Free Barack Obama Essay Sample
No one ever believed that the United States of America would ever have a black president. However, the events of the last quarter of 2008 proved many skeptics wrong. After a heart breaking primaries with a stiff competition with Mrs. Hillary Clinton, a former first lady to the united states of America, the charismatic and distinguished orator, Mr. Barack Obama, the 44th president of the united states of America clinched the Democrats' seat to go for the most coveted seat and arguably the highest position of authority in the entire world. After a hotly contested election with the Republican's presidential aspirant Mr. Joe McCain and with Mr. Joe bidden as the running mate, Mr. Obama won the election to become the first black American to clinch the presidency with an overwhelming majority shocking the world from all of his corners. That is Mr. Obama for you, the 44th president of the United States.
The inauguration of president-elect Barack Obama, born of a Kenyan father and an American mother happened on the 20th day of January 2009. This is the event that I would like to remember till my old age. The president of the United States of America together with other former president in front of a cheering crowd of dignitaries for all over the world came to witness as the mantle of leadership was being handed over to this charismatic leader. There were rays of hope written in every person's face especially those who had supported the election of the president. The losing side had accepted the verdict of the people and had thanked the American people for their support. In line with democracy, they had said that the majority had spoken and thus they had no point to reject this verdict, theirs was to respect the people and wished that the president elect would lead the nation to greater prosperity.
The atmosphere across the nation was expectant. Finally there were some rays of hope. The president elect during his election campaign had won the hearts of many through his oratory skills and his ability to give people hope where there was no ray of hope. He was the beacon for the American hope at a time when the financial crisis was wrecking havoc to the budgets of many citizens. Whenever he went for a campaign trial, there were those who shed tears from the powerful speeches made by the former senator for Illinois for he represented what a perfect America ought's to be. Simply put the presidential aspirant of then that Mr. Obama was. Buoyed by the ravages of the economic crisis, the Americans wanted change. It is this thirst for change the presidential campaigns had decided to capitalize in. with a powerful and motivating slogan "Yes We Can" Mr. Obama crisscrossed various states with the message of hope should his government from the next government. This won the hearts of many and here, the president had won and it was the swearing in ceremony.
After observing a myriad of red tapes associated with such a high profile meeting, the coveted time to swear in the people's elected president and the next occupant of the white house had come. In a ceremony that attracted unprecedented crowd at Washington DC, the 44th president of the United States was led to take the oath of presidency. Although there were 43 other occupants of the same office who had taken the oath of presidency, this time it was different. To begin with, the person who was to take the oath was from a minority race which during the time of legal slave trade was slaves to the white race. Secondly, it was widely believed by some racial stereotype masters that a person from a minority race cannot manage to ascend to the coveted seat of the presidency. Thirdly, Mr. Obama was more of brought up by his mother and maternal grandparents as his father had left for Kenya after his studies, and later died when Mr. Obama was a twenty one year old student in his first year of study. He therefore represented the minority in the society, but carried a big heart that could unite the entire country without any form of discrimination.
Although the oath of the presidency that president Obama took was considered to have deviated from the normal oath for the presidency, it was still the most spectacular event that has had a record viewing of the highest number of people across the globe in history. Some watched through the internet, local and international television while the few privileged were present at the ceremony led by the oath administer, the then chief Justice of the United States of America, Mr. John G. Roberts. One may ask why this particular ceremony shall remain in my mind even in my old age. Although I admit that it is one of the ceremonies that came when I was relatively old enough to recall well, the ceremony itself was marked by some important milestones that make it a unique ceremony.
To begin with, the ceremony has a history it that this was the first inaugural ceremony to have a higher outreach to the ordinary citizen as a sign of the need to have the participation of the citizen in issues pertaining governance. There was even a charity event meant to help the underprivileged who could not have managed to attend the inauguration ceremony. There were either free or relatively affordable tickets for the less advantaged neighborhood who could have never managed to attend the inauguration ceremony that was well attended to the extent that the National Mall where the ceremony was conducted was opened in its entire length, a fact that had never happened in the over 43 inauguration ceremonies that had taken place before then.
Secondly president Obama's win was a win for civil rights, human rights and the need to have an egalitarian society as far as the realm of race are concerned. The ceremony taught me that it is a matter of self dedication and personal belief that makes a person succeed. The president failed to see the possible impediment that he was from a minority race and that none from this race had ever tried to go for this seat. What he saw was his capacity as a person and an American not his skin color. This was a serious proof that we are all created equal, the only difference that we may have originated from facts that we had no control on. The ceremony therefore was a proof to me that people conquer when they overcome their weaknesses and see the victory they desire to have.
In conclusion, the ceremony shall remain posted in my mind. This was the day when the whole world confirmed that America is an epitome of democracy, a country that respects people due to their content of character as opposed to their ascribed status. However, would the president deliver on his election pledges? Were the pledges real or were meant to win votes from a populace that was ravaged by various problems, exacerbated by the economic crisis? Would the president's government manage to tackle the economic crisis that was threatening the financial stability of the nation? Would the president maintain his fame in the first and probably recapture his second term after the first four years? This we shall live to see.