New President

[Guest aussiegeorge]

just sitting here at work at 0430 here in sydney australia watching barrack obarma being sworn in and got to say i'm impressed lets hope he can do what he says.hey he even mentioned firefighters in his speech.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

"For every Jimmy Carter there must be an equal yet opposite Ronald Reagan."

-Me

[Goose 188]

The man hasn't done anything yet. I'll tell you what impresses me every 4 years is the way we handle a transition of power. it is a testament to the greatness of America. Despite all the rhetoric and partisanship today is a day all of stand hand in hand as Americans. God Bless America and it's new President, his family and all of his administration. While he was not my choice, he is my president and i will support him 110% (unlike many of my liberal brethren).

[Just a guy 493]

I am a life long republican and DID NOT vote for obama but I am taking a wait and see approach to his presidency. He has 4 years to make a positive change. My biggest fear is that he will not be strong enough against terror and that he will make us more vulnerable to an attack. Let's remember that no matter what you think about george bush he has kept the country safe since 2001.

[FFPCogs 863]

I must agree that our new President is not the second coming, but he IS the President and as such I will support him 100%.

Stay Safe

Cogs

Just wanted to add that like him or not we have ALL just lived through history in the making.

Edited January 20, 2009 by FFPCogs

[firecapt32 282]

Today the President stated- is the day we pull our boot straps up--stand up and be counted and heard and put The United States of America back on the right track to lead the world.

We are in this together whether your vote was for McCain or Obama aren't you glad you're in a country that can do that!!!

He took an oath to uphold the Constitution of The United States to the best of his ability---lets believe him and stand with him to make this a better world for our children and their children.

[ex-commish 490]

I did not vote for him and I believe I have made my views quite clear on here and elsewhere about him but he is now our president and we need to stand behind him and give him a chance as what we are facing is too critical now not to stand behind him.

God Bless America !!!

[tdc202 0]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. Anyone hear anymore on Sen Kennedy going to the hospital from another seizure?

Edited January 20, 2009 by tdc202

[gamewell45 258]

We are in this togeather wether your vote was for McCain or Obama arent you glad your in a country that can do that!!!

I think we are in this together whether your vote was for McCain, Obama or a third party candidate!

Edited January 20, 2009 by gamewell45

[Goose 188]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. Anyone hear anymore on Sen Kennedy going to the hospital from another seizure?

Yes, he collapsed and apparently had a seizure. Those shadowy bastard children who stare death in the face every day and were absent from the presidential address took him to the hospital.

[OoO 24]

Yes, he collapsed and apparently had a seizure. Those shadowy bastard children who stare death in the face every day and were absent from the presidential address took him to the hospital.

Who covers the capital for EMS? Is there a special agency for the capital or is it covered by the DC FD?

[Goose 188]

Who covers the capital for EMS? Is there a special agency for the capital or is it covered by the DC FD?

DCFD naturally covers all of DC - including government offices (to the best of my knowledge). I saw a few pictures of FBI Paramedics (Special Agents who are part of the HRT/SWAT who are also Paramedics) as part of the various details - maybe one of those guys got things going and then care was transfered to DCFD? Not sure.

He was transported by ambulance, though - apparently conscious, alert and oriented.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Goose

[dmc2007 17]

DCFD naturally covers all of DC - including government offices (to the best of my knowledge). I saw a few pictures of FBI Paramedics (Special Agents who are part of the HRT/SWAT who are also Paramedics) as part of the various details - maybe one of those guys got things going and then care was transfered to DCFD? Not sure.

He was transported by ambulance, though - apparently conscious, alert and oriented.

There were also Secret Service ambulances present that look something like this:

http://flickr.com/photos/av8pix/2574510769/

I don't know who transported him, though.

Best of luck to President Obama and the new administration as well as this great nation-we certainly need it.

[tdc202 0]

I also heard Sen Byrd passed out seems like they were at the same table as the new VP and John Kerry

[ny10570 745]

There were also Secret Service ambulances present that look something like this:

http://flickr.com/photos/av8pix/2574510769/

I don't know who transported him, though.

Best of luck to President Obama and the new administration as well as this great nation-we certainly need it.

Secret service doesn't run with an ambulance that I'm aware of. That does look a lot like a tactical assault support vehicle that I saw in DC last year.

[ny10570 745]

I voted for Obama and I'm happy to see him in office, but all of these expectations are setting up for some extremely disappointed people. He is just the President, a man. He is not the savior and he is not the solution to everything that ails this country. We are at war, the economy is in the tank, the national debt is growing like wildfire, terrorism is an ever present threat that will likely never go away, healthcare continues to cost more and do less, social security is still f-ed, and our energy consumption and production has come to crossroad. Have I missed anything??? There are a lot of things that have to go right on a lot of different levels for things to improve and only a couple of things have to get screwed up to ruin it all. Kind of like landing a plane in the Hudson.

Edited January 21, 2009 by ny10570

[Goose 188]

This whole messiah crap is what is going to be his biggest pain in the a**. He will likely be unable to fix any of the above mentioned issues and will only be able to make a small dent in a handful. As was said, he is just a human being. American Government isn't exactly the most expeditious and come mid term elections he will likely be faced with a more conservative congress and will find difficulty getting things done. This whole "change" mantra is a load of bull the government today is no more accountable than it was yesterday.

What's even most disconcerting is our lovely Speaker of the House is going to try and waste our time and money on investigating every second of the Bush Administration. Obama is not going to allow that to go anywhere, i assure you and that alone is going to piss a lot of people off.

My summation of today's events:

OK.....so yesterday America was a dark and horrible place and today it's bright and wonderful.

Wow!

Can you feel the difference?

What I missed was the Obama's and the Biden's standing on the Capitol steps singing Kumbaya as Bush coptered away.

Also missed Cheney stroking a white Angorra cat in his wheelchair. It would have been soooo perfect.

At least Biden didn't ask him to stand up.

All I can say is the Left is going to be mighty unhappy with him when they go home and find out their mortgages haven't been paid and their kids are still Googling Britney instead of science questions.

[fireboy 6]

He can sure talk a good game lets see if he can play it Is he full of it or true to his word?........well see

[RescueKujo 130]

There were also Secret Service ambulances present that look something like this:

http://flickr.com/photos/av8pix/2574510769/

That is an FBI rig, used for either HazMat or WMD response teams...

[tunaFish 0]

I also heard Sen Byrd passed out seems like they were at the same table as the new VP and John Kerry

I heard that he was upset by Kennedy going into a seizure. He went to his office after. That sen. is, I think, 92 years old. Bless him for continuing the job at this age.

Mondale and 2 senators were there, the VP was at the table with the president.

[ex-commish 490]

I voted for Obama and I'm happy to see him in office, but all of these expectations are setting up for some extremely disappointed people. He is just the President, a man. He is not the savior and he is not the solution to everything that ails this country. We are at war, the economy is in the tank, the national debt is growing like wildfire, terrorism is an ever present threat that will likely never go away, healthcare continues to cost more and do less, social security is still f-ed, and our energy consumption and production has come to crossroad. Have I missed anything??? There are a lot of things that have to go right on a lot of different levels for things to improve and only a couple of things have to get screwed up to ruin it all. Kind of like landing a plane in the Hudson.

There will be expectations because he campaigned on and was elected to fix the problems we are facing. He promised to fix the so called "Bush failed policies". Don't make excuses for him. The honeymoon is over, time to roll up the sleeves and do the work he was elected to do.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Secret service doesn't run with an ambulance that I'm aware of. That does look a lot like a tactical assault support vehicle that I saw in DC last year.

The Secret Service does run ambulances, they are usually black and unmarked. At least one vehicle in the POTUS' convoy is an ambulance or medic truck.

The ambulance that took Senator Kennedy away had Federal license plates, so it could be any number of various federal agencies. Probably Secret Service or Capitol PD, definitely not DCFD.

[ajsbear 11]

Is everything fixed yet? OK lets give it another few days OK?

While I did vote for the other guy like many said, "he is the new president." Lets give him a chance.

[JBE 328]

I don't care for politics, nor do I care for politicians in general. I thought his speech was rousing, and actually, moving in some parts. I'm going to take a wait and see approach, along with the attitude of, "OK Pal, you made it, now let's see what ya got!!" I wish him luck. He's going to need it.

I just hope that the Republican Party doesn't crucify this guy the way they did Clinton. It seemed like from the beginning of Clintons campaign in 1992, all the way up to the minute he was impeached, the Republican Party did everything in their power to screw this guy over. He wasn't an angel by any stretch of the imagination. But, come on, let the guy do his job.

[ny10570 745]

There will be expectations because he campaigned on and was elected to fix the problems we are facing. He promised to fix the so called "Bush failed policies". Don't make excuses for him. The honeymoon is over, time to roll up the sleeves and do the work he was elected to do.

I'm not making excuses. Thats the reality of the situation. If he can't get the legislation he wants passed then thats his fault. If his programs fail, thats his fault. For the next 4 years if it doesn't get done then he doesn't get re-elected, unless of course the Republican's do like the Democrats did 4 years ago and lob a softball to the opposition.

POTUS goes in the Limo. He has his own Secret Service medic with a full compliment of equipment.

[Guest]

My biggest fear is that he will not be strong enough against terror and that he will make us more vulnerable to an attack. Let's remember that no matter what you think about george bush he has kept the country safe since 2001.

Amen to that!! All I can say is: 1/20/2013!! Now that will be change we can believe in......

[SpartanML 0]

I have made it very clear in the past, that I did not vote for our new President. However like others have said, I will give him a chance, God knows this country needs it right now.

At the same time though, I feel very bad for him, these people have turned him into some kind of God, and he is only a mortal. I hope for his sake the new administration can fix something.

I am however disappointed with his decision to close Gitmo already. I still do not see what people are whining about when it comes to the prison, the prisoners are treated fairly and have some rights.

[ny10570 745]

Closing Gitmo is a great pr move. No one likes it. You could turn it into the club med of prisons and it will still carry a certain stigma. He's not just dumping these people out into the world. They will be transfered and the trials will be resumed.

In celebration of all the racial harmony now that Obama "our savior" is in office I dug up my favorite SNL clip of all time.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/1477/saturday-ni...ord-association

[INIT915 1,119]

Amen to that!! All I can say is: 1/20/2013!! Now that will be change we can believe in......

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Promising "a new era of openness in our country," President Obama signed executive orders Wednesday relating to ethics guidelines for staff members of his administration.

"Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency," Obama said.

Among other things, Obama said he would issue a pay freeze for his senior staff members.

Wow! You guys were all right. Look at this nonesense!! New ethics rules, pay freezes. This guy must be nuts!

[Goose 188]

And for Gitmo, i never minded it. People make it out to be some horrible place where innocent men are beaten and tortured. We actually treat these pieces of trash better than we treat some of our own citizens. Not for nothing, the second you involve yourself in terrorism or sympathize, you relinquish all your civil/human/political rights in my book. Obama will be regretting this once we start picking these guys back up on the battlefield (which has already happened) after their "trials" in their country of origin.