Engineering an American renewal

Washington: As a growing celebratory spirit began to consume the nation's capital, President-elect Barack Obama on Sunday stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and declared a "celebration of American renewal" two days ahead of his swearing-in.

"Behind me, watching over the union he saved, sits the man who in so many ways made this day possible," Obama said, in front of the marble statue of Abraham Lincoln.

Obama's advisers also began to give a taste of his eagerly-awaited inaugural address - saying it would emphasise the themes of responsibility and restoring public confidence.

Obama touched on that subject on Sunday, saying that what gave him great optimism was the "Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there".

In a series of appearances that culminated in a concert at the Lincoln Memorial, Obama ventured across a city transformed into a miles-long block party, with banners strung across storefronts and tourists covered in Obama gear. Earlier in the day, he and Vice-President-elect Joe Biden visited Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Obama and his family later attended a service at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church.

As Obama rode from place to place in his new armoured Cadillac - with the licence plate "44" - his aides made television appearances to preview his tightly-held speech and to remind the public of his immediate goals upon taking over the presidency. Robert Gibbs, the incoming White House press secretary, said Obama had written the speech himself last weekend and was relieved to have the bulk of it completed.

Obama will talk about restoring a sense of responsibility in the country, Gibbs said, conveying his belief that "we need more responsibility and accountability, certainly, in the way our government acts".

"We have to have it, certainly, within many of our financial institutions that sort of have gotten us to where we are in this economic crisis today," Gibbs said on Fox News on Sunday.

"Obviously, the American people are going to have to give some."

Rahm Emanuel, the incoming chief of staff, said the "culture of responsibility" would be sought for American leaders as well as the population at large. "We need that culture of responsibility, not just to be asked of the American people, but its leaders must also lead by example," he said on NBC's Meet the Press.

Obama takes office facing giant challenges, including a severe economic downturn and two wars, and his speech is expected to take those hardships into account. Aides who have seen parts of Obama's speech said they expect it to meet or surpass expectations of a president-elect known for his soaring oratory.

Obama on Sunday sought to strike a balance between his trademark optimism and the challenges he faces.

"In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now," he said. "Our nation is at war. Our economy is in crisis. Millions of Americans are losing their jobs and their homes. And most of all, they are anxious and uncertain about the future - about whether this generation of Americans will be able to pass on what's best about this country to our children and their children."

In his television appearance, Gibbs said the economy "is likely to get worse before it gets better," with a recession perhaps extending past Obama's first year as president.

Will Obama be able to improve America's image? Or has George Bush caused too much damage? What are your expectations from the Obama administration?

Let's wait and watch before jumping to conclusions. During his campaign, he had pledged solidarity with Israel, and that's the hot issue in the world today! All politicians finally end up being 'politicians'after all! What can Obama do what his predecessors have NOT done??That's the question here.
Agniyah Shaikh
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: January 20, 2009, 12:30

US President Barack Obama will definitely be able to improve America's image. He is a man with a vision and has a positive outlook. He is a leader with a smile who will bail out America from its current economic recession. The current scenario is very distressing and it will take some time for Mr Obama to reverse it. Though it will take some time he will surely meet up to the expectations of the people. He will try his best and that is the most we can expect.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: January 20, 2009, 09:56

We cant blame everything on George Bush but he did not have control over some key events. However, we can expect Obama will do much better than his predessors as he came up from the bottom of life and on top of that he does not have any personal business interests like other leaders. Hope for the better world with this honest man.
Chuttugulla
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 20, 2009, 09:34