President Barack Obama's Inaugural Remarks on Jan. 20, 2009, At the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C

8/14/2019 President Barack Obama's Inaugural Remarks on Jan. 20, 2009, At the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

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Full transcript as prepared for delivery of President

Barack Obama's inaugural remarks on Jan. 20, 200, at t!e

"nited #tates $apitol in %as!ington, &.$.

(y fello) citi*ens+

stand !ere today !umbled by t!e task before us,

grateful for t!e trust you !ave besto)ed, mindful of t!e

sacrifices borne by our ancestors. t!ank President Bus!

for !is service to our nation, as )ell as t!e generosity

and cooperation !e !as s!o)n t!roug!out t!is transition.

Forty-four mericans !ave no) taken t!e presidential

oat!. /!e )ords !ave been spoken during rising tides of

prosperity and t!e still )aters of peace. et, every so

often t!e oat! is taken amidst gat!ering clouds and

raging storms. t t!ese moments, merica !as carried onnot simply because of t!e skill or vision of t!ose in

!ig! office, but because %e t!e People !ave remained

fait!ful to t!e ideals of our forbearers, and true to our

founding documents.

#o it !as been. #o it must be )it! t!is generation of

mericans.

/!at )e are in t!e midst of crisis is no) )ell

understood. Our nation is at )ar, against a far-reac!ing

net)ork of violence and !atred. Our economy is badly)eakened, a conse1uence of greed and irresponsibility on

t!e part of some, but also our collective failure to make

!ard c!oices and prepare t!e nation for a ne) age. omes

!ave been lost3 4obs s!ed3 businesses s!uttered. Our

!ealt! care is too costly3 our sc!ools fail too many3 and

eac! day brings furt!er evidence t!at t!e )ays )e use

energy strengt!en our adversaries and t!reaten our

planet.

/!ese are t!e indicators of crisis, sub4ect to data and

statistics. 5ess measurable but no less profound is a

sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear

t!at merica's decline is inevitable, and t!at t!e ne6t

generation must lo)er its sig!ts.

/oday say to you t!at t!e c!allenges )e face are real.

/!ey are serious and t!ey are many.

/!ey )ill not be met easily or in a s!ort span of time.

But kno) t!is, merica - t!ey )ill be met. On t!is day,

)e gat!er because )e !ave c!osen !ope over fear, unity of

purpose over conflict and discord.


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On t!is day, )e come to proclaim an end to t!e petty

grievances and false promises, t!e recriminations and

)orn out dogmas, t!at for far too long !ave strangled our

politics.

%e remain a young nation, but in t!e )ords of #cripture,t!e time !as come to set aside c!ildis! t!ings. /!e time

!as come to reaffirm our enduring spirit3 to c!oose our

better !istory3 to carry for)ard t!at precious gift, t!at

noble idea, passed on from generation to generation+ t!e

7od-given promise t!at all are e1ual, all are free, and

all deserve a c!ance to pursue t!eir full measure of

!appiness.

n reaffirming t!e greatness of our nation, )e understand

t!at greatness is never a given. t must be earned. Our

4ourney !as never been one of s!ort-cuts or settling forless. t !as not been t!e pat! for t!e faint-!earted -

for t!ose )!o prefer leisure over )ork, or seek only t!e

pleasures of ric!es and fame. 8at!er, it !as been t!e

risk-takers, t!e doers, t!e makers of t!ings - some

celebrated but more often men and )omen obscure in t!eir

labor, )!o !ave carried us up t!e long, rugged pat!

to)ards prosperity and freedom.

For us, t!ey packed up t!eir fe) )orldly possessions and

traveled across oceans in searc! of a ne) life.

For us, t!ey toiled in s)eats!ops and settled t!e %est3

endured t!e las! of t!e )!ip and plo)ed t!e !ard eart!.

For us, t!ey foug!t and died, in places like $oncord and

7ettysburg3 9ormandy and :!e #a!n. /ime and again t!ese

men and )omen struggled and sacrificed and )orked till

t!eir !ands )ere ra) so t!at )e mig!t live a better life.

/!ey sa) merica as bigger t!an t!e sum of our individual

ambitions3 greater t!an all t!e differences of birt! or

)ealt! or faction.

/!is is t!e 4ourney )e continue today. %e remain t!e most

prosperous, po)erful nation on ;art!. Our )orkers are no

less productive t!an )!en t!is crisis began. Our minds

are no less inventive, our goods and services no less

needed t!an t!ey )ere last )eek or last mont! or last

year. Our capacity remains undiminis!ed. But our time of

standing pat, of protecting narro) interests and putting

off unpleasant decisions - t!at time !as surely passed.

#tarting today, )e must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves

off, and begin again t!e )ork of remaking merica.


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For every)!ere )e look, t!ere is )ork to be done. /!e

state of t!e economy calls for action, bold and s)ift,

and )e )ill act - not only to create ne) 4obs, but to lay

a ne) foundation for gro)t!. %e )ill build t!e roads and

bridges, t!e electric grids and digital lines t!at feed

our commerce and bind us toget!er. %e )ill restorescience to its rig!tful place, and )ield tec!nology's

)onders to raise !ealt! care's 1uality and lo)er its

cost. %e )ill !arness t!e sun and t!e )inds and t!e soil

to fuel our cars and run our factories. nd )e )ill

transform our sc!ools and colleges and universities to

meet t!e demands of a ne) age. ll t!is )e can do. nd

all t!is )e )ill do.

9o), t!ere are some )!o 1uestion t!e scale of our

ambitions - )!o suggest t!at our system cannot tolerate

too many big plans. /!eir memories are s!ort. For t!ey!ave forgotten )!at t!is country !as already done3 )!at

free men and )omen can ac!ieve )!en imagination is 4oined

to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

%!at t!e cynics fail to understand is t!at t!e ground !as

s!ifted beneat! t!em - t!at t!e stale political arguments

t!at !ave consumed us for so long no longer apply. /!e

1uestion )e ask today is not )!et!er our government is

too big or too small, but )!et!er it )orks - )!et!er it

!elps families find 4obs at a decent )age, care t!ey can

afford, a retirement t!at is dignified. %!ere t!e ans)eris yes, )e intend to move for)ard. %!ere t!e ans)er is

no, programs )ill end. nd t!ose of us )!o manage t!e

public's dollars )ill be !eld to account - to spend

)isely, reform bad !abits, and do our business in t!e

lig!t of day - because only t!en can )e restore t!e vital

trust bet)een a people and t!eir government.

9or is t!e 1uestion before us )!et!er t!e market is a

force for good or ill. ts po)er to generate )ealt! and

e6pand freedom is unmatc!ed, but t!is crisis !as reminded

us t!at )it!out a )atc!ful eye, t!e market can spin outof control - and t!at a nation cannot prosper long )!en

it favors only t!e prosperous. /!e success of our economy

!as al)ays depended not 4ust on t!e si*e of our 7ross

&omestic Product, but on t!e reac! of our prosperity3 on

our ability to e6tend opportunity to every )illing !eart

- not out of c!arity, but because it is t!e surest route

to our common good.

s for our common defense, )e re4ect as false t!e c!oice

bet)een our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fat!ers,

faced )it! perils )e can scarcely imagine, drafted a

c!arter to assure t!e rule of la) and t!e rig!ts of man,


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a c!arter e6panded by t!e blood of generations. /!ose

ideals still lig!t t!e )orld, and )e )ill not give t!em

up for e6pedience's sake. nd so to all ot!er peoples and

governments )!o are )atc!ing today, from t!e grandest

capitals to t!e small village )!ere my fat!er )as born+

kno) t!at merica is a friend of eac! nation and everyman, )oman, and c!ild )!o seeks a future of peace and

dignity, and t!at )e are ready to lead once more.

8ecall t!at earlier generations faced do)n fascism and

communism not 4ust )it! missiles and tanks, but )it!

sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. /!ey

understood t!at our po)er alone cannot protect us, nor

does it entitle us to do as )e please. nstead, t!ey kne)

t!at our po)er gro)s t!roug! its prudent use3 our

security emanates from t!e 4ustness of our cause, t!e

force of our e6ample, t!e tempering 1ualities of !umilityand restraint.

%e are t!e keepers of t!is legacy. 7uided by t!ese

principles once more, )e can meet t!ose ne) t!reats t!at

demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and

understanding bet)een nations. %e )ill begin to

responsibly leave ra1 to its people, and forge a !ard-

earned peace in fg!anistan. %it! old friends and former

foes, )e )ill )ork tirelessly to lessen t!e nuclear

t!reat, and roll back t!e specter of a )arming planet. %e

)ill not apologi*e for our )ay of life, nor )ill )e )averin its defense, and for t!ose )!o seek to advance t!eir

aims by inducing terror and slaug!tering innocents, )e

say to you no) t!at our spirit is stronger and cannot be

broken3 you cannot outlast us, and )e )ill defeat you.

For )e kno) t!at our patc!)ork !eritage is a strengt!,

not a )eakness. %e are a nation of $!ristians and

(uslims, Je)s and indus - and non-believers. %e are

s!aped by every language and culture, dra)n from every

end of t!is ;art!3 and because )e !ave tasted t!e bitter

s)ill of civil )ar and segregation, and emerged from t!atdark c!apter stronger and more united, )e cannot !elp but

believe t!at t!e old !atreds s!all someday pass3 t!at t!e

lines of tribe s!all soon dissolve3 t!at as t!e )orld

gro)s smaller, our common !umanity s!all reveal itself3

and t!at merica must play its role in us!ering in a ne)

era of peace.

/o t!e (uslim )orld, )e seek a ne) )ay for)ard, based on

mutual interest and mutual respect.

/o t!ose leaders around t!e globe )!o seek to so)

conflict, or blame t!eir society's ills on t!e %est -


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kno) t!at your people )ill 4udge you on )!at you can

build, not )!at you destroy. /o t!ose )!o cling to po)er

t!roug! corruption and deceit and t!e silencing of

dissent, kno) t!at you are on t!e )rong side of !istory3

but t!at )e )ill e6tend a !and if you are )illing to

unclenc! your fist.

/o t!e people of poor nations, )e pledge to )ork

alongside you to make your farms flouris! and let clean

)aters flo)3 to nouris! starved bodies and feed !ungry

minds. nd to t!ose nations like ours t!at en4oy relative

plenty, )e say )e can no longer afford indifference to

suffering outside our borders3 nor can )e consume t!e

)orld's resources )it!out regard to effect. For t!e )orld

!as c!anged, and )e must c!ange )it! it.

s )e consider t!e road t!at unfolds before us, )eremember )it! !umble gratitude t!ose brave mericans )!o,

at t!is very !our, patrol far-off deserts and distant

mountains. /!ey !ave somet!ing to tell us today, 4ust as

t!e fallen !eroes )!o lie in rlington )!isper t!roug!

t!e ages.

%e !onor t!em not only because t!ey are guardians of our

liberty, but because t!ey embody t!e spirit of service3 a

)illingness to find meaning in somet!ing greater t!an

t!emselves. nd yet, at t!is moment - a moment t!at )ill

define a generation - it is precisely t!is spirit t!atmust in!abit us all.

For as muc! as government can do and must do, it is

ultimately t!e fait! and determination of t!e merican

people upon )!ic! t!is nation relies. t is t!e kindness

to take in a stranger )!en t!e levees break, t!e

selflessness of )orkers )!o )ould rat!er cut t!eir !ours

t!an see a friend lose t!eir 4ob )!ic! sees us t!roug!

our darkest !ours. t is t!e firefig!ter's courage to

storm a stair)ay filled )it! smoke, but also a parent's

)illingness to nurture a c!ild, t!at finally decides ourfate.

Our c!allenges may be ne). /!e instruments )it! )!ic! )e

meet t!em may be ne). But t!ose values upon )!ic! our

success depends - !ard )ork and !onesty, courage and fair

play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -

t!ese t!ings are old. /!ese t!ings are true. /!ey !ave

been t!e 1uiet force of progress t!roug!out our !istory.

%!at is demanded t!en is a return to t!ese trut!s. %!at

is re1uired of us no) is a ne) era of responsibility - a

recognition, on t!e part of every merican, t!at )e !ave

duties to ourselves, our nation, and t!e )orld, duties


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t!at )e do not grudgingly accept but rat!er sei*e gladly,

firm in t!e kno)ledge t!at t!ere is not!ing so satisfying

to t!e spirit, so defining of our c!aracter, t!an giving

our all to a difficult task.

/!is is t!e price and t!e promise of citi*ens!ip.

/!is is t!e source of our confidence - t!e kno)ledge t!at

7od calls on us to s!ape an uncertain destiny.

/!is is t!e meaning of our liberty and our creed - )!y

men and )omen and c!ildren of every race and every fait!

can 4oin in celebration across t!is magnificent mall, and

)!y a man )!ose fat!er less t!an si6ty years ago mig!t

not !ave been served at a local restaurant can no) stand

before you to take a most sacred oat!.

#o let us mark t!is day )it! remembrance, of )!o )e are

and !o) far )e !ave traveled. n t!e year of merica's

birt!, in t!e coldest of mont!s, a small band of patriots

!uddled by dying campfires on t!e s!ores of an icy river.

/!e capital )as abandoned. /!e enemy )as advancing. /!e

sno) )as stained )it! blood. t a moment )!en t!e outcome

of our revolution )as most in doubt, t!e fat!er of our

nation ordered t!ese )ords be read to t!e people+

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Documents

President Barack Obama's Inaugural Remarks on Jan. 20, 2009, At the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C