Obamas First Inaugural Speech -- Inauguration, American Presidents

Picture this: a cold January day in Washington D.C, the first African American president is about to be inaugurated with a combined audience of over 38 million looking to be inspired. Ted Sorensen, a former speechwriter for John F. Kennedy, believes â€Å"An inaugural address is by definition a defining moment for any new president.† An inaugural address is a stepping stone for each new administration because it creates a first impression; the address marks the time when the president stops trying to win votes and starts taking action. Barack Obama's speech is filled with eloquent language, and it lived up to the expectations of both critics and the public. The speech, as described in the â€Å"Think Again† section of the New York Times was â€Å"...rather than being a sustained performance with a cumulative power [it was] a framework on which a succession of verbal ornaments was hung, and we were being invited not to move forward but to stop and ponder significances only hinted at.† â€Å"’Just words’ is how a president manages to operate. ‘Just words’ is how he engages the spirit of progress for th...