln Bible and his daughters, Malia, lower left, and Sasha watch. (AP Photo/Win McNamee, Pool)Barack H. Obama (L) shakes the hand of Chief Justice John Roberts ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack H. Obama (L) shakes the hand of Chief Justice John Roberts after his swearing in as the 44th president of the United Statesas on the West Front of the Capitol as his wife Michelle looks on in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama (L) is sworn in as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama (L) is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (R) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama holds the Bible used President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. Daughters Malia (C) and Sasha, second from right, look on with former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton, upper right. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama greets his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama greets his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha (R) after being sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States during inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes the oath given by US. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (lower R) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama holds a Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. Daughter Malia (R) looks on. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife, Michelle, after ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife, Michelle, after taking the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama, left, is congratulated by his family, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama, left, is congratulated by his family, first lady Michelle Obama, second from left, and daughters Malia, second from right, and Sasha following his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)Vice President-elect Joe Biden greets Sasha Obama as Michelle ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Vice President-elect Joe Biden greets Sasha Obama as Michelle Obama talks to her daughter Malia before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool)Incoming U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Incoming U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of incoming U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, arrive for the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President-elect Barack Obama embraces his daughter Malia as ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President-elect Barack Obama embraces his daughter Malia as his wife Michelle, and younger daughter Sasha look on as they arrive for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Michelle Obama waves as she arrives for the inauguration ceremony ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Michelle Obama waves as she arrives for the inauguration ceremony of her husband Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)First lady Laura Bush, right, walks out with Michelle Obama, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - First lady Laura Bush, right, walks out with Michelle Obama, left, wife of President-elect Barack Obama, from the North Portico of the White House enroute to Capitol Hill for inauguration in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)Michelle Obama, left, and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President-elect ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Michelle Obama, left, and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President-elect Joe Biden, arrive for the inauguration ceremny at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)Michelle Obama slaps hands with relatives of Vice President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 7 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Michelle Obama slaps hands with relatives of Vice President Joe Biden as she takes to the stage to make remarks to the audience during the 'Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future' concert in Washington January 19, 2009. (Mike Segar/Reuters)President elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle depart Blair ...Today, January 20, 2009, 8 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle depart Blair House for private church services before the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)Show all items
(AP) - Sasha Obama, left, laughs with her father President Barack Obama following his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. At rear is first lady Michelle Obama. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his younger daughter Sasha as his wife Michelle and older daughter Malia watch after he is sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President George W. Bush waves to Michelle Obama, wife of President-elect Barack Obama and daughter, Malia, as he arrives for swearing-in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama is accompanied by his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha while he takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, waves after his inaugural address in Washington January 20, 2009. Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush are at right. Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha are to the left of President Obama. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister, right, stands with his daughters, Sasha, right, and Malia as they arrive for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his youngest daughter Sasha as his wife Michelle and oldest daughter Malia look in after being sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States during inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama is congratulated by Chief Justice John Roberts after Obama was sworn in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. Looking on are first lady Michelle Obama and daughter, Malia. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
(Reuters) - The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes the oath given by US. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (lower right) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Daughters Malia and Sasha (R) look on, as Michelle Obama holds the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th president of the United States from U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts as his wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha watch during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha wave during his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Barack Obama, right, joined by his wife Michelle, second from right, and daughters Sasha, second from left, and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States takes the Oath of Office as his wife Michelle (3rd L), and daughters Malia and Sasha and former President George W Bush (L) and former Vice President Dick Cheney (2nd L) look on during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath as Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama moves to kiss his daughter, Malia, as his wife Michelle and daughter Sasha look on during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his daughter Malia as first lady Michelle Obama and their younger daughter Sasha (lower R) look on after the Oath of Office was given at the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from left, and daughters Sasha, third from left, and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, kisses his wife Michelle after being sworn in during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama, right, is congratulated by daughter Sasha, lower left, as first lady Michelle Obama looks on after taking the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
(AP) - Barack Obama, right, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, as his wife Michelle holds the Lincoln Bible and his daughters, Malia, lower left, and Sasha watch. (AP Photo/Win McNamee, Pool)
(Reuters) - Barack H. Obama (L) shakes the hand of Chief Justice John Roberts after his swearing in as the 44th president of the United Statesas on the West Front of the Capitol as his wife Michelle looks on in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama (L) is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (R) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama holds the Bible used President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. Daughters Malia (C) and Sasha, second from right, look on with former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton, upper right. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama greets his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha (R) after being sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States during inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes the oath given by US. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (lower R) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama holds a Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. Daughter Malia (R) looks on. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife, Michelle, after taking the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama, left, is congratulated by his family, first lady Michelle Obama, second from left, and daughters Malia, second from right, and Sasha following his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Vice President-elect Joe Biden greets Sasha Obama as Michelle Obama talks to her daughter Malia before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
(AP) - Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool)
(Reuters) - Incoming U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of incoming U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, arrive for the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President-elect Barack Obama embraces his daughter Malia as his wife Michelle, and younger daughter Sasha look on as they arrive for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
(Reuters) - Michelle Obama waves as she arrives for the inauguration ceremony of her husband Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - First lady Laura Bush, right, walks out with Michelle Obama, left, wife of President-elect Barack Obama, from the North Portico of the White House enroute to Capitol Hill for inauguration in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(AP) - Michelle Obama, left, and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President-elect Joe Biden, arrive for the inauguration ceremny at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)
(Reuters) - Michelle Obama slaps hands with relatives of Vice President Joe Biden as she takes to the stage to make remarks to the audience during the 'Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future' concert in Washington January 19, 2009. (Mike Segar/Reuters)
(Reuters) - President elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle depart Blair House for private church services before the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)
Today, January 20, 2009, 2 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave as former President George W. Bush departs the U.S. Capitol during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)Jordanian men waves shoes during a symbolic farewell to former ...Today, January 20, 2009, 2 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Jordanian men waves shoes during a symbolic farewell to former U.S. President George W. Bush as the inauguration of new U.S. President Barack Obama took place in Washington, in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, Jan. 20. 2009. Dozens of activists gathered to throw shoes at a large photograph of George W. Bush, recalling Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a visit to Iraq. (AP photo/Nader Daoud)U.S. President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. The Bible Michelle Obama (2nd L) was holding is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his inauguration in 1861. Daughters Malia and Sasha (R) watch the swearing in of their father. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)Sasha Obama is playful after taking her seat as her mother ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Sasha Obama is playful after taking her seat as her mother Michelle Obama watches over her before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)U.S. President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony as 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)Sasha Obama, left, laughs with her father President Barack Obama ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Sasha Obama, left, laughs with her father President Barack Obama following his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. At rear is first lady Michelle Obama. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife, Michelle, after ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife, Michelle, after taking the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister, right, stands with his ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister, right, stands with his daughters, Sasha, right, and Malia as they arrive for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his youngest daughter ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama leans in to kiss his youngest daughter Sasha as his wife Michelle and oldest daughter Malia look in after being sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States during inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason ReedThe 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes the oath given by US. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (lower right) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Daughters Malia and Sasha (R) look on, as Michelle Obama holds the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th president ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th president of the United States from U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts as his wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha watch during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama rests his hand on President Lincoln's ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama rests his hand on President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible as his wife Michelle Obama holds it as he takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife Michelle after he ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife Michelle after he is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama moves to kiss his daughter, Malia, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama moves to kiss his daughter, Malia, as his wife Michelle and daughter Sasha look on during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama rests his hand on President Lincoln's ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama rests his hand on President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible as his wife Michelle Obama holds it as he takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)Kenyans remove their shoes as they see President George W. Bush ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Kenyans remove their shoes as they see President George W. Bush appear on a large video screen, as thousands of people gathered in Nairobi Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009, to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.(AP Photo//Sayyid Azim)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, kisses his wife Michelle after being sworn in during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama, right, is congratulated by daughter ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama, right, is congratulated by daughter Sasha, lower left, as first lady Michelle Obama looks on after taking the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama (L) is sworn in as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama (L) is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (R) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama holds the Bible used President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. Daughters Malia (C) and Sasha, second from right, look on with former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton, upper right. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama (R) gets a thumbs up from his daughter ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama (R) gets a thumbs up from his daughter Sasha after taking the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States, during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, takes the oath given by US. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. (lower R) during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama holds a Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. Daughter Malia (R) looks on. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)This undated image provided by UKFineArts Tuesday Jan. 20 2009, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - This undated image provided by UKFineArts Tuesday Jan. 20 2009, shows a micro sculpture by Willard Wigan showing U.S, President elect Barrack Obama and his family in the eye of a needle. Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th U.S. president in Washington on Tuesday. (AP Photo/ UKFineArts,HO)Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool)Malia (L) and Sasha Obama wait for the arrival of their father ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Malia (L) and Sasha Obama wait for the arrival of their father during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)Incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel gestures prior ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel gestures prior to the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)FILE **In this undated file combination photo, President-elect ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - FILE **In this undated file combination photo, President-elect Barack Obama, right, and Obama Look-a-like Ilham Anas are shown. Obama grasps the reins of power as America's first black president in a high-noon inauguration, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, amid grave economic worries and high expectations. (AP Photo/File)Crowds gather on the National Mall in Washington for the swearing-in ...Today, January 20, 2009, 8 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Crowds gather on the National Mall in Washington for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's sand sculpture made by an ...Today, January 20, 2009, 8 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's sand sculpture made by an Indian artist Sudarshan Pattnaik, is seen at the golden sea beach in Puri, 67 kilometers (41 miles) away from Bhubaneswar, India, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout)Actor Denzel Washington is among the early arrivals for the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 8 hours ago | (AP)(AP) - Actor Denzel Washington is among the early arrivals for the inauguration of Barack Obama and Joe Biden at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)A visitor to Madame Tussauds poses next to the wax figure of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 9 hours ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - A visitor to Madame Tussauds poses next to the wax figure of US President George Bush, in London January 20, 2009. The waxworks allowed free entry to US citizens on Tuesday, the day of the inauguration of US President Barack Obama. REUTERS/Stephen Hird (BRITAIN)A man stands with a sign in the viewing platform area as preparations ...Yesterday, January 19, 2009, 1:02:19 PM | (Reuters) Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (0) | Report Objectionable Content
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave as former President George W. Bush departs the U.S. Capitol during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Jordanian men waves shoes during a symbolic farewell to former U.S. President George W. Bush as the inauguration of new U.S. President Barack Obama took place in Washington, in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, Jan. 20. 2009. Dozens of activists gathered to throw shoes at a large photograph of George W. Bush, recalling Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a visit to Iraq. (AP photo/Nader Daoud)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. The Bible Michelle Obama (2nd L) was holding is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his inauguration in 1861. Daughters Malia and Sasha (R) watch the swearing in of their father. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Sasha Obama is playful after taking her seat as her mother Michelle Obama watches over her before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)
(Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony as 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Michelle Obama watches at right. The Bible Obama uses is the same one that President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration in 1861. REUTERS/Jason Reed
(AP) - President Barack Obama rests his hand on President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible as his wife Michelle Obama holds it as he takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama kisses his wife Michelle after he is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Kenyans remove their shoes as they see President George W. Bush appear on a large video screen, as thousands of people gathered in Nairobi Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009, to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.(AP Photo//Sayyid Azim)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama (R) gets a thumbs up from his daughter Sasha after taking the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States, during the inauguration ceremony in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - This undated image provided by UKFineArts Tuesday Jan. 20 2009, shows a micro sculpture by Willard Wigan showing U.S, President elect Barrack Obama and his family in the eye of a needle. Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th U.S. president in Washington on Tuesday. (AP Photo/ UKFineArts,HO)
(Reuters) - Malia (L) and Sasha Obama wait for the arrival of their father during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - Incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel gestures prior to the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - FILE **In this undated file combination photo, President-elect Barack Obama, right, and Obama Look-a-like Ilham Anas are shown. Obama grasps the reins of power as America's first black president in a high-noon inauguration, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, amid grave economic worries and high expectations. (AP Photo/File)
(AP) - Crowds gather on the National Mall in Washington for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
(AP) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's sand sculpture made by an Indian artist Sudarshan Pattnaik, is seen at the golden sea beach in Puri, 67 kilometers (41 miles) away from Bhubaneswar, India, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout)
(AP) - Actor Denzel Washington is among the early arrivals for the inauguration of Barack Obama and Joe Biden at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
(Reuters) - A visitor to Madame Tussauds poses next to the wax figure of US President George Bush, in London January 20, 2009. The waxworks allowed free entry to US citizens on Tuesday, the day of the inauguration of US President Barack Obama. REUTERS/Stephen Hird (BRITAIN)
Today, January 20, 2009, 2 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - A man stands waiting for the inauguration ceremony of president-elect Barack Obama in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (UNITED STATES)A man pays to pose with a cutout of President Barack Obama at ...Today, January 20, 2009, 2 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - A man pays to pose with a cutout of President Barack Obama at the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES)Cars line up at the San Ysidro customs line before crossing ...Today, January 20, 2009, 2 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - Cars line up at the San Ysidro customs line before crossing to the U.S. as an electronic rolling billboard announces President Barak Obama's inauguration in Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)People walk across a frozen reflecting pool as they leave the ...Today, January 20, 2009, 3 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - People walk across a frozen reflecting pool as they leave the National Mall the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama waves to ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama waves to the crowd as they walk down Pennsylvania Ave. after the inauguration ceremony in Washington Tuesday, Jan.. 20, 2009.(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)Agnes Smith, 28, and her boyfriend Deshawn Littleton, 23, who ...Today, January 20, 2009, 4 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - Agnes Smith, 28, and her boyfriend Deshawn Littleton, 23, who both recently transferred to Las Vegas from Detroit, Mich., stand on Las Vegas Boulevard outside Planet Hollywood hotel-casino to watch a television broadcast of President Barack Obama's inauguration Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. Obama became the first black U.S. president on Tuesday and quickly turned the page on the Bush years, urging Americans to rally together to end the worst economic crisis in 70 years and repair the U.S. image abroad. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 5 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)Shaman Luis Valle, left, dances holding a photo of President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - Shaman Luis Valle, left, dances holding a photo of President Barack Obama, next to fellow shamans during a ritual honoring Obama's inauguration in Lima, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. Twelve faith-healers from the Apus-Inka association dedicated an ancient Quechua ritual to send Obama strength during his presidency. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania ...Today, January 20, 2009, 6 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade.. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)President Barack Obama waves during his inaugural parade Tuesday, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 7 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama waves during his inaugural parade Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania ...Today, January 20, 2009, 8 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania ...Today, January 20, 2009, 9 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade.. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania ...Today, January 20, 2009, 10 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania ...Today, January 20, 2009, 11 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)A woman watching the inauguration of President Barack Obama ...Today, January 20, 2009, 12 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - A woman watching the inauguration of President Barack Obama on a large screen television waves goodbye to former President George Bush with both hands as she joined other senior citizens at Brooklyn's Fort Greene Senior Action Center in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)U.S. Army Sgt. James Bishop from the 229th Brigade Support Battalion, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 13 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - U.S. Army Sgt. James Bishop from the 229th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, wipes away tears as he watches the inauguration of President Barack Obama at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.'My mother always wanted to be here,' said Bishop, 39, an African-American from Washington, D.C. 'She always wanted this to happen, and she said it was going to happen one day,' he said. 'Unfortunately, she passed before this time came.' Across Iraq, many of the 140,000 U.S. service members here watched the inaugural ceremony on television sets in dining halls and break rooms or on the Web at large installations with Internet service. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of ...Today, January 20, 2009, 13 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 13 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle (L), Vice President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 13 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle (L), Vice President Joseph Biden (2nd R) and his wife Jill (R) are escorted by Major General Richard Rowe (C) as they descend the steps of the U.S Capitol Building after Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the 56th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Tannen Maury/Pool (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 13 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle (L), Vice President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 14 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle (L), Vice President Joseph Biden (2nd R) and his wife Jill (R) are escorted by Major General Richard Rowe and saluted as they review troops from the steps of the U.S Capitol Building after Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the 56th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Tannen Maury/Pool (UNITED STATES)Keith Hart, an Army veteran of the Vietnam era, stands as Barack ...Today, January 20, 2009, 14 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - Keith Hart, an Army veteran of the Vietnam era, stands as Barack Obama becomes the 44th President as he watches inauguration ceremonies on television at the Oxford Bar in Missoula, Montana, one of the oldest bars in Montana, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Albans)People make their way through the streets as they wait at a ...Today, January 20, 2009, 16 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - People make their way through the streets as they wait at a security checkpoint to get into the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama waves while walking during the inaugural ...Today, January 20, 2009, 17 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama waves while walking during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Ave.,Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania ...Today, January 20, 2009, 17 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)People leave the Washington Monument after the inauguration ...Today, January 20, 2009, 17 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - People leave the Washington Monument after the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave to ...Today, January 20, 2009, 18 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave to the cheering crowd while walking part of the inaugural parade route along Pennsylvania Ave., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)Alex Sarem, of San Diego, bursts into tears on hearing that ...Today, January 20, 2009, 18 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - Alex Sarem, of San Diego, bursts into tears on hearing that the purple ticketed gate has been closed, as his family waits in line to enter the capitol to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama at the Capitol, in Washington Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. The line for purple ticket holders stretched back at least four blocks at the time of the closure. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)President Barack Obama waves while walking during the inaugural ...Today, January 20, 2009, 18 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama waves while walking during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)The crowd takes photos of President Barack Obama passing by ...Today, January 20, 2009, 18 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - The crowd takes photos of President Barack Obama passing by while he walked the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)U.S. Army Sgt. James Bishop from the 229th Brigade Support Battalion, ...Today, January 20, 2009, 19 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - U.S. Army Sgt. James Bishop from the 229th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, wipes away tears as he watches the inauguration of President Barack Obama at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.'My mother always wanted to be here,' said Bishop, 39, an African-American from Washington, D.C. 'She always wanted this to happen, and she said it was going to happen one day,' he said. 'Unfortunately, she passed before this time came.' Across Iraq, many of the 140,000 U.S. service members here watched the inaugural ceremony on television sets in dining halls and break rooms or on the Web at large installations with Internet service. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)Michelle Obama waves during the inauguration ceremony of her ...Today, January 20, 2009, 19 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - Michelle Obama waves during the inauguration ceremony of her husband, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim BourgU.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President ...Today, January 20, 2009, 20 minutes ago | (Reuters)(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inauguration parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)President Barack Obama waves to a cheering crowd while walking ...Today, January 20, 2009, 20 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - President Barack Obama waves to a cheering crowd while walking during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Ave., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)Ronnie Day claps as she and other Starbucks' customers watch ...Today, January 20, 2009, 20 minutes ago | (AP)(AP) - Ronnie Day claps as she and other Starbucks' customers watch Barack Obama's swearing in as the 44th President of the United States and inaugural event in Seattle, on Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)U.S. President Barack Obama (C) receives a standing ovation ...Today, January 20, 2009, 23 minutes ago | (Reuters) Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (0) | Report Objectionable Content
(Reuters) - A man stands waiting for the inauguration ceremony of president-elect Barack Obama in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - A man pays to pose with a cutout of President Barack Obama at the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Cars line up at the San Ysidro customs line before crossing to the U.S. as an electronic rolling billboard announces President Barak Obama's inauguration in Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
(Reuters) - People walk across a frozen reflecting pool as they leave the National Mall the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama waves to the crowd as they walk down Pennsylvania Ave. after the inauguration ceremony in Washington Tuesday, Jan.. 20, 2009.(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
(AP) - Agnes Smith, 28, and her boyfriend Deshawn Littleton, 23, who both recently transferred to Las Vegas from Detroit, Mich., stand on Las Vegas Boulevard outside Planet Hollywood hotel-casino to watch a television broadcast of President Barack Obama's inauguration Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. Obama became the first black U.S. president on Tuesday and quickly turned the page on the Bush years, urging Americans to rally together to end the worst economic crisis in 70 years and repair the U.S. image abroad. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Shaman Luis Valle, left, dances holding a photo of President Barack Obama, next to fellow shamans during a ritual honoring Obama's inauguration in Lima, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. Twelve faith-healers from the Apus-Inka association dedicated an ancient Quechua ritual to send Obama strength during his presidency. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade.. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)
(AP) - President Barack Obama waves during his inaugural parade Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade.. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, during his inaugural parade. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)
(AP) - A woman watching the inauguration of President Barack Obama on a large screen television waves goodbye to former President George Bush with both hands as she joined other senior citizens at Brooklyn's Fort Greene Senior Action Center in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
(AP) - U.S. Army Sgt. James Bishop from the 229th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, wipes away tears as he watches the inauguration of President Barack Obama at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.'My mother always wanted to be here,' said Bishop, 39, an African-American from Washington, D.C. 'She always wanted this to happen, and she said it was going to happen one day,' he said. 'Unfortunately, she passed before this time came.' Across Iraq, many of the 140,000 U.S. service members here watched the inaugural ceremony on television sets in dining halls and break rooms or on the Web at large installations with Internet service. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, and his wife Michelle wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle (L), Vice President Joseph Biden (2nd R) and his wife Jill (R) are escorted by Major General Richard Rowe (C) as they descend the steps of the U.S Capitol Building after Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the 56th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Tannen Maury/Pool (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle (L), Vice President Joseph Biden (2nd R) and his wife Jill (R) are escorted by Major General Richard Rowe and saluted as they review troops from the steps of the U.S Capitol Building after Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during the 56th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Tannen Maury/Pool (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - Keith Hart, an Army veteran of the Vietnam era, stands as Barack Obama becomes the 44th President as he watches inauguration ceremonies on television at the Oxford Bar in Missoula, Montana, one of the oldest bars in Montana, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Albans)
(Reuters) - People make their way through the streets as they wait at a security checkpoint to get into the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama waves while walking during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Ave.,Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
(Reuters) - People leave the Washington Monument after the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave to the cheering crowd while walking part of the inaugural parade route along Pennsylvania Ave., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
(AP) - Alex Sarem, of San Diego, bursts into tears on hearing that the purple ticketed gate has been closed, as his family waits in line to enter the capitol to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama at the Capitol, in Washington Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. The line for purple ticket holders stretched back at least four blocks at the time of the closure. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
(AP) - President Barack Obama waves while walking during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
(AP) - The crowd takes photos of President Barack Obama passing by while he walked the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
(Reuters) - Michelle Obama waves during the inauguration ceremony of her husband, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg
(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, the newly sworn in 44th President of the United States, waves as he and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inauguration parade in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
(AP) - President Barack Obama waves to a cheering crowd while walking during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Ave., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
(AP) - Ronnie Day claps as she and other Starbucks' customers watch Barack Obama's swearing in as the 44th President of the United States and inaugural event in Seattle, on Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 26 minutes ago Michelle Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Saul Loeb, Pool) AP via Yahoo! News - 39 minutes ago Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool) AP via Yahoo! News - 36 minutes ago Malia (L) and Sasha (2nd L) Obama pass former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary (top L) and Jenna Bush (top R) as they are shown to their seats at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States at his inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 24 minutes ago Michelle Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th U.S. president in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 39 minutes ago Michelle Obama (L) and Jill Biden arrive at the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 41 minutes ago People wear Obama paraphernalia as they wait in New York's Pennsylvania Station to board an Amtrak train to Washington, D.C., to attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, Tuesday morning, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) AP via Yahoo! News - Jan 20 6:03 AM Michelle Obama waves to supporters prior to the swearing-in ceremony during the inauguration for President-elect Barack Obama in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 43 minutes ago Michelle Obama waves as she arrives for the inauguration ceremony of her husband Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 47 minutes ago A local residents' group called "Obama Girls" perform a hula dance at a temple in Obama, 400km (250 miles) west of Tokyo, January 20, 2009, during an event to celebrate the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. REUTERS/Kyodo (JAPAN). FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN. Reuters via Yahoo! News - Jan 20 5:08 AM Malia (L) and Sasha Obama wait for the arrival of their father during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 42 minutes ago Former President Bill Clinton greets Michelle Obama, wife of President-elect Barack Obama as they arrive at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, for Obama's swearing-in ceremony (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds) AP via Yahoo! News - 49 minutes ago
Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)
Michelle Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Saul Loeb, Pool)
Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool)
Malia (L) and Sasha (2nd L) Obama pass former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary (top L) and Jenna Bush (top R) as they are shown to their seats at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States at his inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES)
Michelle Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th U.S. president in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool (UNITED STATES)
Michelle Obama (L) and Jill Biden arrive at the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
People wear Obama paraphernalia as they wait in New York's Pennsylvania Station to board an Amtrak train to Washington, D.C., to attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, Tuesday morning, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Michelle Obama waves to supporters prior to the swearing-in ceremony during the inauguration for President-elect Barack Obama in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)
Michelle Obama waves as she arrives for the inauguration ceremony of her husband Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
A local residents' group called "Obama Girls" perform a hula dance at a temple in Obama, 400km (250 miles) west of Tokyo, January 20, 2009, during an event to celebrate the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. REUTERS/Kyodo (JAPAN). FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN.
Malia (L) and Sasha Obama wait for the arrival of their father during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
Former President Bill Clinton greets Michelle Obama, wife of President-elect Barack Obama as they arrive at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, for Obama's swearing-in ceremony (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Michelle Obama arrives for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) AP via Yahoo! News - 35 minutes ago Barack Obama, center, is greeted as he arrives for his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. At right rear is Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP via Yahoo! News - 29 minutes ago President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration on the West Front of the Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Win McNamee, Pool) AP via Yahoo! News - 21 minutes ago President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are welcomed to the North Portico of the White House by President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) AP via Yahoo! News - 1 hour, 9 minutes ago President-elect Barack Obama (C) enters his inauguration ceremony as 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 25 minutes ago President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 20 minutes ago U.S. President George W. Bush greets U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (L) on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, January 20, 2009. First lady Laura Bush is second from left, and Michelle Obama is at right. REUTERS/Larry Downing Reuters via Yahoo! News - 48 minutes ago Michelle Obama arrives for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) AP via Yahoo! News - 36 minutes ago REFILE - CORRECTING PHOTOGRAPHER'S BYLINE President-elect Barack Obama (C) enters his inauguration ceremony as 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 20 minutes ago Barack Obama, left, is greeted by his family as he arrives for his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP via Yahoo! News - 36 minutes ago US President George W. Bush(2ndR) and First Lady Laura Bush (2ndL) greet US President-elect Barack Obama (L) and his wife Michelle Obama on the North Portico of the White House.(AFP/Mandel Ngan) AFP via Yahoo! News - 53 minutes ago Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP via Yahoo! News - 35 minutes ago
Michelle Obama arrives for the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP via Yahoo! News - 35 minutes ago
Barack Obama, center, is greeted as he arrives for his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. At right rear is Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration on the West Front of the Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Win McNamee, Pool)
President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are welcomed to the North Portico of the White House by President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President-elect Barack Obama (C) enters his inauguration ceremony as 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration ceremony as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)
U.S. President George W. Bush greets U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (L) on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, January 20, 2009. First lady Laura Bush is second from left, and Michelle Obama is at right. REUTERS/Larry Downing
REFILE - CORRECTING PHOTOGRAPHER'S BYLINE President-elect Barack Obama (C) enters his inauguration ceremony as 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES)
Barack Obama, left, is greeted by his family as he arrives for his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
US President George W. Bush(2ndR) and First Lady Laura Bush (2ndL) greet US President-elect Barack Obama (L) and his wife Michelle Obama on the North Portico of the White House.(AFP/Mandel Ngan)
Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Michelle Obama (L) and Jill Biden arrive at the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 34 minutes ago U.S. Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden (L) is greeted by President-elect Barack Obama after being sworn in as Vice President during the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 6 minutes ago Vice President-elect Joe Biden greets Sasha Obama as Michelle Obama talks to her daughter Malia before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) AP via Yahoo! News - 25 minutes ago A man wearing a U.S. President-elect Barak Obama t-shirt sells goods in the streets of the capital Addis Ababa, January 20, 2009. Obama is due to be sworn in as the 44th President of 44th United States of America. REUTERS/Irada Humbatova (ETHIOPIA) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 11 minutes ago Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from left, and daughters Sasha, third from left, and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) AP via Yahoo! News - 13 minutes ago Vice President Joe Biden is congratulated by President-elect Barack Obama after Biden was sworn in as Vice President during the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool) AP via Yahoo! News - 11 minutes ago President elect Barack Obama winks as he leaves Blair House in Washington January 20, 2009 prior to his Inauguration that will make him the 44th President of the United States. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 2 hours, 57 minutes ago Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from left, and daughters Malia, third from left, and Sasha, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds) AP via Yahoo! News - 12 minutes ago A child with Obama's name painted on her face seen at a mock inauguration party, held in Kisumu, Kenya, Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009 to celebrate the inauguration of American President elect Barack Obama in Washington DC.The election of a black American president stands as a powerful symbol of unity on this continent, where many countries are still riven between competing ethnic groups and the older generations still remember the injustices of colonialism.(AP Photo/Riccardo Gangale) AP via Yahoo! News - Jan 20 5:54 AM Barack Obama supporters file into the Bloor Cinema in Toronto on Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009. Nearly 1000 people lined up in freezing temperatures to watch the presidential inauguration. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Frank Gunn) AP via Yahoo! News - 13 minutes ago Malia (L) and Sasha Obama wait for the arrival of their father during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 34 minutes ago U.S. President George W. Bush greets Michelle (L), Sasha, (C) and Malia Obama during the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 32 minutes ago
Reuters via Yahoo! News - 34 minutes ago
U.S. Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden (L) is greeted by President-elect Barack Obama after being sworn in as Vice President during the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)
Vice President-elect Joe Biden greets Sasha Obama as Michelle Obama talks to her daughter Malia before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A man wearing a U.S. President-elect Barak Obama t-shirt sells goods in the streets of the capital Addis Ababa, January 20, 2009. Obama is due to be sworn in as the 44th President of 44th United States of America. REUTERS/Irada Humbatova (ETHIOPIA)
Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from left, and daughters Sasha, third from left, and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Vice President Joe Biden is congratulated by President-elect Barack Obama after Biden was sworn in as Vice President during the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool)
President elect Barack Obama winks as he leaves Blair House in Washington January 20, 2009 prior to his Inauguration that will make him the 44th President of the United States. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)
Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, second from left, and daughters Malia, third from left, and Sasha, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
A child with Obama's name painted on her face seen at a mock inauguration party, held in Kisumu, Kenya, Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009 to celebrate the inauguration of American President elect Barack Obama in Washington DC.The election of a black American president stands as a powerful symbol of unity on this continent, where many countries are still riven between competing ethnic groups and the older generations still remember the injustices of colonialism.(AP Photo/Riccardo Gangale)
Barack Obama supporters file into the Bloor Cinema in Toronto on Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009. Nearly 1000 people lined up in freezing temperatures to watch the presidential inauguration. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Frank Gunn)
U.S. President George W. Bush greets Michelle (L), Sasha, (C) and Malia Obama during the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 13 minutes ago Michelle Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Saul Loeb, Pool) AP via Yahoo! News - 26 minutes ago Michelle Obama holds the Lincoln Bible as she arrives at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, Pool) AP via Yahoo! News - 23 minutes ago Malia (L) and Sasha (2nd L) Obama pass former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary (top L) and Jenna Bush (top R) as they are shown to their seats at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States at his inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 11 minutes ago Michelle Obama waves to supporters prior to the swearing-in ceremony during the inauguration for President-elect Barack Obama in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 31 minutes ago U.S. President-elect Barack Obama laughs as he sits on the inaugural stage during his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama will become the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 4 minutes ago Michelle Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th U.S. president in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 26 minutes ago Sherry Mitchell, left, wearing an Obama shirt, and Carolyn Bates lead a small group of marchers across the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. The group held a prayer and short march just prior to the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Civil Rights marchers were beaten by Alabama State Troopers when they tried to cross the bridge in 1963.(AP Photo/Dave Martin) AP via Yahoo! News - 5 minutes ago Michelle Obama waves as she arrives for the inauguration ceremony of her husband Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 34 minutes ago Michelle Obama (L) and Jill Biden arrive at the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 28 minutes ago Vice President-elect Joe Biden greets Sasha Obama as Michelle Obama talks to her daughter Malia before the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) AP via Yahoo! News - 19 minutes ago U.S. President George W. Bush greets Michelle (L), Sasha, (C) and Malia Obama during the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama in Washington January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) Reuters via Yahoo! News - 26 minutes ago
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama laughs as he sits on the inaugural stage during his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama will become the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. REUTERS/Mark Wilson/Pool (UNITED STATES)
Sherry Mitchell, left, wearing an Obama shirt, and Carolyn Bates lead a small group of marchers across the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. The group held a prayer and short march just prior to the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Civil Rights marchers were beaten by Alabama State Troopers when they tried to cross the bridge in 1963.(AP Photo/Dave Martin)
