Nation must choose hope over fear, says Obama

Updated : Tuesday January 20 , 2009 10:25:12 PM
WASHINGTON: Stepping into history as America's first black president, Barack Hussein Obama said in his inaugural address Tuesday that the nation must choose "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" to overcome the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.In frigid temperatures, an exuberant crowd of more than a million packed the National Mall and parade route to celebrate Obama's inauguration in a high noon ceremony. Cheering and waving, spectators stretched from the inaugural platform at the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial far in the distance."Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed," Obama said in an undisguised shot at Bush administration policies. "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America."He said it was a moment to recall "that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."Obama called for a political truce in Washington to end "the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."He said that all Americans have roles in rebuilding the nation by renewing the traditions of hard work, honesty and fair play, tolerance, loyalty and patriotism."What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.""The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works," the new president said.