Above: The inaugural ceremony at the the Capitol in Washington
on Tuesday. (Pool photo by Scott Andrews)

President Obama

First black leader stands on precipice of history at crucial time for nation

NYT
By CARL HULSE
Published: January 20, 2009

Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th president of the United States Tuesday, and called on Americans to join him in confronting what he described as an economic crisis caused by greed but also “our collective failure to make hard choices.” Read more at NYT.

In an inaugural tradition, the Bushes welcomed the Obamas to the White House
for tea. Michelle Obama’s outfit was designed by Isabel Toledo.
(Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)

American milestone: Obama inauguration is a moment of celebration, reflection

Above: We are one’: The crowd swelled to an estimated 400,000 at the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington Sunday. People bundled up to hear top performers
and speakers at a pre-inaugural concert. (Sarah Beth Glicksteen/The Christian
Science Monitor)

Washington

At noon today, history will be made on the steps of the US Capitol. Barack Hussein Obama will take the oath of office, placing his left hand on the Bible that Abraham Lincoln used when he took the same oath in 1861.

Back then, the nation was descending into civil war over slavery. Today, the new president faces economic challenges unmatched in generations, two wars abroad, and the continuing threat of terrorism at home. The difficult business of governing at a time of crisis will begin nearly from the moment President-elect Obama utters the words “so help me God.” His inauguration speech, delivered right after the oath, will reportedly focus on two themes: responsibility and restoring public confidence.

Got groove: Guests at the Obama Victory Gala danced the “Electric Slide” at the
community activity center in Springhill, La., last week. Organizer Linda Clayton lost
money on the event, but she has no regrets. “My pocket is broke, but my spirit is
full,” she says. (Mario Villafuerte/Special to the Christian Science Monitor)

But the special significance of Obama’s inauguration, as America’s first black president, will also be a moment for reflection and celebration. On a long weekend already commemorating the 80th birthday of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Americans of all colors have converged on the nation’s capital in unprecedented numbers to bear witness to this latest step in the struggle toward racial equality. Read more.

Inaugural Bash: Words and Photos to Get You in Festive mood
Photos by Scout Tufankjian

New Yorker Scout Tufankjian, 29, knows something about foresight.

Last month, photos she started taking two years ago featuring a political long shot named Barack Obama hit bookstores in a sweeping, intimate portrait (“Yes We Can,” PowerHouse, $29.95) of the President-elect’s historic campaign. (Read more about the photographer at NY Daily News)

‘This country remains the greatest on Earth, not because of the size of our military
or the size of our economy, but because every child can actually achieve as much
they can dream.’ – ‘Meet the Press,’ July 25, 2004.
Credits: Miami, Florida, October 21, 2008 © Scout Tufankjian

‘I’ve always been clear that I’m rooted in the African-American community but not
limited to it.’ – The Washington Post, July 27, 2004.
Credits: En route to Hamilton, Indiana, August 31, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?
Hope – hope in the face of difficulty. hope in the face of uncertainty The audacity of
hope!’ – From the 2004 Democratic national Convention speech in July 2004 in Boston.
Credits: Greensboro, North Carolina, May 5, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘My little girls can break my heart. They can make me cry just looking at them
eating their string beans.’ – Houston Chronicle, Oct. 29, 2006.
Credits: Chicago, Illinois, November 4, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘If we aren’t willing to pay a price for our values, then we should ask ourselves
whether we truly believe in them at all.’ – From his autobiography, ‘The Audacity of Hope.’
Credits: Denver, Colorado, October 26, 2008 © copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘At their core Americans are decent people. And there is a sense of hope that
people can change this country together.’ – Times of London, Dec. 11, 2006.
Credits: Unity, New Hampshire, June 27, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United
States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino
America nd Asian America – there’s the United States of America.’ – From his
keynote speech to the Democratic National Convention, July 2004.
Credits: St. Paul, Minnesota, June 3, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.’ – Victory speech, Nov. 4, 2008.
Credits: Chicago, Illinois, November, 4, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

‘America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country
than this.’ – From Democratic National Convention, August 28, 2008, Denver, Colorado.
Credits: Des Moines, Iowa, January 2, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

The Democratic National Convention.
Credits: Denver, Colorado, August 28, 2008 © Copyright Scout Tufankjian

More photos at NYDailyNews.com