Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States and the first black president in this nation’s history. His image represented the new, progressive face of the country, its people, and its government. He represented a modern America and his story echoed closely to Americans. Obama came from a multicultural background. He was raised by a single mother with an absent father and was provided care by maternal grandparents. It made him relatable to many. Additionally, American voters were tired of war and despondent by the economic downturn inflamed by the Bush administration and were looking for a fresh newcomer that could rebuild the United States. He represented hope and change to Americans who have lost faith in their government once more. Barack Obama, much like Franklin D. Roosevelt, inherited the presidency during one of the lowest points in recent American history, and a great amount of pressure was thrust onto his shoulders. He had to try to find solutions created and made worse by the previous administrations, manage the economic recovery in the aftermath of the Great Recession, continue to fight the War on Terror, and implement a new healthcare program designed for the people.
On January 20, 2009, President Barack Obama gave his inaugural address to the nation and sparked hope and change for the people. I would characterize Obama’s tone as serious and honest. He reminded Americans of their origins as hard-working individuals that never settled for less than what they were worth. The risk-taker, the doers, and the makers of things have built this nation so that Americans now can enjoy their prosperity and freedoms. He reminds Americans that the United States is still entangled in a crisis, but it shouldn’t discourage us from moving forward.
“Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week, or last month, or last year… Starting today, we much pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America”.
What I think the message that Barack Obama is trying to send to the American people is to not waver in their convictions of the American spirit and that our greatness as a nation is earned not given. He wants to instill hope by acknowledging how the United States’ greatness as a nation comes from the hard work of all Americans. He also wants to remind Americans of the war oversea and to honor the liberty given to us thanks to those that have fallen. He asks them to have a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.