Keepingitreal

Obama has 100 days to prove his mettle

PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- When presidents enter the White House, they have approximately 100 days to show what they are made of. The notion of the first "hundred days" as a way to evaluate presidents is an artificial creation that took hold after Franklin Roosevelt became president in 1932 in the Great Depression. But it has become a benchmark for evaluating the early success of a president. The term is more than symbolic. Some presidents have been able to do a lot with those hundred days. Not surprisingly, Roosevelt was the most successful we have seen. His hundred days lasted from March 9 to June 16, 1933, and Congress passed 15 major bills. Roosevelt, in a period of experimental genius, found support from Congress for a series of programs to help stabilize an economy where 25 percent of the work force was unemployed and banks were imploding as panicked citizens pulled out their money. The humorist Will Rogers joked that "Congress doesn't pass legislation any more, they just wave at the bills as they go by," though in reality Democratic leaders were instrumental in initiating many of the ideas that came from the White House and making sure that they passed by sound margins. Roosevelt understood that he had a limited window of opportunity after his election, and he moved fast. "I do not see how any living soul can last physically going the pace that he is going," said Hiram Johnson, "and mentally any one of us would be a psychopathic case if we undertook to do what he is going."government. Programs were created to regulate Wall Street and banking, support agriculture and labor, provide public works employment, regulate production and more. Through the legislation, as well as his historic fireside chats, Roosevelt restored confidence in the government itself, as Americans sensed that Washington could save American capitalism. He also used the first months to overcome the many divisions that existed within the Democratic Party. Lyndon Johnson had a very different kind of hundred days when he took over after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Johnson used his hundred days to define his presidency in relation to his predecessor. Kennedy had encountered considerable trouble passing most of his legislative agenda, including civil rights and tax cuts, because a conservative coalition of Southern Democrats and Republicans blocked his proposals. Johnson believed that in the months after the assassination, he needed to link himself to the deceased president, who seemed to become more popular after his death, and he used that connection to build political support for his bills. This is why Johnson retained the services of many Cabinet officials from the Kennedy administration. "I needed that White House staff," Johnson recalled, "Without them I would have lost my link to John Kennedy, and without that I would have had absolutely no chance of gaining the support of the media or the Easterners or the intellectuals. And without that support I would have had absolutely no chance of governing the country." During his first speech to Congress after the assassination, Johnson invoked the memory of the slain president by asking legislators to help him fulfill the unfinished agenda. Calling Kennedy "the greatest leader of our time," Johnson said to Congress, "Let us continue." The memory of Kennedy helped him succeed in passing legislation on civil rights, tax cuts and the War on Poverty. Yet another way to use 100 days is to undermine your partisan opposition in Congress. Ronald Reagan did this masterfully when pushing for his across-the-board tax cut in 1981, a centerpiece of his domestic agenda. Reagan argued that tax cuts would stimulate economic growth. The president used the bully pulpit to overcome opposition among House Democrats, building support for the cuts. He gave a speech on television, urging citizens to write their legislators and tell them to support the cuts. House Democrats, now the sole base for the party in Washington, joined in once they saw the public pressure. In fact, they pushed for tax cuts of their own, which were rolled into the bill. "It's like the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union," according to Michigan Democrat William Brodhead, "for every move there's a countermove; for every weapon, a counterweapon." By the end of the bidding process, Reagan could claim victory on Capitol Hill and his key legislation had drawn the support of his opposition. Sometimes presidents have stumbled in the hundred days, and the results are disastrous. Jimmy Carter is one of the most striking examples. In his hundred days, Carter did almost everything wrong. One of his biggest failures was how he handled relations with Congress. Trying to strengthen his credentials as a reformer, Carter took aim at pork barrel spending, opposing specific items that President Ford had included in his final budget that funded more than 300 water projects across the country. Carter dismissed the proposal as a classic example of congressional pork. He sent a letter to Congress stating that 19 of the projects would be cut. Congress was furious. They believed these funds were essential to their constituents. Those affected by Carter's list included Sen. Russell Long, the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. The Senate overturned Carter's decision. Bitter feelings remained and the rocky relations continued to be a major problem for Carter. Barack Obama can learn a lesson from all of these presidents about how to break out of the gridlock that has bogged down Washington. They will have to use their hundred days to build confidence in the government and its ability to stabilize the economic system, taking advantage of the narrow window they will have to get legislation through. Obama will have to define himself in relation to his predecessor, but in this case by demonstrating clearly to the public what he will do differently, rather than the same, as President Bush. And, finally, the new president will need to find legislation that attracts some support from the opposition to diminish the power of polarization on Capitol Hill and establish the groundwork for future compromise. The one thing that Obama must realize is that those hundred days will disappear quickly. Once they are gone, as Bill Clinton learned after delaying his push for health care reform, the political capital is hard to get back. SOURCE:CNN.COM

Video:Obama Inauguration on CNN

BARACK H. OBAMA 44TH PRESIDENT OF USA: INAGURATION SPEECH

CNN) -- Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States and the nation's first African-American president Tuesday. This is a transcript of his prepared speech. My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.oday I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government. Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. 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; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Obama rides rails to capital, as onlookers cheer

PST PHILADELPHIA, (AP) -- President-elect Barack Obama, cheered by onlookers along the train route Abraham Lincoln took nearly a century and a half earlier, undertook the final leg of his inaugural journey to the nation's capital Saturday, pledging to reclaim America's spirit but also warning of steep challenges facing the country.Hundreds of people screamed and cheered as Obama waved from the back of his inaugural train when it rolled slowly through the station in little Claymont, Del., on the way to larger crowds at stops in Wilmington, Del., and Baltimore on the route to Washington.Unfazed by frigid temperatures, scattered groups stood waving at crossroads along the way."Starting now, let's take up in our own lives the work of perfecting our union," Obama told several hundred people gathered for the sendoff inside a hall at Philadelphia's historic 30th Street train station. "Let's build a government that is responsible to the people and accept our own responsibilities as citizens to hold our government accountable. ... Let's make sure this election is not the end of what we do to change America, but the beginning and the hope for the future."While talking about the future, Obama reflected on the past, echoing the words of the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln and President John F. Kennedy. He cited the founding fathers who risked everything with no assurance of success in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776:"They were willing to put all they were and all they had on the line — their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor — for a set of ideals that continue to light the world: That we are equal. That our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness come not from our laws, but from our maker. And that a government of, by, and for the people can endure."Vice President-elect Joe Biden, who hopped aboard the train in Wilmington, said the train ride marked the beginning of a journey that would change America."Our economy is struggling. We are a nation at war," Biden said. "Sometimes, just sometimes, it's hard to believe that we'll see the spring again. But I tell you spring is on the way with this new administration."Supporters, shivering in the cold, gathered all along the rails.Waiting for Obama in Baltimore, Bud Beehler, an elementary school principal, said, "It's a historic moment in time. This is the only place to be."In Wilmington, 70-year-old Mae Betts of Newark, Del., said, "Everybody's pulling for him."This is a momentous time for the Obamas. And for Michelle Obama, it was also her 45th birthday. The crowd in Wilmington sang "Happy Birthday" to her, forcing the president-elect to briefly delay the start of his second speech of the day in which he pledged a revival of the middle class."When we Americans get knocked down, we always, always get back up on our feet," Obama said."We've heard your stories on the campaign trail," he said. "We have been touched by your dreams, and we will fight for you every single day that we're in Washington because Joe and I are committed to leading a government that is accountable not just to the wealthy or to the well-connected, but to you."The president-elect's triumphant day — heralded along the 137-mile rail route — started in Philadelphia with a sober discussion of the country's future with 41 people he met during his long quest for the White House.He told the crowd in Philadelphia that the same perseverance and idealism displayed by the nation's founders are needed to tackle the difficulties of today."We recognize that such enormous challenges will not be solved quickly," Obama said. "There will be false starts and setbacks, frustrations and disappointments. And we will be called to show patience even as we act with fierce urgency."He cited the faltering economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — "one that needs to be ended responsibly, one that needs to be waged wisely" — the threat of global warming and U.S. dependence on foreign oil."We are here today not simply to pay tribute to our first patriots but to take up the work that they began," he said. "The trials we face are very different now, but severe in their own right. Only a handful of times in our history has a generation been confronted with challenges so vast."Preparing to board the train, Obama said that "what's required is a new declaration of independence — from ideology and small thinking."Obama's vintage rail car, known as Georgia 300, was tacked onto the back of a 10-car train made up of Amtrak cars filled with hundreds of guests, reporters and staff along for the ride.The train was due at Washington's Union Station after nightfall.At Union Station, as Obama set out from Philadelphia, the vanguard of perhaps the greatest crowd in Washington history was beginning to arrive.Bursting with enthusiasm, Toni Mateo arrived from Atlanta, where he works at a public relations firm."It's going to be life-affirming for me," said Mateo. "It was really important that I come here to represent the family and to take the energy back with me." He said his train car was crowded but quiet — until "I just screamed out `Obama,' and the whole crowd erupted."Elsewhere in Washington, members of his administration stayed focused on policy.Addressing the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors,  Valerie Jarrett, a senior Obama adviser, asked for help keeping the momentum going for passage, and implementation, of a measure to jump-start the economy.House Democrats this week unveiled their version of the bill, an $825 billion package of tax cuts and spending.Although his path tracked Lincoln's and took on the same overtone of high security, it wasn't the journey of virtual secrecy that the 16th president-elect took so long ago on the eve of the Civil War. Lincoln was smuggled under cover of darkness from one train station to another to avoid a feared assassination attempt.This year, the FBI has been planning its inauguration mission since June. Large trucks, a bomb-detecting robot, canisters with hundreds of gallons of water to disrupt a car bomb and other emergency response equipment stretch down a block near the FBI's Washington Field Office.John Perren, a special agent in charge of counterterrorism, said there was no credible intelligence warning of any attack. SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

How to watch Obama's inauguration online

(CNET) -- More than 2 million Americans lost their jobs last year, the stock market fell by almost 45 percent from its peak, and comparisons with the Great Depression are becoming disturbingly commonplace. But that isn't stopping Washington from throwing a $160 million party, the most lavish ever, for Barack Obama's presidential inauguration on Tuesday. Technology companies are joining the festivities by hosting a number of inaugural parties, and a collection of news and other Web sites are aiming to let anyone who can't be in the nation's capital--or who doesn't want to brave probably-freezing temperatures--follow along online.

Here's a partial list:

• The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which is in charge of all the inaugural activities at the Capitol, will stream the entire event at its Web site, complete with closed captioning. The site has a wealth of information about what happens on Inauguration Day, including a handful of inaugural videos dating back to President Dwight Eisenhower's 1957 swearing-in ceremony, as well as videos of presidential luncheons dating back to the inauguration of John Kennedy. (It also reveals, for those interested, the recipe for Obama's luncheon meal, which features a main course of pheasant and duck served with sour cherry chutney.)

• Our sister site CBS News will have day-long live coverage January 20 on TV and the Web, starting at 7 a.m. EDT. Katie Couric will also host a special Webcast that night with reporters and punditry, for which viewers can submit questions.

• CBS streaming coverage will also be Webcast on Joost's Everything Obama page, which also features interviews, campaign highlights, and satire clips.

• MSNBC will be live streaming the event on its home page and politics section, and visitors can embed the video into their own sites. Its inauguration page also features videos of inaugurations from decades past.

• Fox News will provide live streaming coverage via Hulu beginning at noon for about two hours. After the live stream, Hulu will provide on-demand access to the ceremony. The live stream is embeddable, as is an inauguration countdown from Hulu. The video site's Obama Presidency page also features related content like speeches, commentary, satire, and past inaugural speeches.

• C-SPAN will debut its Inauguration Hub on January 20, featuring an online "control room"--a multichannel grid designed by Mogulus with Webcasts of inauguration activities. Visitors will be able to choose from one of four live feeds featuring events like the swearing in at the Capitol, the parade, and a number of inaugural balls.

• CNN is partnering with Facebook to provide live streaming of the swearing in and Obama's speech. Viewers can "RSVP" for the event on Facebook, and as they watch, they will be able to provide status updates with their thoughts on the events. A Facebook window on the CNN.com Live channel will show viewers their friends' relevant status updates.

• Current TV and Twitter are teaming up, as they did during the election, to add real-time tweets to Current's broadcast and Webcast of the swearing in, which starts at 11:30 a.m. EDT and will be replayed throughout the day.

• The New York Times, the AP's online video network, and the Online NewsHour will also live stream inauguration coverage.

Once Obama is sworn in, he'll be party hopping through Washington that night. The Presidential Inauguration Committee has promised to Webcast some of the official inaugural balls--though there are plenty of unofficial parties, including some hosted by tech companies. The Recording Industry Association of America is hosting a charity ball featuring the recording artist Rihanna and the actors David Arquette and Courteney Cox. The ball benefits the nonprofit Feeding America and is co-sponsored by Yahoo, Comcast, Oracle, AT&T, SoundExchange, Time Warner, News Corp., and a number of other companies. Google is partnering with the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights to host "a break from traditional inaugural balls." Guests are encouraged to make donations--which Google will match--to organizations including the LCCR Education Fund, One Economy, the Sunlight Foundation, D.C. Central Kitchen, and Green For All. The Huffington Post, the news aggregation and commentary site, is hosting a pre-inaugural ball Monday night with the Atlantic Philanthropies and the Musk Foundation, which supports research on renewable energy, human space exploration, and pediatrics. The event is also receiving sponsorship from MySpace, Comcast, the wind power company Vestas, and the nonprofit Global Green USA, among others. The party, they say, is "to celebrate change in Washington, the rise of new media, and a renewed commitment to service and the environment," and features a performance by Will.i.am. Plenty of other parties will be celebrating a renewed commitment to the environment, including the Green Inaugural Ball, chaired by Al Gore and hosted by a number of organizations like the American Council on Renewable Energy, the Energy Action Coalition, and the Vote Solar Initiative.

Obama plans event at Lincoln Memorial

WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama will welcome Americans to his inauguration at the memorial to his political hero, Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Memorial is heavy with symbolism for Obama, who will arrive on its steps on Jan. 18 following a train ride that traces Lincoln's own inaugural path from Philadelphia to Washington. The memorial is also where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, and the event comes a day before the nation celebrates the King holiday on Jan. 19. The inauguration is on Jan. 20. "It is one of the great, patriotic symbols of our country," Presidential Inaugural Committee spokeswoman Linda Douglass said Friday. "It's a symbol of the American spirit; it's a symbol of unity; it's a symbol of our values. So for all those reasons it's an appropriate place to celebrate an inauguration that is really built around celebrating our common values as a people." Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also used the Lincoln Memorial for inaugural events, but the building may have more resonance for Obama. When construction was completed in 1922, the crowd gathered at its dedication was largely segregated. The welcome event will be free and open to the public. The King holiday will be devoted to a call to service, with Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden volunteering in the Washington area. After the first of the year, the inaugural committee will launch a Web site that allows organizations to post volunteer opportunities for that day so Americans across the country can find opportunities to serve. "We hope that site is really going to result in a very spirited call to service and engagement around the country," Douglass said. There will be a free youth concert at the Verizon Center on Jan. 19, the night before the inauguration. Tickets will be required, but the committee has not yet determined how they would be distributed. Earlier in the week, the committee released details of the inauguration, including performances by Aretha Franklin and Yo-Yo Ma and a prayer from the Rev. Rick Warren, a choice that has prompted outrage from gay rights groups. As many as 4 million visitors are expected to be on hand when Obama takes the noontime oath. SOURCE:MSNBC.COM

MOVIE THEATERS TO BROADCAST INAUGURATION: MSNBC deal places coverage in 27 U.S. locations.

Tuesday's historic inauguration of Barack Obama will be broadcast in 27 movie theaters around the country under a new deal between MSNBC and advertising company Screenvision. Free tickets are being handed out via MSNBC.com to see the inauguration and parade from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET at the 27 theaters run by 11 exhibitor partners in 21 markets. Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews and other MSNBC and NBC personalities will play the big movie screen in addition to the usual MSNBC cable and satellite stream. High-definition won't kick in until the second quarter, but both the channel and Screenvision say the quality will still be high. "It'll look great," MSNBC president Phil Griffin said. "We're thrilled about it."

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Change Begins With Me Contest

Enter for a chance to attend the 2009 Presidential Inauguration and be a part of MLK Day of Service! DEADLINE is January 12, 2009! As we usher in this exciting new era of change we recognize that everyone has a part to play. So, how will YOU commit to bringing about change in your neighborhood, your community or your nation? The Case Foundation is calling on citizens across the country to join the Change Begins With Me campaign by sharing how you will be part of the change. No idea is too big or too small. Everyone has a role to play. Just by pledging to make a difference, one lucky individual will win an all expenses paid Inauguration trip for two. This includes airfare, a three night hotel stay, and tickets to the Inaugural ceremony and the Hawaii Inaugural Ball. And, in the spirit of giving, this person will be set up with a once in a lifetime opportunity to serve in Washington, DC as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

How it Works

It’s easy to enter – just 2 simple steps:

1. Think about what you can do to help your community
2. Share that commitment with us for a chance to win!

What you Get:

An Inauguration trip for two and a unique opportunity to serve on MLK day! Package includes:

• two tickets to the Inaugural Ceremony & the Hawaii Inaugural Ball
• three-nights hotel stay
• airfare for you and a guest to the Nation’s Capitol
• a Flip video camera

In 250 Characters or less, complete this phrase:  "Change begins with me. I commit to... "

Click here to enter

Ten in a million: contest offers free trips to Obama inauguration

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Ten people will be rubbing shoulders with dignitaries and stars at US president-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in next month if they win a contest launched Tuesday by the presidential inaugural committee."You and a guest could be flown to Washington DC, put up in a hotel and be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event," in exchange for submitting an essay about the meaning to them of the inauguration, an announcement on the inaugural committee's website says.Contestants have to be US citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or older, and the essays have to be submitted electronically by January 8 on the website of the inaugural committee -- www.pic2009.org/tickettohistory.

It was unclear where the winners of the contest would stay within walking distance of the Capitol, where the swearing-in ceremony will be held, but if they do, they would be spared the "crush-level" crowds that officials have predicted will pack Washington's public transportation system on January 20."DC's subway system ... is expecting 'crush-level' crowds" for the inauguration, inaugural officials said in a statement issued late Monday."Be prepared to wait for space on a train for long periods of time, during which you will have to stand in close proximity to several thousand people," the statement said, suggesting walking as the best way to get to the ceremony for those staying near the Capitol.The lucky contest winners will not have to brave the crowds on the National Mall because they will be part of an elite 240,000 guests with coveted tickets for seats for the swearing-in ceremony that will take place on the west-facing side of the Capitol.Inauguration organizers said Monday they expect "a million or more people to view the inauguration from the National Mall ... along with hundreds of thousands of others who plan on watching the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue."Officials initially put the numbers of inauguration day visitors to Washington as high as five million, but have since scaled back their estimates.Security officials have ensured that they are ready to handle crowds of any size.Entrants to the essay contest are asked to make a donation to the inaugural fund, even if doing so will not affect their chances of winning, according to the small print at the bottom of the website.The inauguration organizing committee says Obama's swearing-in ceremony and the balls and other events that will take place around it will be funded by individuals, not by lobbyists, corporations, political action committees or labor unions, as has been the case for past inaugurations.That, they say, is a first, as is the unprecedented transparency of listing all donations in excess of 200 dollars on the official inauguration website.Individual donations have been capped at 50,000 dollars and bundled donations -- where one donor gathers contributions from many individuals in a corporation or community -- at 300,000 dollars.People from all walks of life and all ethnicities are bucking the trend to pinch pennies as the United States weathers its worst economic slump since the Great Depression in the 1930s and donating to the inaugural fund for Obama, the first African-American elected to the White House.According to media reports, individuals have donated 21 million dollars to defray the costs of the inauguration.Hollywood actress Halle Berry and director Steven Spielberg have each given the maximum 50,000 dollars, and AIDS activist and former basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson has donated 25,000 dollars, the list of individual contributors shows. CONTINUE READING...

BET, TV One plan extensive inauguration coverage

NEW YORK — BET and TV One, the television networks aimed primarily at a black audience, haven't paid much attention to presidential inaugurations before. This time will be different. Both are planning extensive coverage for Jan. 20, when Barack Obama is sworn in as the nation's 44th president. While it will be followed as a news event, network executives said the installation of the first black president will be as much a celebration as a story. "This is an opportunity to be the best we can be," said Stephen Hill, BET's programming chief. "We see this as an opportunity to inform and inspire our audience, which is what we always try to do." BET marked President George W. Bush's last inauguration with a news brief, to say "Oh, it happened. What a shame," he said. This time, BET will cover the swearing-in and parade from four locations, including ground and rooftop sites on Pennsylvania Avenue. Anchoring the coverage will be Hill Harper of CBS' "CSI: NY," former CBS "The Early Show" host Rene Syler and Jeff Johnson, who hosts a weekly BET news program. The networks will take a particular interest in speaking to people who have traveled to Washington to witness the event. On election night, their ratings peaked shortly after the general news networks declared Obama the winner — when black viewers turned to the stations to soak it in with the people on the air. "They talked about the emotion of it," said Johnathan Rodgers, TV One's president. "Everyone talked about their own relatives and how they grew up. Almost everyone could not believe that it happened in our lifetime." TV One plans to follow the inauguration for 21 straight hours, from 6 a.m. EST on Jan. 20 to 3 a.m. EST the next day. Radio talk-show host Joe Madison and Art Fennell of CN8, the Comcast Network, will be the hosts. It's already a big week for TV One: Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday the weekend before marks the fifth anniversary of the network's launch. With all that time on the air, TV One will do its best to give its audience a real flavor of being there, Rodgers said. SOURCE:NEWSVINE.COM

Crowd of 1 million could attend Obama inauguration

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration is expected to draw 1 million-plus to the capital, and already some lawmakers have stopped taking ticket requests and hotels have booked up.Some people are bartering on Craigslist for places to stay for the Jan. 20 ceremony when the Illinois senator takes the oath of office. They are offering cash or even help with dishes for residents willing to open up their homes.The National Park Service, which is planning for an inaugural crowd of at least 1 million, will clear more viewing space along the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route. Jumbo TV screens will line the National Mall so people can watch the inauguration and parade, park service spokesman David Barna said Thursday.The District of Columbia's delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, is urging planners to use arenas and stadiums to help with overflow crowds wanting to view the ceremonies on big-screen TVs. She is also urging churches to hold viewing parties."You can't judge by past inaugurations. It's going to break all the records," Norton said. "They're going to come with or without tickets. ... It's each man and woman for himself."The city's police chief, Cathy Lanier, said organizers brought in an additional 3,000 officers from forces around the country to help with the last inauguration. This time, the request probably will be for about 4,000 officers.Because of a lawsuit, people should have more standing room along the crowded parade route. War protesters sued after President George W. Bush's last inauguration, forcing the government to open up more free public viewing space between the Capitol and White House.U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled in March that the park service violated its own rules by giving preferential treatment in ticketing for bleacher seats along the parade route for supporters of the government over its critics. Friedman wrote the inauguration "is not a private event."New rules to be issued Monday will lower the number of ticketed bleacher seats along the parade route from 20,000 seats to 8,700, leaving much more of the route open to people without tickets, Barna said.Seat tickets had sold for between $15 and $150 in 2005 to help pay for the inaugural parade. Details for the 2009 parade tickets have not been set because Obama's Presidential Inaugural Committee, which organizes the parade, is being formed.There will also be designated "free speech" areas for protesters along the parade route, Barna said.The inauguration has been designated a National Special Security Event, giving the U.S. Secret Service the lead in coordinating all law enforcement agencies to secure the event. There are 58 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together.The largest crowd ever recorded on the National Mall was for President Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 inauguration. At the time, the park service estimated 1.2 million people descended on the area. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan's inauguration drew about 500,000 people, and President Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration drew about 800,000 people, according to park service estimates. SOURCE:AP NEWS