Saddleback cheers for Obama’s strong sentiment
From left, Saddleback College student Kevin Shirka, 21, film, and staff members Anne Rocha, JoAnn Alford, and Claire Elkins watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama in the game room on Tuesday. (Andrew Bennett)
January 20, 2009, will now live on as a memory, a staple in the history of the United States. Not only did the nation welcome in its 44th President, but Barack Hussein Obama, the country’s first African-American President.
Many students and Saddleback College faculty and staff crowded the Student Services Center and the Cafeteria to watch the inauguration. There were many cheers around campus as President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were sworn into office. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts swore in President Obama at 12:05 p.m. Swearing President Obama , in, was Supreme Court Justice John Roberts at 12:05 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
More than 2 million people crowded the National Mall, as chants of “Obama, Obama!” could be heard through various television and internet broadcasts through out the world.
In his first speech as President of the United States, President Obama, was strong and collect. “Hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord,” sent the 60 Americans in the Student Services Center into a frenzy of celebration. The President thanked his predecessor, George W. Bush, and said he was “humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.”
In President Obama’s stance on the nation’s youth, “we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.”
Perhaps his strongest statement, directed to America’s enemies “to our friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lesson the nuclear threat, we will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waiver on its defense and for those to seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocence, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and can not be broken, you can not outlast us and we will defeat you.”
John Ferreria, 24, biology said, “I thought it was a good speech.”
About 40 students watched the event from the game room. (Andrew Bennett)