And why is this the most Emailed story of Nov 6, 2009?

Wisconsingirl52: He never said he was the messiah and neither did I. Secondly, I do have time on my hands since I am able to multitask and also get by on fewer than four hours sleep in a 24-hour period. Third, what the heck does that have to do with this subject anyways ... and, lastly, I think going back to the Army guide on interrogation is more appropriate than using torture or jailing someone without charges for years. Even John McCain was against President Bush's methods on this issue.

wisconsingirl~ I hear what you're saying. I think again, it goes back to us getting our act together as citizens. That's what Obama is asking us to do. If we get ourselves right, we can unite this country again and hence, by less vulnerable. The reason the bad guys see us as a prime target is the fact that we've divided ourselves because of our lack of leadership and our moral values going down the drain over the years. We've turned into a country full of hate for one another and that's the last thing a country needs to have happen! Anyone heard of "divide and conquer"? Not only should we be aware of this in regards to enemies outside of this country, but, the "barbarians" within our own gates. They're here and licking their chops.

SarahB - Glad you're amused. I notice you have 1,151 comments posted. It sounds like you have a lot of time on your hands. We're all entitled to our opinion and I for one have not bought into the Obamamania! He is not the Messiah like the media would have us all believe. He has a lot of favors to return and I will not be expecting much in the short term. I only pray that his new CIA policies regarding terrorists and torture do not make us more vulnerable to the finatics planning the next attack on our soil.

Wisconsingirl52: No disrespect, but you are too funny.

RetiredAirforce~ great question. I think it's an easy answer. The most important thing all of us can do is make ourselves BETTER. Here's the problem. So many of us already think we're good enough and don't think there's any room for improvement. That's what my point has been in my past posts. There's alot of GOOD people, but, GOOD is the enemy of GREAT. This country has been dumbed down so much by the media that the status quo is being accepted as above average. I'm not talking about status either. I'm talking about being the best PERSON we can be. It doesn't happen overnight. Just strive to be a little bit better "today" than we were "yesterday".

“I for one am glad that the color barrier was broken on January 20,2009.”
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The barrier has been broken many times before. First teacher, principle, police officer, sheriff, alderman, mayor, state assembly, district attorney, judge, governor, congress, senate, general, admiral, chairman joint chiefs of staff, supreme court justice, secretary of state, leader of many countries in this world, and don’t forget UN Secretary General. Yes, and now President of our country.

It's funny how people adopt different measures of blackness. Whoanellie calls Obama a mulatto. You are considered 1/2 white and 1/2 black.
Being a mulatto did not accord one any specials rights such as drinking at a white water fountain. In fact blackness was measured by even one drop of black blood. Obama himself has said that he is either too white or too black. I for one am glad that the color barrier was broken on January 20,2009. No matter how you measure it he will be remembered as the first black president and that means a lot to the people in this country who could not vote in the 1960s.

I did not vote for Obama. I will watch cautiously with no expectations. I was concerned about him leading us down a Socialist path, but now believe he will govern from somewhere closer to the middle which will anger many of the left wing liberals. What disturbs and worries me the most is that the liberal media will be afraid to criticize him for fear of being accused of racism. The majority of the media had no problem criticizing President Bush but you see the same media give President Obama and his cabinet/staff free pass after free pass. It was already happening before the inauguration. Thank God for Fox News . . . they may be the only members of the media really watching, reporting fairly and demanding accountability.

And I thought this election wasnt about Race/skin color lol.....Also I understand history was made as to African/American president But in my opinion it was way to much. And now the time is here to see what he really CAN do as Obama has a heavy road ahead of him.

My dear, "great man," "Yes we did," etc. Sorry, Obama just won an election. He has yet to become a great official. Maybe he will -- and maybe I hope he will -- but he'll have to stop this trend of giving billions and now trillions to corporations and banks, while doing nothing for our country. His calls for us to sacrifice ring hollow when the corporations don't have to. As they now say, No Bank Left Behind.

sannio~ ACT as in do something different other than sitting in front of the TV's and video games. This country needs to be re-educated on values and principles. Obama is speaking of the citizens of this country making a change from being "selfish" to being "selfless". Is that clear enough for you?

I would have thought that a couple of Washington Seminar students from Parker High School would have been interviewed as well. After all, their primary focus is a study of our federal government. Journalism 101 anyone?

"I will ask all you nay sayers... what are you going to do to make your country better?"
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Many people have been asking this same question for decades, to include the last 8 years.

Barack Obama is a great man, will be a great president in time. Change is coming,, but like any thing worth while you have to work for it. I will ask all you nay sayers... what are you going to do to make your country better?

lovemycountry:
The answer is it will all be paid for on MASSIVE debt, which is all borrowed by our government via US treasury bills. Those bills are primarily bought by foreign countries. Japan and China are the biggest holders us US treasury notes (our debt). So the answer to your question is China, and Japan will mostly pay for it. Once the debt gets large enough (all ready over $10 TRILLION) it will require a massive %age of the federal budget just to pay the interest on the debt. Eventually it will get to a point that it collapses the entire economy. Many great civilizations of the past have fallen because of massive debt.

Great post Retired Air Force:
I always get a kick out of these people who think all mighty government is the solution to all their mundane problems in life. Soon people will see how much worse government will make the economic problems that they will attempt to fix.

It is amazing to me how people set their own fate and happiness on an event or having someone elected; party affiliation, racial background, or religious leanings. By basing your own happiness on the outcome of what others do or achieve will never make for a happy life. We live in the greatest country ever and people still feel they are owed more and can’t do things on their own until this or that happens…this is truly sad. The event was historic in the fact that an African American was elected to lead this great nation. But there are other historic events yet to be achieved; first female, first Hispanic, first Asian…and the list goes on. The event does not solve or fix anything; people (singularly) are the ones that will fix things. Waiting for events to fulfill dreams will never solve a problem or pass as a solution.

I see once again that some people have far too much time on their hands.

darius - What does "ACT!" mean? Since two thirds of our economy is consumer spending, are you telling us to get off our butts, and shop? Please explain.

Everyone's happy with no opposing views reported. Kind of like the subtle jabbing at Briarmoon whenever her name is in the paper with no supporting views.

I'm glad we have a black president. I didn't vote for Obama or McCain, but I have to ask a serious question. For those that expect a lot of economic change... how exactly will President Obama accomplish that and who will pay for it since our country is broke ?

"I'm going to try and do my part".....This isn't a hobby or a part time gig here. What President Obama is talking about is a commitment from the American people to get themselves right so they can start being a part of the solution and not the problem in this country. Too many people are resigned to just going along with the status quo. Why is good so accepted these days when GREAT is available?? The U.S. needs to get back to GREAT! Our country will only be as good or great as our people are willing to make it. This means that we need more people from all generations to pull their heads out of the TV sets, put down the video game remotes, stop buying into everything the media portrays and get off those couches and ACT! I understand it's not what people want to hear, but, it's true. Obama is talking about the re-educating of the American mind. I'm all in!

rexkramer:Get a life.All you idiots that think he will make gas go down in one day,or end the war is nuts.My son served 3 tours in Iraq.He told me that with the Bush quagmire we were headed in the wrong direction.I served in Viet Nam and had the same problem(too much politics).Give this man a chance and get behind him to show the world that we as Americans support our President and troops..Stay tuned more good times coming.

That wasn't a biased poll, was it garyprimer? No, I guess not, because the unbiased pollsters said they looked for the most informed voters they could find. Yup.

On thing is clear, this inauguration is no occasion for extreme pessimism. As someone pointed out, he has only been President for one day. On the other hand, there is also no basis for extreme optimism either as he has only been President for one day. We should be hopeful, but guardedly so, keeping expectations high in hope of good performance.

You know gary the same poll could be done for Bush and his campaign and the results would be the same, the only difference is Bush and his party have been around and in the spotlight alot longer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1KOBMg1...

So do I, you go Obama and Hillary. I agree with you SaraB there are too many people on this site looking for anything to pull apart. It is the issues that should matter not the grammatical errors. To all of the haters find happiness in your own life and grow up.

Hillary will be great. Congrats to her.

BULLETIN: Hillary Clinton has been confirmed as secretary of state. Guess what, no. I feel even better than just a few minutes ago!

No: Excuse me for the typo. And if you see my comment as a real threat, then you are either very, very aged or very, very young. I am the age you are looking for a comment from and I have the required job and pay the required taxes. My take on the inauguration? Beautiful!! In fact, I feel so good about our new president and the future of this nation that I feel like Scrooge did on Christmas Day ... happy, hopeful and excited.

I have one thing to say and that is give the Man a Chance, why in this day and age are people so worried about skin color? that has nothing to do with the person, it is what is inside the person that counts, there beliefs there moral standards, yet we still somehow find our way to bring race into everything that is talked about. People open your eyes judge the man for what he stands for do not judge him by the color of his skin, weather you like it or not he is our President just give him time to help mend a country that has been brought to it's knees by weak economy and weaker minds than his.

Good, I'm glad I'm not alone about too much emphasis being put on his skin color and not about what this job entails. I don't care what color his skin is....I care more about what he will do for this country. Right now, I think he talks a good talk...but can he walk the walk? He will have to make decisions that are not always going to be "popular." The presidency should not be a popularity contest. I understand why African Americans have a thing about seeing this in their lifetime- however, why does it take THIS to give them the motivation to be and do whatever they want in life? There have been many other African Americans in high positions before (um, Condoleeza Rice-shocker, a black WOMAN no less, and Colin Powell). So who told them to achieve? It shouldn't be because of someone, it should be because you WANT to achieve. Honestly, I would have voted for either of those two if they would have tried (maybe they were too smart not to!) I like the one senior citizen's comment- we're not black and white, we are just people. Well said.

When I grew up, I thought the few blacks I saw were people with very good sun tans. For all that, if they get a cut & I get one, we'd both bleed the same colour blood....Red!

*Too many of you are pessimistic pigs. Off with your heads and on to other tasks. *

Like learning how to spell caucasian? Or stopping threats of decapitation? Or knocking off the Charles Manson lingo?

I find it interesting that this story features the very, very aged and the very, very young. Two groups of people who don't really have much "skin in the game" as Obama would say. I wonder if some actual people who are working for a living and paying taxes have anything to say.

Too many of you are pessimistic pigs. Off with your heads and on to other tasks. By the way, it is funny how some CAUCASIONS (what a stupid way to identify pink/tan/pale white people) insist that President Obama is NOT black or African American. Our ancestors (yes, the white people) are the ones who started this by insisting that anyone with even one drop of black blood in them was black. And we did the same thing with the Native Americans.

50,60, 90, no doubt he will look good.

looks good, speaks well, smart. in four (or eight) years he will look 90. he will govern from the middle which will upset the socialistic minded far left loons. that thought makes my day.

rexk, hmmmmm,,,, damage done over 8 yrs will not be changed in less then 24 hrs.. But then you knew that.

Funny, I woke up this morning and gas prices didn't plummet, we are still at war, the stock market hasn't magically rallied. In other words, contrary to popular belief, here we are as a country with the same problems we had yesterday. So maybe when the liberal hangover wears off some of these folks who have been telling us how the country will magically be transformed can get to work and start delivering on all that "hope and change" rhetoric we've had shoved down our throats for the past year. Mr. President, the ball is in your court.

In the schools and the library and even Huntington place, they couldn't find someone with a differing opinion?

I agree some what with whoanellie, but get real most people look at him and think, he is a black man. Not he must be half white, and half black. He looks more black than white. But he should be judged on the job he does , not on the color of his skin.. Funny is that not what people of different races have been asking for all along. To be treated equally not by their color. We wish him the best.

As I've said in some other blogs: Does this man remember that he is half white? His mother is white and his father, who abandoned him, was black. He is not the first black President, he the first mulatto president. I believe that makes him an american. Let's hope he doesn't look at color when taking care of this country! We all need to remember this! Stop looking at the color of his skin and look at his work that is to come. Judge him by that and not the color!

People will always remember where they were when Obama became our 44th President, and I'm proud to be able to say that I was at the public library, gathered together with other members of the community, watching history being made. Books will be written about that day...and when they are, you'll be able to find them in our stacks!

Oh, the monitor. I thought that the photographer asked them to look dreamily up towards heaven...

What are they looking at?