Obama's inaugural journey
- 00:02:23
- ITN
Obama's inaugural journey
US President-elect Barack Obama has started his train journey to the White House, mirroring the journey taken by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. Mr Obama and his family boarded a train on Saturday for the 137-mile (220 km) trip to the US capital from Philadelphia, where he addressed crowds to kick off several days of inauguration festivities. There are various stops along the way where Mr Obama - who will be sworn-in as the 44th US president at noon (5pm UK time) on Tuesday - will meet ordinary Americans who want to participate in the festivities. At the Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Company in Bedford Heights, Mr Obama met workers and examined the bolts for wind turbines that the company manufactures. Wind power is one of several environmentally friendly sources of energy that Obama is promoting with the dual aim of weaning the United States from foreign oil while boosting employment in a growing sector. Earlier, in a weekly radio and Internet address, Mr Obama said that his inauguration will be more than simply a transfer of power - it should be a celebration of the American spirit. Mr Obama said his swearing-in is a rite of passage that the country marks every four years as a testament to its democratic ideals. And he cautioned that its tradition should not be taken for granted. He said: "We must remember that our nation was founded at a time of kings and queens, and even today, billions of people around the world cannot imagine their leaders giving up power without strife or bloodshed." He is preparing for his inauguration buoyed by moves in Congress to unlock hundreds of billions of dollars in emergency funding he says he needs to fight the year-long recession. The next leader of the free world is trying to manage expectations in a country where his promise of change has lifted hopes. On Thursday, Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled an $825 billion (£560bn) economic stimulus bill that largely adheres to the measures the Mr Obama has requested. The same day, the Senate voted to give Mr Obama authority to spend the $350 billion (£237.5bn) remaining from a $700 billion (£475.1bn) financial industry bail-out fund created in October. Mr Obama touted his plans to create 500,000 "clean energy" jobs during a campaign-style trip to the electoral battleground state of Ohio, which he eventually won.
ITN | January 17, 2009
