Much had been made about the pressure on Barack Obama to deliver an address as awe-inspiring as his campaign and election. Did he deliver? Here are some snippets I picked up. I'm not using quote marks because I might not have jotted them down correctly. What will you remember from the speech?
* We are consumed by a nagging fear that our decline is inevitable, our challenges are real, serious and many ... but know this, America, they will be met.
* But we've chosen hope over fear and a unity of purpose over discord
* The time has come to set aside childish things ... and to recognize a God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness
* Greatness is never a given; it must be earned.
* Men and women obscure in their labor carried us up the ladder of prosperity.
*Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America.
* There are some who question the scale of our ambition ... but their memories are short ... the ground has shifted beneath them.
* The question today is not whether government is too big or too small, but whether it works. ... Where (the answer is) yes, we move forward. Where no, programs will end.
* A nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
* As for our common defense, we reject as false a choice between our safety and our ideals.
* To all other peoples, know that America is a friend to each nation. ... We are ready to lead once more.
* We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver it its defense.
* We know that our patchwork heritage is a strength ... we've been shaped by every language and culture. ... As our world grows smaller, our mutual humanity must reveal itself.
* To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
* Let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we've traveled.
