president

We've got another post on the stimulus package coming in a little while. In the meantime, we want to get your thoughts.

Well, folks, we start the day with a new president this morning. Hopefully, you're invigorated by that, no matter what your political affiliation. There's no knowing where we'll go from here, but it feels like we've got a chance to climb back up and out of this ditch. President Barack Obama yesterday delivered his inaugural address from the steps of the Capitol. Much was said of how far we've come and how far we have yet to go.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed—why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

Whatever else this president may turn out to be, I'm glad to find him a skilled speaker, who knows not only how to turn a phrase but also how to instill it with meaning.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends—hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism—these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that 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.

So today we opt for the obvious poll. We would like to hear your thoughts on the presidential inaugural address. Please, feel free to leave comments once you've voted. This is worth a discussion. We have left in the "Didn't listen to it" option. However, we will also include this link to the complete text of the inaugural address in the hopes that maybe you will read it and then vote.

Once you've finished voting, if you're looking for a laugh nd yet further proof that we live in an age of farce, please check out the article in the Financial Times about China's attempt at real-time censorship of the address. It is mentioned in that article that China's central Internet news hub, in its translation of the inaugural address, did not include the phrase: ”To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” Coincidentally, their fists aren't the only the only parts of their body that need to be unclenched.

We had a great time this morning and afternoon at T.F. Brown's, where The Batavian crew hosted an inauguration party. We were happy to see some new faces come down, as well as some friends we;ve known since we first arrived here in Batavia. We would like to extend a big thanks to all who came out, especially those of you who were willing to stand in front of the camera and share your thoughts. Speaking of those folks...

Andrea Bozek, from the Office of Rep. Chris Lee, sent us some photos from the congressman. It looks like Lee snapped these shots from the Capitol steps, above and behind the ceremony. Some pretty neat shots here, including President Barack Obama's swearing-in. Please note that the photos have been cropped to best fit our site. You can view the full size photos by visiting the link above.

Earlier today, Lee got us his statement following the inauguration.

“President Obama’s inaugural address set the right tone for the work that lies ahead in repairing our economy and restoring the public’s trust in their government. I am hopeful that today marks the beginning of an era of progress grounded in a commitment to bipartisan solutions."

Tomorrow afternoon, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th president of the United States. The Batavian will be hosting an inauguration fête at T.F. Brown's starting at 11:30am. Come down for the free finger food. Stay for the inaugural address.

Anyhow, that's what we'll be doing. How about you?

"It's not like I'm planning on being president or anything," Nicholas Prospero told me across the kitchen table at his home in Bergen.

His parents snickered on the other side of the room. They couldn't believe it. After all, Nick may be the most ambitious 14-year-old to ever walk the halls of Byron-Bergen Middle School, and he's already poised to stake his claims in the high school. And that's no exaggeration. Nick's school principal honored him as having "literally provided more services" to the middle school than anyone else "in the history of the school," his father, Jon, said.

Nicholas was twice the student body president of the middle school, once took over the treasury position when that representative bailed mid-semester, worked as a sort of liaison with the school's advisor, oversaw all school events—and all that in addition to track, soccer, band and choir... and, you know, a few other posts and activities here and there.

"It wasn't that bad," Nicholas said of the workload. He shrugs. I believe him, even though I can't believe him. He says he took this year off to get used to the high school. He started ninth grade this past September, and he has plans to join the high school's student council as a representative next year.

In a couple weeks, Nick will be boarding a plane by himself bound for Washington, D.C. He has been selected along with 4,000 other students from across the nation to attend the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference. That includes a ticket to the inauguration of President Barack Obama January 20. He'll be standing there as the parade rolls down Pennsylvania Avenue. Millions are expected to descend on the city that day. Not everyone's got a ticket, however.

"I'm looking forward to it," Nick said. "It could have been history either way the election went."

Nick had been nominated to attend the inauguration when he was in seventh grade, two years ago. At the time, he had no idea who would be heading up the parade in Washington.

He's especially stoked about the black tie gala inaugural ball, where he plans to dress in a silver tuxedo. Nice. It's too bad, he tells me, that Lance Armstrong won't be speaking—he had initially been on the bill—but Al Gore and Colin Powell will have to do. Nick cheered on Al Gore for president when he was in first grade, he said. His classroom had a poster of Gore smiling, thumbs up. He just looked like the right guy for the job. Unfortunately, Nick was about ten years too young to vote. Besides, he didn't live in Florida, so it wouldn't have mattered much anyway.

"I want to hear how they were able to be successful in life, how they got where they are, how hard they worked to make it happen," he said of the speakers.

You might not believe it, but Nick is "not that big on" politics. Or so he says.

Right now, he thinks he would like to become a sports writer. We told him that he's welcome to write for us, anytime. We're hoping to get a few reports of the inauguration live from Washington while he's down there.