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In Philadelphia This Morning, Obama to Call for "A New Declaration of Independence"

January 17, 2009 7:43 AM

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Here in the City of Brotherly Love this morning, following in the footsteps of his hero President Abraham Lincoln, President-elect Obama will call for "a new Declaration of Independence" and ask Americans to invoke the same spirit of our Founding Fathers to get through these challenging times.

"What is required is the same perseverance and idealism that our founders displayed," the President-elect will say, calling for a new declaration of independence "not just in our nation, but in our own lives – from ideology and small thinking, prejudice and bigotry – an appeal not to our easy instincts but to our better angels."

The reference to "better angels," like so much about this Inaugural, is a nod to the 16th President, who in his first Inaugural address expressed the hop that "every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

Mr. Lincoln stopped here on February 22, 1861 on the way to his first inaugural, and delivered an extemporaneous address at Independence Hall that paid tribute to the history document that the soon-to-be-44th President will today invoke.

Lincoln, a former one-term Congressman and state legislator from Illinois, said then that "I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence. I have often pondered over the dangers which were incurred by the men who assembled here, and framed and adopted that Declaration of Independence."

Mr. Obama, a former one-term Senator and state legislator from Illinois himself, has constantly invoked Lincoln, from his formal declaration of his candidacy at the old state house in Springfield, Illinois, to his reference to Lincoln's "Team of Rivals" when assembling his own Cabinet full of former primary opponents, to his use on Tuesday of Mr. Lincoln's Bible for his oath of office, to his being served a luncheon that day that Lincoln would have enjoyed.

Obama's speech today -- originally planned for Independence Hall, but moved indoors to 30th Street Station for unknown reasons -- will continue this tribute to his fellow lanky-Illinoisan-turned-President.

"We are here today not simply to pay tribute to our first patriots but to take up the work that they began," he will say, according to excerpts of his speech provided to ABC News by the Obama Transition Team. "The trials we face are very different now, but severe in their own right. Only a handful of times in our history has a generation been confronted with challenges so vast. An economy that is faltering. Two wars, one that needs to be ended responsibly, one that needs to be waged wisely. A planet that is warming from our unsustainable dependence on oil. And yet while our problems may be new, what is required to overcome them is not."

As always, Mr. Obama will combine his lofty rhetoric with some expectations-lowering language, saying that "such enormous challenges will not be solved quickly. There will be false starts and setbacks, frustrations and disappointments. And we will be called to show patience even as we act with fierce urgency.

"But we should never forget that we are the heirs of that first band of patriots, ordinary men and women who refused to give up when it all seemed so improbable; and who somehow believed that they had the power to make the world anew," he will say. "That is the spirit that we must reclaim today."

Lincoln's trip, it might be noted, was fraught with peril. Assassins awaited him in Baltimore, and when he spoke off the cuff in Philadelphia on George Washington's birthday, he heralded that "sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time" and said "if this country cannot be saved without giving up that principle...I would rather be assassinated on this spot than to surrender it."

Possibly regretting his words a moment later, Lincoln said, "I did not expect to be called upon to say a word when I came here---I supposed I was merely to do something towards raising a flag. I may, therefore, have said something indiscreet, but I have said nothing but what I am willing to live by, and, in the pleasure of Almighty God, die by."

The whistle-stop train tour will begin in Philadelphia, brake to a slow roll in Claymont, Delaware, so the Obamas can wave at supporters, and stop in Wilmington, Delaware.

There the Obamas will be joined by that state's most famous Amtrak commuter, Vice President-elect Joe Biden, who commuted home to the small-wonder state rather than get a home in Washington, DC, for his 36 years in the Senate. After a rally in Delaware, the train will again slow-roll in Edgewood, Maryland, and stop for a rally in Baltimore, Maryland, where Mr. Obama's most ardent supporter, Mayor Sheila Dixon, was recently indicted for accepting illegal gifts. The Obamas and Bidens will arrive in the nation's capital this evening.

-- Jake Tapper

January 17, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (220)

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Why do people get so heated when arguing about Obama and Bush? As if either of these men are there to help any of you? LOL!

The FACTS are that both of this people are just underlings of the New World Order. They do what the worldwide banking cabal and the papacy tell them to do.

The change is that more and more of our civil liberties will be eroded, and we will get further away from the constitution.

But don't blame just Obama or blame just Bush. It is the entire political system that has been working us toward this end for a very long time.

If you want real change, change that will be GOOD for everyone, it must START by abolishing the Federal Reserve Bank that has pretty much manipulated our financial crisis from the get go.

While I wouldn't be surprised if the NWO tried to write a new Declaration of Independence or even a new Constitution, this was probably just a figure of speech Obama was using.

Posted by: Johnny Staumph | Jan 19, 2009 3:21:17 PM

Hmm... Didn't we already hear a declaration of explotation just a week ago? I guess it's fitting your "Ms.siah" issues a new one. While she's at it, she might as well issue a new declaration of classism. We will know for sure when she appears on Glenn Beck tonight.

Posted by: testing 1, 2, 3 | Jan 19, 2009 11:10:52 AM

What's next, re-write the bible!?

Posted by: k122 | Jan 19, 2009 11:08:41 AM

Hmm... Didn't we already sign a declaration of independence over 200 years ago? I guess it's fitting your "Messiah" issues a new one. While he's at it, he might as well issue a new constitution. We're not using the one we already have.

Posted by: Jack | Jan 19, 2009 9:54:15 AM

These are all nice little stories.
Now we shall see how his left wing ideas affect our country.
I'm only hoping his getting off coke was easier than his getting off cigs.

Posted by: Mitch In NC | Jan 19, 2009 8:46:53 AM

The truth is, that Lincoln was an Amarican.

Posted by: Joe | Jan 19, 2009 12:42:57 AM


Cut the chatter and get down to BUSINESS. What you have is a bunch of
opinions and at the end of the day that
is not what is required for success in
America. Don't overlook the problem become a part of the solution. Put the opinions on the back seat. WHO CARES
ABOUT BARACK OBAMAS' RACE ASSIGNMENT.
DO BUSINESS. WE HAVE PLAYED LONG ENOUGH
and people are tired of loose chatter. Give the world an element of hope. we can't process the chatter in fact, it is called loose gossip with no substance
for developing an economy that will be beneficial to all. I know in all of the efforts educational institutions have employed,we can do better than discuss Obamas racial assignment. Quantitate what percentage one should have in terms of Black and White to be called
an African American. OPINIONS, OPINIONS,
OPINIONS. VALIDATIONSVALIDATIONS VALIDATIONS.

Posted by: anonymous | Jan 19, 2009 12:24:33 AM

I hate to break it to you, CW, but Obama is the first black president. Being raised by his white family didn’t change his pigmentation. His Dad left him and his mother, but that didn’t make Barack any less African-American.

Posted by: moose | Jan 18, 2009 10:06:12 PM

obamabot - Even if he wanted to, Obama could not use the funds donated for the inauguration for the bailouts. Since they were raised for a specific purpose, legally, they must be used for that purpose. And anything they are spending for the inauguration is dumping money into the economy... why is that bad?

Posted by: ellsbells930 | Jan 18, 2009 9:44:20 PM

Obama doesn't come close to Lincoln.
Obama is a John Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King WANNABE....

Posted by: CW | Jan 18, 2009 9:39:05 PM

I hate to break it to you folks, but Obama is NOT the first black president. He is the first biracial president. Raised by his white family. His Dad left him and his mother.

Posted by: CW | Jan 18, 2009 9:36:00 PM

All Hail Grand Mighty Messiah Golden One

Conform or be Crushed!

How Much for MICHELLE's dress?

How Much for the Inauguration Coronation Bash, Great One?

I thought the economy was hurting, why not dump the record donations into all your bailouts?

Posted by: obamabot | Jan 18, 2009 9:03:22 PM

Ok - I answered this once & my post disappeared....Kathy - No, the caps were not derisive. As I stated, they were for emphasis, because you can't use bold, italics or underlines in these responses. That is common internet protocol. If you followed ALL of my posts, I consistently stated that I am against the Federal government being involved in areas that aren't necessary. You are picking on the ONE entry that I did not actually use the word "federal". However, it was implied based on all of my other posts in this thread. If you choose not to accept that, then that is your perogative - but it does not change my intent. I stand by my conviction that services that should be handled at the local level should be, without federal government interference.

Posted by: ellsbells930 | Jan 18, 2009 6:36:45 PM

I think if Obama studied the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, and read what Lincoln said....he might choose another hero

Posted by: zeke | Jan 18, 2009 6:33:55 PM

To Ted and all the other Obama birth certificate conspiracy believers:

Bruce Springsteen is performing at the inaugural festivities. Sing along, folks:

Born in the USA, he was born in the USA.
He was born in the USA, born in the USA.

Posted by: Rudy | Jan 18, 2009 5:02:37 PM

The question is not IF there will be an interdiction of Obama’s Presidency by the Supreme Court, the questions are WHEN and HOW that interdiction will transpire — that is, if the USA is to continue as the Constitutional Republic that now exists.

Posted by: Ted | Jan 18, 2009 4:27:29 PM

If you bothered to READ my comments . . .
************************************
ellesbells- Your wording and caps didn't mean to communicate derisiveness? My point is and remains is that fire fighters and the police are governmental workers. I never once stated they were employed a the federal level. You originally, as you well remember and which is down on the thread, made the claim of equating government services with welfare and socialism:

"kathy - Creating government jobs is socialism -not quite welfare, but almost."

I don't exactly enjoy bantering around with someone who won't own up to their communications , and who also twist your words in an attempt to discredit them. My reading and comprehension is fine. It's yours I'm concerned about, along with your inability to debate in a reasonable manner without resorting to attacks.

Posted by: kathy | Jan 18, 2009 3:22:32 PM

T - I have NEVER said that Obama is evil. I vehemently disagree with almost everything he wants to do, but I believe he has this nations best interest at heart. I just don't think he is going to do the right things or take this nation in the direction it needs to go. That doesn't make him evil, just misguided.

Posted by: ellsbells930 | Jan 18, 2009 2:15:46 PM

T - What did he do that was so evil? Did he kill the Democrats because they were the opposite party? Did he put women into slavery? Did he murder a specific ethnic group just because they were that specific ethnic group? Did he have people executed in the streets of America to show his power?

Posted by: ellsbells930 | Jan 18, 2009 2:13:39 PM

funny how the people that me saying bush is evil is wrong but they have no problem calling obama evil and they havent even seen how he will lead... but we all have seen hwo bush ahs led and he has led like a demon so that is how i can say he is evil

Posted by: T | Jan 18, 2009 2:10:28 PM

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