President Barack Obama

A Day of History as New Leader Urges Unity Amid 'Raging Storms' of War and RecessionArticle By JONATHAN WEISMAN and LAURA MECKLER WASHINGTON -- On a day rich in history, Barack Obama took office Tuesday as the 44th president of the U.S., urging Americans to stand together amid the "gathering clouds and raging storms" of war and recession. Getty Images The Obamas and Bidens attended the National Prayer Service in Washington on Wednesday. The inauguration of the first African-American to lead the world's most powerful country drew a crowd of well over one million to the National Mall here. In his 18-minute address, Mr. Obama called on Americans to return to the values of "hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity" that have seen the country through past crises. With Mr. Obama's first day on the job scarcely begun, the financial uncertainty facing his presidency made itself felt. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4%, its worst inauguration-day performance in history, amid fresh signs of trouble among the nation's banks. At exactly noon, by law, Mr. Obama became president. Placing his hand on a Bible once used by Abraham Lincoln, he took the oath using his full name, Barack Hussein Obama -- a moment that stood in contrast to episodes on the long campaign trail in which detractors would occasionally stress his middle name in a derogatory way. Obama's Inauguration Complete coverage, including live reports, video, photos and more.Full text of Obama's inaugural address, as prepared for deliveryWashington's Transit Overwhelmed by Massive CrowdsVote: Rate President Obama's inauguration speechDiscuss: Your thoughts, accounts of the inaugurationOn Mobile? Email your photos to yourphotos@wsj.com Mr. Obama acknowledged the significance of his rise to power for a nation where race has long been a highly charged subtext. He linked his family's immigrant past -- his father, who hailed from Kenya, once herded goats -- to the legacy of segregation experienced by many of the thousands of African-Americans who came from around the country to witness his inauguration. "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 sacred oath," Mr. Obama said. In his speech, Mr. Obama firmly rejected the idea that "government is the problem," a notion that has shaped American political debate since Ronald Reagan used those words in his own inaugural address in 1981. Mr. Obama vowed a new activism, and to his opponents, he declared: "What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply." View Full Image Philadelphia Inquirer/Rapport Press HANDOFF: Barack Obama was sworn in Tuesday as the nation's 44th president. More than one million people gathered for the event. Wednesday, on his first full day in office, Mr. Obama is expected to meet with his economic team as well as the architect of an Iraq war policy he once opposed, Gen. David Petraeus, to deliver the orders to begin withdrawing combat troops from Iraq. In the first policy act of the Obama administration, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel signed an order Tuesday afternoon stopping all pending regulations until the new White House can conduct fresh legal and policy reviews. Mr. Obama's political rivals aren't standing down. His nominee for Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, faces a grilling Wednesday from the Senate Finance Committee over failure to pay some of his taxes. And on Tuesday, Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) delayed a vote to confirm Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, protesting the financial support her husband's charities and library have received from foreign governments. Foreign-Policy Challenge More Video Highlights Highlights of the InaugurationHope, Inspiration on Inauguration DayFar-Flung Celebrations of InaugurationPreviewing Obama's First 100 DaysA Look at Past InaugurationsSpringfield, Ill., Recalls Race Riot Barack Obama's Inauguration Speech 4:09 In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama told Americans, "The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act." He spoke to a record turnout in Washington. Video courtesy of Fox News. "On his first day, Mr. Obama and his foreign-policy team will have to confront renewed tensions in the Arab world after Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip. The slow, 16-month withdrawal he plans for Iraq wouldn't end the nation's fighting but shift the focus to Afghanistan, where rising violence and chaos is threatening NATO's seven-year effort to stabilize the region. Mr. Obama has long said Pakistan is the primary threat to U.S. national security. Now, he has the chance to make good on his promise of renewed diplomacy there, and in Iran, a nation he has pledged to engage. Imperfection intruded briefly on an otherwise meticulously scripted day when Mr. Obama and U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. had trouble getting through the oath of office. The two men briefly spoke over each other, then paused when the chief justice recited a few words out of sequence. The moment passed, and when the oath was completed, the Marine Corps band struck up "Hail to the Chief." Emotional High Up and down the National Mall, emotions ran high. Tim Waters, 41 years old, captured the mood of many when asked why he had made the 4½-hour drive from his home in Pittsburgh. How could you miss this?" he said. "This is something you read books to your grandkids about." Mr. Obama received well wishes from around the world. Former South African President Nelson Mandela called him a "voice of hope" for the world and compared the moment to his own ascension to the presidency of his country in 1994. In the U.K., Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the inauguration as "a new chapter in America's history and the world's history," and French President Nicolas Sarkozy told reporters, "We are eager for him to get to work so that with him we can change the world." Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said, "We prefer to wait and see what the practical policies of the American government will be." Inauguration Photos Memorable moments from the inauguration. View Slideshow Inauguration Day, with all of its pomp and symbolism, culminated one of the most unlikely stories in American politics, not just the ascent of the first African-American president but the arrival of a politician who, just eight years ago, was turned away from the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles as a no-name state senator from the heartland. Coffee With Bush Mr. Obama began the day at an emotional church service, and had coffee with outgoing President George W. Bush. Then, at a lunch following the noon swearing-in ceremony, he witnessed the collapse of one of his most powerful political benefactors, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D., Mass.), who is ill with a brain tumor. The chief of neurology at the hospital where Sen. Kennedy was taken said in a statement that the collapse was likely prompted by fatigue. He said Sen. Kennedy was awake, talking with friends and feeling well. As the day progressed, Mr. Obama and first lady Michelle Obama marched part of the distance up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. In his inaugural address, Mr. Obama leavened idealism with realism, reminding listeners that the nation is at war against "those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents." At the same time, he reached out to the global community, and in particular to the Muslim world, to "seek a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect." Subtle Rebukes On the economic front he promised "action, bold and swift" and took a jab at those "who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans." "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works," Mr. Obama said. News, photos and background on key players and issues in the Obama administration's first 100 days from the WSJ and across the Web. The InaugurationThe EconomyAdvisersForeign AffairsPersonal LifeObama Photos Inauguration PhotosCOMPLETE COVERAGE of Inauguration DayHe also issued subtle rebukes to the outgoing administration, without naming names. "On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics," Mr. Obama said. "The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit, to choose our better history." Changes Ahead On foreign policy, he offered one of his sharpest criticisms. "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," he said. On Wednesday, he is expected to issue an executive order to begin shutting the military prison at Guantanamo Bay and to move toward ending interrogation techniques he has called torture. Mr. Obama's comments regarding the outgoing administration drew some Republican criticism. Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said the subtle slams on the opposition went over "not well," adding that he felt they "detracted from the overall high tone of the speech." But for the most part on Tuesday, Mr. Obama and Washington enjoyed a rare moment of harmony. Hundreds of thousands of people turned the city's streets and the expanse of green between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial into a party scene. Mr. Obama faced a crowd that stretched as far as his eyes could see. In the distance, a mass of people waved flags, creating a landscape of shimmering color. A strong, biting wind kept the crowd shivering. When asked what it meant to be present for the inauguration, Beverly Kirkland paused silently for nearly a minute while her eyes brimmed with tears. "It's very emotional," she said. 'Full Circle' Ms. Kirkland, 64, was in Washington 45 years ago for the March on Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., declared, "I have a dream." "This is really full circle to be able to be here today," Ms. Kirkland said. Before Mr. Obama's address, the evangelical Rev. Rick Warren delivered an invocation. His selection angered liberals over antigay comments he has made, and Mr. Warren seemed aware of the divides as he addressed the crowd. "Help us, oh God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all," he said. "When we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us." Also on the program: a quartet including violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma with a John Williams piece built on the melody to the Shaker hymn, "Simple Gifts." —Sara Murray and Stephen Power contributed to this article. Write to Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com and Laura Meckler at laura.meckler@wsj.com http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123247866100498973.html?mod=todays_us_page_one