Comments on: Obama’s inauguration

By: Harvard History Department - News » Blog Archive » Yonatan Eyal on Obama’s Inauguration

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:08:41 +0000

[...] 2005) was interviewed by the University of Toronoto’s Research. The article entitled “Historian Yonatan Eyal on the pageantry and meaning of the presidential swearing-in” was posted on Friday, January 16, [...]

By: Dan Short

Dan Short — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:35:41 +0000

Your underlying comments suggest that the power of the president is easily abused a la Nixon and Bush Jr. and perhaps needs to be curtailed.

The pageantry of the Canadian PM is non-existent because the election elects the party and the Pm follows. We do not vote for him, thus he doesn’t warrant the show. However, in an non-minority government (which you haven’t experienced) the PM or his party have more power.

Thus your forefathers attempted to curtail this power by creating a third level of government and having all parties elected. Of course when the levels are split then potential mayhem occurs thus the last two years of the bush government.

Unfortunately this has lead to more power to the President.

The current pomp is also a function of the nature of the president elect – a young African American liberal form the north, attracting a relatively new audience, much like the one attracted to JFK in 1961 but more obvious.

Should be fun.

By: Marium Chowdhury

Marium Chowdhury — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:24:31 +0000

The analysis is very in depth and makes one want to know more about U.S. history. I am proud to be under the tutelage of Professor Eyal.
Marium.

By: Damian Yearwood

Damian Yearwood — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:41:42 +0000

I think I would say that Lincoln’s inauguration would be the best parallel to Obama’s. While not nearly as divisive as Lincoln’s election, this is another moment when not only all of America is watching, but the entire world is too. Both were/are expected to bring about immediate, sweeping changes and both seem to have a similar leadership style. Lincoln would often bring former adversaries over to his side and Obama seems to share that same talent (Hilary Clinton being the obvious example).

Hopefully Professor Eyal will hold another small talk with students this semester as he did just prior to the election last semester.

By: Irwin Thomashow

Irwin Thomashow — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:50:17 +0000

Outstanding analysis