Obama's Inaugural Address Was a Modern Speech Steeped in History

January 22, 2013 RSS Feed Print

President Obama gave a truly American speech yesterday. It resonated from the opening reference to "all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights," to his constant refrain of "we, the people."

It was in many ways a stronger speech than four years ago, more resolute, more seasoned, more ready to ensure that America lives up to the words expressed in the Declaration of Independence. It was a speech for a modern era, acknowledging the rapid change of the 21st century.

The strong thread of his speech was the strong history of America, from the war for independence to the emancipation proclamation 150 years ago to the March on Washington 50 years ago. "From Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall," the President highlighted the guiding value that all are created equal. The age-old creed was made modern and relevant to all Americans -- of any color, any natural origin, any gender, any sexual orientation.

[Robert Schlesinger: Obama's Second Inaugural Was a Shot Across the Tea Party Bow]

The notion that an inaugural address would mention gay marriage and highlight the start of the gay revolution at Stonewall would have been unthinkable a decade or two ago. What an amazing transformation.

The melding of traditional aspirational values and the struggle to solve modern American problems was inspiring. He was forward looking and pragmatic when it came to tackling the issues of immigration reform, climate change, equal economic opportunity, helping the most vulnerable. And he was equally pragmatic when he recognized that "outworn programs are inadequate to our times" and that government is not the answer to all our problems.

[Check out our editorial cartoons on President Obama.]

But his was a defense of government as "we, the people" to achieve what our framers designed. He did not deride government or Washington but set out a positive, progressive, future for us to pursue together. This was a change from what we have heard over the past thirty years.

It was, in many ways, a very modern speech clothed in the best of our history to act as a call to Americans. This is a president now comfortable with the bully pulpit and a leader committed to using it in the years ahead. You will see a Barack Obama ready to inspire and organize people for the cause. My guess is that this speech was just the beginning.