The President carried himself with that quintessential cool, even with the "oath flub" perpetrated by Cheif Justice John Roberts.
I got emotional, thought I might shed one tear of relief, one tear of hope, but instead I feel as if it's time to get back to work.
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and being again the work of remaking America."
The other line that stood out for me: "What free men and women can acheive when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage."
What lines struck you? (Click for full transcript.)
Other notes: The Scripture that he quoted, "the time has come to set aside childish things..." was from First Corinthians 13:11. It's a well known passage not just for it's omnipresence in the exchange of wedding vows in Christianity "Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious..."13:4, but it was also copped from FDR's 1933 inauguration speech.
There's something remarkable about the weather, too. After the arctic blast throughout the country, the sun is shining in DC(though 10 degrees colder than average) and here in Chicago. There might be seven sunny days all winter in Chicago. According to World Facts and Figures, Chicago averages 84 sunny days a year. Remember election day? Usually on Nov. 4 sunshine is a memory in Chicagoland. After my kids helped me vote, we split a hopeful cookie on the curb in the warmth and sunlight. It was near 60 degrees. Snow fell on W. Bush's "nomination" day in 2001. For this link between inauguration weather and national optimism to hold any truth, then the 2005 inauguration would have to have been beset by the seven plagues. It wasn't. (Click for the history of inauguration weather).