An Historic Day

I like millions of others was sat glued to my television yesterday watching the inauguration of America's 44th President, historic in many ways the obvious and the not so obvious. I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't even notice him fluffing his lines when he took the oath and despite the criticisms that have been in the papers today I thought his speech was excellent, inspiring and I hope a sign of things to come. The picture on the front of The Times almost brought a tear to my eye, his wife Michelle standing looking at her husband with such pride the first African American President of the United States of America. I also loved the fact that she is holding the Bible he is swearing on, I don't know if this is normal practice but I feel it shows her support for her husband and reinforces the fact that they are very much in this together.

To be honest if the only thing the newspapers can criticise is the fact he stumbled over the oath and that his speech wasn't as good as some of the others he has done then that has got to be a good sign.

I personally felt his speech was very well suited to the occasion, it was sombre yes but it was sincere and honest, quite a contrast to some of the speeches of the former president. I was encouraged to see detailed in his speech some of the changes he was talking about in his book The Audacity of Hope written in 2006. It is good to see that the vision he set out for America in that book is still top of his agenda and has not been diluted by 'politics'.

Yes he will have many difficult decisions to make and he will probably make mistakes but I do sincerely believe that his term of office whether that be 4 or 8 years will be a great period in America's history. I am excited to see what he is going to do and whether you like it or not what happens in America has a profound effect on what happens in our country and the rest of the world.

Despite not being American I can honestly say God bless President Obama and God bless America.

If you didn't hear the speech it is well worth a listen, check it out here.