WHO IS DAVID RODEARMEL?

On Thursday, a self styled "non-partisan educational foundation" filed a lawsuit on behalf of a right-wing State Department employee claiming that Hillary Clinton is constitutionally ineligible to serve as Secretary of State. David Rodearmel says serving under her would go against the oath he took as a foreign service officer to uphold the Constitution of the United States. In a statement he said:

"This is not a partisan, political or personal issue... I have faithfully served under six prior Secretaries of State of both parties… As a commissioned State Department Foreign Service Officer, a retired Army Reserve Judge Advocate Officer, and as a lawyer, I consider it my Constitutional duty to bring this case to the court."

While I have to give this guy his props for trying to take down Hill-dog (his efforts will probably be futile) something about him rubs me the wrong way. Still, I'll be watching for him in the unlikely event he does anything more than dig himself into a hole of irrelevance. I wonder what he hopes to accomplish other than gain favor with the Republican community.

The group who is helping Rodearmel out (it's probably the other way around) is none other than Judicial Watch - the same organization that came to fame when it filed over a dozen unsuccessful lawsuits against the Clintons during the last Democrat administration. More recently, they attempted to stifle the confirmation of Eric Holder, and they tried ludicrously to challenge Obama's rights to be president. This is the same group who sued a Virginia city to stop a day laborer program on the grounds that it provides employment for illegal immigrants. The group has also filed lawsuits against people like Dick Cheney. Its list of Washington's "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" is an interesting list of asses and elephants.

The case against Clinton will be fun if it ever gets to court (read more about it here, and scroll down to read some of the nutty comments). Judge Reggie Walton will preside.  In an ideal world he will prevent Hillary from doing any more damage to the face of the nation than her predecessor and her boss. Too bad we don't live in an ideal world...

Hopefully, we'll get to see Mr Rodearmel in action at the very least. I have a feeling we'll be disappointed. 

WEEK IN REVIEW: JAN 26-30

The first full week of the Obama administration was a bit bipolar - the president had some important victories, as well as a few surprising stumbling blocks. Here's a rundown of the biggest stories in the past five days:

PROGRESS:

• As expected, President Obama's stimulus plan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday. However, it received not a single Republican vote, despite the fact that the president watered it down to bring at least some of the Republican caucus on board. Their opposition shouldn’t surprise anyone - any stimulus that does pass is not going to end the recession; the best it can hope to do is keep unemployment lower than it otherwise might be. But of course, if it passes no one will ever know what would have happened without the stimulus - they'll just know unemployment was still high. So the Republicans can make plenty of noise about opposing a "useless" stimulus. A great political move, if an unprincipled one.

• Another legislative victory for liberals came with the president’s signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The law overturned the Supreme Court's 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear, which held that a pay discrimination claim based on sex must be brought within 180 days of the first discriminatory payment. Ledbetter, who only became aware of the discrimination years later, argued that each paycheck constituted a new discriminatory act re-triggering the 180-day period for filing of a suit. The Act made her claim law.

• On the financial front, President Obama also suggested decisive government action was on its way. On the one hand, he chastised Wall Street upon reports that $18.4 billion in bonuses were distributed to executives in 2008. On the other, the White House gave indications of several courses of action it might pursue to break the credit crisis, among them the creation of a so-called "bad bank" to buy up risky bank assets, prop up balance sheets and get banks lending again.

• The president's Middle East Envoy, George Mitchell, is wrapping up a several-stop trip through the Middle East this weekend. Mitchell, who played an instrumental role in negotiating peace in Northern Ireland years ago, is feeling out the parties in the region to gauge the feasibility of restarting the peace process. There has been little said about Gaza lately, however (other than the spat at Davos between Israeli President Shimon Peres and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan), and it's unlikely Obama will get anywhere by simply delegating the peace process to Mitchell and staying on the sidelines.

• In a fascinating move, President Obama appears interested in appointing Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire as his Commerce Secretary. Because New Hampshire has a Democratic governor, this raises the question of whether the Democrats might get their filibuster-proof 60 vote majority in the Senate after all. It's unlikely that Gregg would take the job without assurances that his successor will be a Republican, though.

• Finally, President Obama has brought change to the White House already: he held a bipartisan cocktail party there earlier this week. Former President Bush was not a drinker (excluding the first four decades of his life), and we saw how that worked out for inter-party relations in D.C. Perhaps a little social lubricant might get the gears of government working again.

SETBACKS

• President Bush has managed to strike back from the political grave! Most people breathed a sigh of relief when Inauguration Day arrived and Bush did not issue a blanket pardon to members of his administration for any alleged violations of law. However, it seems that he extended letters to many members of his staff, including Karl Rove, which purport to grant "absolute immunity," forever in perpetuity, against congressional subpoenas. The legality/constitutionality of this move is anyone's guess, and John Conyers is far from finished with his hunting of Bush administration officials, so you can bet you will see a lawsuit sometime soon about whether the president's executive privilege can justify a move like this.

• Obama has butted heads with the judiciary for the first time in his tenure (okay, technically the judge is not a member of the judicial branch since the Guantanamo court is a creature of statute, but still). The chief judge of the war crimes court at Guantanamo rejected the president's call for prosecutions there to be halted. The degree of independence these military commissions have is still up in the air, so look for more news on who will get their way in this fight.

• Finally, one more bit of irritating news for the president: his half-brother, George Obama, was arrested in Kenya on marijuana possession charges. Sadly, it looks like Obama's ancestral home has the same silly drug laws as nation he now leads.

FIRST INTERVIEW... WITH AL-ARABIYA?!

Clearly President Obama understands the significance of the Middle East, so much so that he chose to give his first formal interview as president to Al Arabiya as George Mitchell left for the region. It has been airing for a couple hours now on various networks including CNN. Nothing too special...

Although Barack did sound far more conciliatory than his predecessor, there was nothing new in the interview. Its significance lies elsewhere - it was a political calculation... and a safe one at that.

Read more...

DAMN RELIGION...

True to form, Barack Obama delivered one hell of a speech on inauguration day. One of his best lines concerned unity and religious tolerance:

"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."

Unfortunately, for some people hatred is alive and well; most of them are convinced that American culture is "distinctively Christian."  A Virginia Bishop could not accept Barack's message of tolerance; in fact, he made his intolerance abundantly clear:

"The overwhelming majority of Americans identify as Christians, and what disturbs me is that he seems to be trying to redefine who we are... Obviously, Jewish heritage is very much a part of Christianity; the Jewish Bible is part of our Bible. But Hindu, Muslim, and nonbelievers? I don't think so. We are not a Muslim nation or a nonbelieving nation."

This type of bigotry is all too common in this country (even if it is usually hidden from view). Having a Black president with a name like Barack Hussein Obama is a good thing, but it clearly isn't enough for our old hatreds to fade away.

Muslims and Hindus have always been viewed with suspicion in this country. I would say the same of Jews, but discriminating against them is rather taboo. The new president did well to mention those three non-Christian faiths in his inaugural address - he forgot Buddhists - but what was most notable was his mention of "non-believers." That was without precedence for US presidents. 

Obama acknowledging the role non-believers have played in US heritage is nothing to be taken lightly. It has brought great joy to some, and it has bothered several others. Hopefully we will be able overcome our hatred in this country, but we have a very long way to go. As things currently stand we are in no position to criticize Islamist movements or the state of Israel (which does as it pleases anyway). This is not a Christian nation. God help America... save it from the confines of religion.

WEEK IN REVIEW: JAN 21-23

President Barack Hussein Obama's first three days on the job were filled with excitement (at least the first two). Regrettably, Hillary Clinton and Timothy Geithner went through their confirmations with little problems. But it was their boss who was making the big headlines. He ordered the closure of Guantanamo and made headway and a handful of domestic issues. There were also signals of the new adminstration's future dealings abroad, some good some bad.

Wednesday, January 21st was Obama's first full day as President of the United States. As expected, it was rather eventful...

• The first family's morning was consumed by a long National Prayer Service. God bless the USA!
  
• There was a promise of "an unprecedented level of openness in government." The newly elected president announced that all pay raises would be frozen for anyone making above $100,000 a year (nobody was even on the payroll before Tuesday).
• Obama's first action of any consequence was the signing of an ethics act that placed numerous limitations on lobbyists and government officials.
  
• He ordered the suspension of all legal proceedings in Guantanamo and his aides circulated a draft executive order calling for the detention center in Cuba to be shut down.
• He called Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas to express his "commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term."
• The president hosted an open house for some special guests.
• He also held productive meetings with economic advisers and military officials.
• The day ended with him re-taking the presidential oath that the Supreme Court Justice had so unceremoniously screwed up the day before.

Thursday, January 22nd was a day for more promises to be fulfilled (to a certain extent). Once again, members of the press had their hands full. As his cabinet picks continued to make headway in their confirmations, President Obama made two important appointments:

1. George Mitchell was made Special Envoy to the Middle East. He is of Irish-Lebanese descent and his accomplishments include the well received Mitchell Report on the second intifada, and a lasting peace deal in Northern Ireland. It was a relatively good move (much better than a Dennis Ross).
2. Richard Holbrooke was named Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has earned the nickname the bulldozer, and he has a past checkered with red flags. His appointment is not a good sign for any meaningful peace in that region.

• What made the most headlines were the three executive orders the president signed, effectively ending all the previous administration's policies in the so-called war on terror:

1. Regarding Guantanamo Bay - the ultimate goal is the closure of the detention center within a year. The order establishes a review process with the goal of relocating the detainees before closing the facility. It also requires that conditions of confinement at Guantanamo comply with Geneva conventions and other international laws until the prison camp is shut down.
2. Regarding detention policies - a special task force, co-chaired by Eric Holder and Robert Gates will reconsider policy options for apprehension, detention, trial, transfer, and release of detainees. The task force must submit its report to the president within 180 days.
3. Regarding interrogation policies - all interrogations of detainees are required to follow the Army Field Manual guidelines (e.g. no more waterboarding). The CIA is ordered to close all overseas detention facilities and it is prohibited from operating them in the future. A special task force will conduct a review of interrogation policies. It will do the same for extraordinary rendition, although the process will continue for the time being.

• Obama also ordered the Justice Department to review the case of the only 'enemy combatant' currently being held in the US.
  

Friday, January 23rd was far less eventful. Not much came out of the White House -I guess they were winding down for the weekend...

• The executive and legislative branches came together to work on an (expensive) remedy to the current financial crisis.
• The president returned phonecalls from Canadian PM Stephen Harper, Saudi King Abdullah (who he asked to combat arms smuggling to Gaza), British PM Gordon Brown and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
• To the dismay of pro-life nutbags protesting the day before, Obama lifted a ban on US funding for international groups that perform abortions or provide related services.
• The big news of the day came from Pakistan where two US drones killed at least 20 people, at least half of them civilians. Clearly Obama was unfazed by the flack he took for promising to strike freely in Pakistan during the campaign. At least he's showing he has some foreign policy convictions, even if they're dangerously flawed.
  

But overall, it was a good week - our new president delivered - at least on the surface. Yes, Guantanamo will soon be a thing of the past, but detainees there are still being force fed and mistreated (the press left on January 21). CIA prisons are supposed to be shut down, but what will be the fate of those already in detention? The Mitchell pick was not bad, but Obama continues to walk the same line with Israel. What are the chances he will let Mitchell do his 'dirty' work for him? Holbrooke will definitely do his dirty work. Friday's attack on Pakistan could be a sign of bad things to come.

What we've seen in these first few days has been good, but there is a long way to go. Actions speak louder than words, and the world will be watching to see what Barack actually does. So far so good (except for Pakistan, and the persistent misportrayal of the Arab-Israeli conflict). If he can keep up the pace, I will be pleasantly surprised... I'm not expecting that.

A FAUTY FOREIGN POLICY

A fellow blogger recently directed me to the new foreign policy page on the White House website - I'm ashamed to say I didn't think to check it earlier. Maybe, on a subconscious level, I didn't want to... I was admittedly taken by the more positive aspects of the day, despite the devastation in Gaza.

Overall, I'm not impressed with these initial foreign policy declarations (the new president said nothing explicit in his inaugural address), but I'm not surprised either. 

On the big issues, Obama remains true to the rules his predecessors have played by. Aside from a supposed commitment to diplomacy, the only subtle difference is that he plans to "revitalize Afghanistan's economic development" by increasing troop levels there. Over the past few years, extremist elements in the war-torn country have been stepping up their insurgency. Surely they will not take kindly to more American boots on the ground. Things could get ugly and Barack seems ready. For some unexplainable reason, he thinks the biggest threat to US security is "the resurgence of Al Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan and Pakistan." Either he is badly misinformed, or he has some hidden agenda I haven't quite figured out yet.

There is a cleverly worded section on Iran and significant attention is given to the sovereign nation's nuclear ambitions. There is also a special subsection on nuclear weapons that emphasizes the Obama administration's desire to "move towards a nuclear free world" - too bad it doesn't mention the state of Israel and its nuclear arsenal which remains the biggest threat to regional security...

In the section on Israel, we are unfortunately reminded of reality. Like its predecessors, this new administration believes that its "first and incontrovertible commitment in the Middle East must be to the security of Israel." It goes on to highlight Obama's support for the devastation our "strongest ally in the region" wreaked on Lebanon in 2006, all in the name of "self defense." I wonder if he feels differently about what happened in Gaza... how fortunate for him that the Israelis halted their assault before he took his oath.

The website also highlights the administration's indiscriminate support for billions of dollars in continued aid to an undeserving ally - money that would be better spent on a whole variety of important domestic issues. The US-Israeli alliance is completely one sided and it brings no benefits to American voters. What it does do is increase opposition to the US and raise the potential for violence and terrorism. It is a bad sign for peace in the Middle East that the White House feels the need to brag about Obama and Biden having blindly "advocated increased foreign aid budgets" for the state of Israel. We got the point already!

Today the world witnessed history in the making. The change is real, but much more is needed. Now the real work begins. Our new president says most of the right things when it comes to domestic issues, but what we hear on foreign policy is much less promising, even though change in that arena is needed just as badly. The last thing we need is more of the same. 

There is absolutely no hope for peace in the Middle East (and indeed the rest of the world) so long as the US-Israel alliance remains unchanged. The sooner we move in a different direction, the more likely it is we will see some sort of peaceful resolution to this conflict that has dragged on for far too long. Yes, Obama has important domestic priorities, but there is nothing in the realm of foreign policy that is more crucial to global security than a peaceful resolution to the question of Palestine.

THE OATH FLUB (NOT OBAMA'S FAULT!)

It's hard to think of something of less consequence on a day like today, but humor and wonkishness compel me to bring it up nonetheless: someone messed up the presidential oath today. And that person was not the president.



I know, I know. President Obama spoke over Chief Justice Roberts for a moment, and then seemed to pause in mid-sentence, unsure of himself, before the Chief Justice repeated the oath. The speaking-over was a minor faux pas, but the pause was Roberts' fault: he misstated the oath. Article II, section 1 of the Constitution makes the content of the oath clear:

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Sadly, Chief Justice Roberts managed to cut out the word "faithfully" and tack it back on after "President of the United States." This obviously threw Obama, who seemed to nod at Roberts to suggest that he repeat the oath properly. When Roberts failed to do so and bumbled again, he simply repeated the (wrong) formulation Roberts initially gave.

If you care enough to still be reading at this point, Slate has an even nerdier, word-by-word analysis here.

You've got to feel bad for Roberts. He's only been on the Supreme Court for a little over three years, and this the first swearing-in (God willing, the first of many) that he's been privileged to conduct. It's one of the few perks attendant with being the Chief Justice, and his nerves simply got the better of him. Word is that he apologized to Obama later in the day. Hopefully he isn't beating himself up too much about an unfortunate slip-up...though you can bet he'll get it word-for-word (or at least not try to memorize it again) when 2012 rolls around.

(P.S.: for all those conspiracy theorists out there who are looking for yet another reason to challenge Obama's legitimacy as president since the birth certificate challenges failed, don't get your hopes up. Under the Twelfth Amendment, Obama qualified for the presidency following his Electoral College victory on December 15th (and Congress's subsequent counting and certification of that result on January 6th). As a result, under the Twentieth Amendment, he officially became president of the United States at 12:00pm today once President Bush's term ended, which was moments before the oath was even administered. So any slip-ups in this formality do not impact his legal qualifications for the presidency.)

SEVEN MINUTES

At 4:03 PM, secret servicemen held their breath as Barack and Michelle Obama stepped out of their armored car to talk a walk along Pennsylvania Avenue. They waved to the crowd with big smiles on their faces, soaking it all in. The walked for about seven miutes before getting back in the limousine. 

It was quite a sight... and at about 4:27 PM, it happened again - another seven minute stroll.

The area was secure, but surely, the secret service and other security forces must have been on edge, regardless of how much they've been preparing. All foreseeable contingencies appear to have been taken into account. Buildings overlooking the parade route must have been secured and all the spectators behind the barricades went through a thorough screening process - they weren't even allowed to bring umbrellas.

He was safe (he looked genuinely happy and unworried). He could have even shook hands with some people in the crowd if he wanted, but it's not surprising that he elected not to. 

A little later, Joe Biden took a walk with his wife (he even jogged a bit), but that was no big deal. Nobody really wants to shoot him... Still people were chanting his name and he was getting his props. Nevertheless, it was Obama's day.

It was nice seeing him on the street, although I doubt the press would have given him much of a hard time if he stayed in his car. In 1981 Jimmy Carter and his family walked all the way from the Capitol to the White House, but the last two inaugural processions weren't as peaceful - with mass protests and people pelting W's car with eggs.

I guess it makes sense that the Barack and Michelle limited their strolls to seven minutes. They stayed in the secure confinements of their armored limousine for the rest of the way.

At 4:37 PM the Obamas finally arrived to their new home. Let's hope this is the start of something good. Surely it can't be any worse than the last eight years.

"THE QUESTION WE ASK TODAY IS NOT WHETHER OUR GOVERNMENT IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL, BUT WHETHER IT WORKS...."

I expect that this statement will be remembered as the most consequential of any in President Obama's first inaugural address. It indicates that the inauguration of Barack Obama, symbolism aside, may also mark the beginning of a sea change in the relationship between individuals and government in America.

Beginning with the inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt in 1933 and the subsequent creation of the administrative state, the federal government became an integral part of everyday American life. The National Recovery Act put countless Americans back to work on the federal dime. The Social Security Act created a new federal safety net to ensure a minimum level of support to retired citizens. The Securities and Exchange Act ushered in a new wave of government control of Wall Street that persists to this day. The list goes on - the "alphabet soup" of agencies created by FDR brought government into Americans' lives like never before.

This expansion of government continued for nearly half a century. After World War II, the GI Bill helped bring millions of people into the middle class. In the mid-60s, the creation of Medicare and Medicaid as part of LBJ's "Great Society" reforms represented the high water mark of "big government" - never before was the federal government more fundamentally committed to the use of its power and pursestrings to bring about social progress. Government, for many, was the solution.

Then the retreat began. The disillusionment with government that came with bloated social programs, Watergate, the withdrawal from Vietnam and the various crises of the late 70's turned many people against their government. Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 and told Americans that government was no longer the solution to its problems - it was the problem. And for years, deregulation and privatization were in vogue.

After twelve years of Republican rule many thought this would change with the inauguration of Bill Clinton, but in many ways it did not. Universal health care, for years the holy grail for many liberals, was not achieved; welfare-to-work drastically changed the underlying assumptions of how the so-called social safety net worked; new social programs such as SCHIP were, at most, incremental steps toward greater government involvement in supporting individuals; and deficit reduction was the main goal (and most important accomplishment) of the Democratic administration. This was, in many ways, a continuation of the "government is the problem" era in American politics.

Ironically, the now-complete presidency of George W. Bush brought a far greater expansion of government than Clinton's. The Department of Homeland Security was created, and is in many ways a model of administrative inefficiency. The Medicare reforms threw massive amounts of federal money at pharmaceutical companies. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as enormous tax breaks for the rich (most notably the repeal of the estate tax) drained the federal budget into the red and expanded the national debt to a new high. And in one notable area where government's reach did not expand under Bush (banking regulation), greed and excess launched a severe economic crisis that continues to deepen with each passing day. The expansion of government under Bush did little to fundamentally change the way government relates to individuals, other than to antagonize many Americans once again.

And now comes Barack Obama. As he made very clear in his inaugural address above, President Obama is a hard-nosed pragmatist when it comes to policy. This is not to say he is not also ideological to some extent. While he is interested in cabining government when it has become too big for its own good, the president is unquestionably committed to the idea that government has certain social responsibilities. Unlike President Clinton, he seems unapologetic about his liberal leanings - he is proposing a massive economic stimulus that will temporarily increase the deficit in exchange for providing a boost to the sagging jobs market.

But the way he has gone about promoting this idea reflects a new type of political discourse. For years, our political attitudes have been defined by which orientation toward government we adopt: whether we see it as the solution, or as the problem. Barack Obama, while clearly favoring one side of this dispute, seems interested in avoiding it altogether. Despite his strong mandate for change, President Obama is not proposing a vast, ideologically motivated expansion the welfare state, which would antagonize people who resent the idea of government as an ATM for the lazy. He is not leading as a typical liberal politician would. He is acting pragmatically, without appealing to the dogmas of either political party. Not saying that government is the solution, or that it is the problem; not that it is too intrusive, or that it is too hands-off. His interest is in whether, regardless of these liberal or conservative orientations, it is advancing our well-being.

At a minimum, this is a fascinating change in the way the American president speaks about American problems. More optimistically, it could represent a revolution in how Americans view government. Should the Obama Administration's new pragmatic approach to governing be successful, we may look at government quite differently once the forty-fifth president is sworn in. Though the question will always be with us as to whether government is too big or too small, too paternalistic or too out-of-touch, we might not be so hung up on it in the future. It might not define our politics. Perhaps we will simply trust government - trust it to be honest, competent, accountable and committed to improving efficiency. And with these old divisions behind us, perhaps we will be able to focus more clearly on the real, concrete policy problems facing us, with a clear head and a practical worldview.

Let's stay hopeful - the work has already begun.

WATCHING FROM HOME...

It's a cold day in Washington... A big part of me wants to be outside with all the people, but I'm watching this historic event from the comfort and solitude of my home. In fact, I haven't been too eager to set foot in DC over the past couple days. Traffic is always a nightmare in the nation's capitol, but the millions of visitors here for inauguration have made moving around a major pain... Still their presence is a testament to how significant today truly is.This post is my small contribution. 

As I flip through the networks on my TV, Al Jazeera English will be streaming on my computer. I will try to update as often as possible, but I want to soak it all in more than actually spit it out here. Already, the images from the mall are simply amazing. The actual swearing in won't take place for another three-and-a-half hours, but thousands of people are already out there braving the cold... and they are of all colors and creeds. It's almost painfully beautiful. He will surely deliver an amazing speech, but what happens after that? How much will he satisfy? How much will he disappoint?I'll try not to think about that today, and focus instead on the tremendous significance the day's events hold for this country and the world.

8:47 AM - Over 10 minutes late, Barack and Michelle Obama appeared for the first time as they left the Blair House (in that ugly limo) for the morning prayer service at St. John's Church. The streets in the immediate vicinity is completely empty, except for parked vehicles and secret servicemen.

8:50 AM - A few cheers as the first-family-to-be enters the little yellow church.

9:11 AM - 8 years ago this country witnessed the worst terrorist attack in its history. The president elect is now hearing prayers and it it beginning to settle in... he is about to be the (the first black) president of the United States of America. Fittingly, Michael Eric Dyson is on NBC right now talking about how Obama is far from post racial... and that he should be seen as the opposite of post-racial.

As people struggle to reach the Mall and witness history, they are leaving their cars on the side of the road. Even though most are on grass (away from shoulders and asphalt) the DMV police is already handing out tickets and towing. It's nice to see that the authorities have their priorities in order!

9:30 AM - The Mall area is full - it seems to have been closed down. Many people are reportedly getting out of the metro after very long commutes, only to learn that they won't be able to make it to the main celebration area. ABC's reporter says they don't seem to mind, although I bet they're a little blown... At least they will be when they see the images of the sea of images in front of the Capitol steps - amazing!

9:45 AM - Not everyone is celebrating today. Not everyone has the day off work. In addition to the thousands of journalists and security officials for whom this event is a tremendous professional opportunity, there are many others working behind the scenes. ABC was just showing video of people hard at work inside the White House. Even before the old regime walks out, they began preparing the White House for the Black family that will be living there for the next four (or eight) years. It is truly impressive - by the time the 44th President and his family arrive to 1600 Pennsylvania, their new home will be ready - even the fridge will be fully stocked with food, drink and snacks for the girls. Rahm Emmanuel and company will also be hard at work in their offices in the next few hours.

9:48 AM - Barack and Michele (along with Jill and Joe Biden) have left St. John's Church for the White House where they will have a sit down with the outgoing first family. The Obamas waved to the cheering crowds as they got into their limos. A few blocks away, people in the mall are still going crazy.

9:53 AM - The second family to be just pulled up in the driveway of the White House. They got out to greet the Obamas who arrived exactly two minutes later. George and Laura greeted them and posed for a picture. Michelle brought a gift. I'm gonna watch for a while...

10:05 AM - These crowds are off the hook. Despite what the more racist elements of American society may be hoping, they are very diverse. I would be lying if I said most of the people I've seen are Black or non-White. It is nice to see people coming together for this and putting their differences aside. Let's hope they are not disappointed in the long run...

10:18 AM - Most of the networks are showing the shots of the crowds... with good reason. They are fantastic. People are everywhere, on top of statues and up in the trees. Indeed, if it were 20 degrees warmer and people weren't dressed so nicely, one might mistake them for a bunch of Arabs. The networks are focusing on meaningless punditry, bur Al Jazeera is focusing on the crowds in the right way. They just ran a report from a correspondent who was out on the streets at 4AM talking to the crowds as they made their way to the Mall. No wonder the place is so full... people have been flocking there since the early hours of the morning. I highly recommend Al Jazeera's coverage - it's only been 20 minutes, but it's excellent so far, and comprehensive in its approach... (they already did a live update from Gaza).

10:30 AM - Someone needs to tell CBS that their shot overlooking the White House is horribly out of focus... and it's not my TV. I guess it's not hat big of a deal. I don't care much for CBS anyways... I've even checked FOX more frequently! It's obviously freezing outside. All reporters on the ground are visibly struggling.

10:36 AM - AJE is running a spectacular montage of statements (and promises) Obama made over the course of the transitionary period. Hopefully people aren't expecting too much follow through. Meanwhile, the networks are showing the inaugural platform fill up with VIPs. I just saw Arnold. (I also just saw Katie Couric and her ugly new haircut - time to change the channel!)

10:47 AM - They are showing images of outgoing Dick Cheney in a wheelchair. He apparently pulled a muscle moving things, but for the sake of amusement, let's imagine he was given a severe beat-down instead.

10:48 AM - George Bush and Barack Obama are now leaving the White House and they are heading to the Capitol. Things are underway... Exciting stuff!

10:57 AM - The convoy is proceeding (slowly) to the Capitol. The streets are lined with security and onlookers seemingly oblivious to the cold. I don't have to be there to feel the vibe in the city now. I was there on election night, but this is clearly much more festive (and crowded). AJE's John Terrett put it in perspective earlier when he described the joy in the cold faces of the people he saw on the streets of DC in the early hours of the morning - usually, "they don't even look at you," he said. For now, all eyes are on that convoy...

11:02 AM - Michelle Obama has already made it to the Capitol, along with several others like John McCain, who must be wondering how he'd be feeling if he had succeeded in presenting Obama as an unacceptable American leader.

11:04 AM - Chief Justice John Roberts is on site as well. As AJE's Rob Reynolds noted, Obama will be sworn in by a man he voted not to confirm.

11:16 AM - The time is near... former presidents are coming in. George Bush Senior just hobbled through the halls of Congress with Barbara a little while ago, he was followed by Jimmy and Rosalind Carter, and now Bill and Hillary (she's looking salty... or just nasty).

11:22 AM - Once again, the crowds are simply indescribable. In the unlikely event that you are reading this, I am truly grateful, but turn on a TV, or get Al Jazeera English up on your screen.

11:27 AM - Barack Obama's daughters and his mother-in-law have just came out to the podium... 

11:28 AM - And here's Laura Bush...

11:31 AM - And here come the first and second ladies to be...

11:36 AM - And here comes W (music, but no audible cheers or boos)... I'm really gonna miss this guy! The look on his face clearly shows that he is unhappy to go. But people in the streets feel differently. News anchors on AJE are reporting having seen people defacing effigies of the outgoing president in the streets of Washington. Entertaining as he was, people are happy to see him and his people go. 

11:37 AM - Now I'm hearing some Obama cheers...

11:39 AM - Here is the soon to be Vice President of the United States (a self-proclaimed Zionist and supporter of Israel). But all eyes are on Obama who is walking through the halls of the Capitol.  I need to watch now...

11:43 AM - And the crowd goes wild! This has to be the largest crowd in the history of the nation's capitol.

11:45  AM - Obama takes a seat. The moment is it hand...

11:48 AM - Here comes Rick Warren.  I'm not a fan of that guy... Israel shmisrael...

11:50 AM - I have to admit though - it's a pretty decent invocation.

11:55 AM - As Aretha Franklin sings, it seems they are running well behind schedule... So what? But this is all very moving on a symbolic level. Whether substantive change actually comes about remains to be seen, but we are about to have a Black president in the White House.  I never thought I would live to see this day.

11:57 AM - Biden is being sworn in now. Maybe they're not so far off schedule after all.

11:59 AM - Music??? I forgot about that. So they are clearly behind schedule. Is this a sign?! seriously though, I wonder how often they're late. Of course, the first one mentioned is an Israeli.

12:02 PM - Frankly this music is pretty wack. Let's get things moving... Obama doesn't look like he's feeling it either!

12:04 PM - Weak applause. They should have had Beyonce or something...

12:05 PM - ABC is reporting that in the past moments, the White House website has changed to reflect the new president. He's being sworn in now... and they're stumbling. And the crowd really goes wild. It's official! The moment of truth will come soon.

12:07 PM - Speech...

12:26 PM - Try as I might, I don't think I could find a flaw in that speech. I haven't poured over it to check, but I listened intently and felt in tune with everything he said. The only other countries he really mentioned were Iraq and Afghanistan (where there are official wars being fought by US troops). I'm pleasantly surprised that he didn't mention Israel or Iran. I've never been so proud to call myself an American... Could this really be a new day? It was a great speech. Will he walk the walk? I doubt it...

12:31 PM - This poem is pretty boring... Luckily it's over. What an anticlimax!

12:36 PM - It seems a little hypocritical to focus so much negative attention on Islamists... especially with all the emphasis on religion in these types of ceremonies. Still, the way this guy ended his sermon was tight!

 12:40 PM - Bush is holding things up with all the hand shaking. Too bad Obama wouldn't give him any real attention....

12:49 PM - Robert Fisk on Al Jazeera wasn't too impressed. He pointed out references to Iran, Islamists, and the line on "slaughtering innocents" (which he did). Fisk said it was "more like a preacher's speech than a president's speech... I can't remember a complete sentence Mr Obama said." He's got a point, but it was still a good speech, if one doesn't make obvious inferences on foreign policy. I say again, there was nothing wrong with it, but there is still plenty of room for criticism, especially for the things he didn't mention. He played it safe by not explicitly mentioning the Middle East. That is regrettable, but understandable.

12:53 PM - Nice images: the Obamas seeing the Bushs off. The transition is complete!

12:56 PM - The helicopter is lifting off. Bye bye Bush! Hopefully we won't see your brother in 2012...

1:03 PM - Flanked by his VP and leading members of Congress, the 44th President of the United States just signed his first executive order ensuring the continuity of government. 

1:20 PM - Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln... I wonder how good the food is in that luncheon. I know I got some good barbecue I need to heat up.

1:23 PM - The Nation's John Nichols brought up a good point when he said that Obama failing to mention the Middle East suggests that he does not understand how important the problems there truly are (if he does, he didn't feel it was important say so).

1:29 PM - Here come the Obamas... I wonder if they're as hungry as me!

1:51 PM - Bush is getting on Air Force One for one last time - it will take him to Texas. At the very least, he is gone and there is a new face of the nation - one that bears zero resemblance to the 43 who preceded him.

TOO MUCH TO HANDLE?

It's no secret that Barack will have a lot on his plate. A president cannot simply deal with one problem at a time, he has to get his hands dirty and address everything simultaneously.

The economy, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Russia, China, education, healthcare, and so much more... No matter what, he's bound to disappoint. But let's hope he has more successes than failures.

This cartoon appeared in the January 17th edition of the Economist 

A DREAM FULFILLED

It's the eve of the Inauguration of America's first black president. As fate would have it, today was also a national holiday dedicated to the memory of America's most influential advocate for civil rights.

Though he did not live to see tomorrow's historic achievement, it should come as no surprise to us that Martin Luther King foresaw this day. More revealingly, he was far more optimistic than most. You can watch the 1964 interview where he says so here. King's optimism should be instructive for all of us who, in spite of all the reasons to be cynical and skeptical about our politics, still feel hope for, and faith in, a better future.

The work begins tomorrow.

PRAYING FOR BARACK HUSSEIN

The day after Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, he'll attend a National Prayer Service at the Nation Cathedral. In keeping with his chants of tolerance and change, he has asked people of different faiths to participate. Sounds good, and it is... but nothing's perfect.

There are a total of 19 people participating; 14 of them are Christian; three of them are Rabbis; one is Muslim, and one is Hindu. Not very representative of the country... There are at least as many American Muslims as there are Jews, if not more. Still, I'm surprised he has only asked three Rabbis to participate. What about Buddhists?

On the gender side of things, the lineup is a little better. Religious leaders tend to be men, but there are five women participating in the National Prayer Service. One of them is causing another controversy altogether.

It's little surprise that the Muslim participant in Obama's collection of religionists is the subject of debate. Ingrid Mattson is the president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). She's no stranger to the US political establishment seeking to curry favor with the Muslim community - it must be helpful that she doesn't look like a foreigner. While there are many Muslims who are probably upset that a Canadian woman is represnting them, that is not the problem.

The problem is that ISNA was named as a co-conspirator in a case charging the Holy Land Foundation of sending over $12 million to Hamas. Mattson herself is not directly implicated, but in this sensationalist media culture of ours, rest assured you'll probably be hearing more about this in the days to come (if you haven't already).

We have a long way to come in this country when it comes to racial and religious tolerance. While having a Black president will go a long way in increasing cross-cultural acceptance, he has done next to nothing to improve religious tolerance, particularly vis-a-vis Islam.