Obama takes office, calls for citizens to step up

By Scott Helman and Michael Kranish, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — Barack Hussein Obama was inaugurated today as the nation’s 44th president, seizing the historic moment to invoke the "price and the promise of citizenship" and demand the participation of all Americans in restoring the country to greatness.

On a brilliant but frigid day in the nation's capital, President Obama took the oath of office on Abraham Lincoln's Bible before a sea of more than million people that stretched from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial. Obama celebrated his own achievement as the nation's first African-American president, but struck a solemn tone in warning of the challenges and sacrifices that lie ahead.

Comparing the economic crisis and fight against terrorism to the trials faced by the nation's founders, Obama implored his fellow citizens to join him "in the work of remaking America."

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord," Obama said, his voice reverberating throughout the National Mall. "Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end -- that we did not turn back, nor did we falter."

Calling for a "new era of responsibility," Obama quoted a biblical phrase: “The time has come to set aside childish things.”

After being sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., Obama, a Democrat, used his 19-minute inaugural address to send a clear message to his fellow citizens and to the citizens of the world: that Washington's values, philosophies, and actions on everything from economic policy to diplomacy would depart significantly from those of Republican George W. Bush over the past eight years.

To Americans fearful about the economy and ‘‘a sapping of confidence,’’ Obama vowed bold and swift action, calling for massive government investment in roads and bridges, in solar and wind energy, and in healthcare and education. Paraphrasing words from the Declaration of Independence, he said all citizens "deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

To those watching abroad, Obama asked for ‘‘greater cooperation and understanding between nations.’’ Speaking specifically to Muslims, he said, ‘‘We seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and respect.’’ And to those who seek to advance their causes through terror, Obama said, ‘‘You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.’’

"America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more," Obama said forcefully, a line that drew perhaps the biggest cheer of the day.

With Bush seated nearby, Obama also offered a clear critique of his predecessor, saying, "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."

Inaugurations are always highly anticipated rituals of American democracy, but this year's was on a different order of magnitude altogether. The roar of the crowd when the Obamas were introduced, the chant of "O-ba-ma" that rippled up from the throngs on the Mall, the euphoria and the tears on the faces of those who bore witness yesterday -- all were measures of the heightened significance of this transfer of power.

Obama’s swearing-in, protected by an extraordinary blanket of security, was the capstone to a festive, multi-day celebration that captivated Washington and capitals around the world, interrupted only by a health scare when Senator Edward M. Kennedy suffered a seizure during a Capitol luncheon. He was later reported to be resting comfortably at a hospital.

Over the past few days, every kind of American face imaginable has filled the Mall to soak up the atmosphere, shoot photos and videos, and plant lasting memories. The celebration picked up pace at the stroke of midnight yesterday, when Washington greeted the opening hours of Obama's first day as president with the fanfare of a New Year's Eve millennial fete. Even at 1:30 in the morning, shops were open downtown and packed with jubilant Obama supporters snatching up memorabilia.

The atmosphere in the capital, reflecting the unique fellowship of Obama’s campaign, was warm and fraternal, with perfect strangers laughing, shouting, and waving American flags with one another.

‘‘I woke up this morning thinking, this is our day. It’s the nation’s day. We’re taking it back,’’ said Lauren Azar, a 47-year-old public service commissioner from Madison, Wis.

‘‘America’s just coming on the mend,’’ said Timothy Young, 55, a doctor from Atlanta. ‘‘I think it’s bigger than race, it’s bigger than anything. That’s why you see all these people, of every race, every color, every creed, and they’re all talking to each other. We’re talking to each other again.’'

The immense security and crush of people, however, created headaches for many trying to witness the occasion. Thousands of people who streamed toward the Mall from adjacent neighborhoods in southeast Washington, for example, found themselves turned back by members of the National Guard when they approached the security cordon.

After Obama's speech, he and his wife, Michelle, escorted Bush and his wife, Laura, to their waiting helicopter, and many in the crowd reacted with glee at the sight of the 43rd president climbing aboard and leaving the White House for good. "Close the door!" one woman yelled.
The crowd waved and cheered madly as the helicopter departed west over the Capitol grounds.

Later in the afternoon, the Obamas, along with Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, took part in the customary inaugural parade up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. For a few blocks, Obama and his wife got out of their armored limousine and walked the parade route, waving, beaming, and acknowledging the mobs of people who lined the streets to get a glimpse. Last night, the Obamas were scheduled to drop by all 10 official inaugural balls held around the city.

The inauguration of Obama, the son of a black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother, holds special resonance for the country’s 37 million African-Americans, to whom Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday celebration on Monday meant something special this year.

"There are no words to explain it," said Stacey Simmons, a 40-year-old black surgeon from New York. ``For me, it's just a moment of validation.''

Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the master of ceremonies at the inauguration, invoked King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech from the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

"They will look back and remember that this was the moment when the dream that once echoed across history from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial reached the walls of the White House," she said.

The Rev. Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor who delivered the invocation, said King and other civil rights leaders of the past were "shouting in heaven" to see such a day come to pass. The White House was built partly by slaves, and Obama took the oath near sandstone laid by slaves at the Capitol.

"Let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled," Obama said, noting that "a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

But now that his historic two-year march to the White House is complete, the president must face squarely a litany of challenges at home and abroad.

The United States is enduring its worst economic calamity since the Great Depression, with 7.2 percent unemployment, daily announcements of major layoffs, and a stock market that lost one-third of its value in 2008; the Dow Jones industrial average yesterday shed another 4 percent. Obama plans to meet today both with his economic advisers and his national security team.

‘‘The challenges we face are real,’’ he said in yesterday's inaugural address. ‘‘They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.’’

Lisa Wangsness and Susan Milligan of the Globe staff contributed to this report; Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.