The Inaugural Speech

I'm still digesting President Obama's inaugural speech. Man, that was my kind of speech.

I was surprised to hear some critics say it wasn't "soaring" enough, or that it was muted, subdued or somber. I didn't think so at all. I found it challenging and fascinating. There didn't seem to be many soundbites there - which was probably deliberate. Actually, the lack of obvious soundbites is probably one of the reasons I liked it so much. See, it was a grown-up speech. It was intelligent. It respected and expected the audience's intelligence.

I remember reading a speech by President Eisenhower and being impressed with the way he spoke. I thought "Wow, I'd love to have a president that talked to the American people that way." And now, I think we do. I like that.

My favorite line in the speech has got to be this bit:

"...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."

All I can say to that is "Yes, I will."