'A Powerful Sight: Barack Obama, the two-term African-American POTUS'

[bigtree]

tweeted by, Team Barack Obama ‏@TeamBarackObama 5m
Pres Obama: "Because they marched, America changed for you & for me" #LetMyPeopleVote #mow50 pic.twitter.com/cNCbdo3kG8




TheObamaDiary.com ‏@TheObamaDiary
President. pic.twitter.com/dAerFGgVwq




Nerdy Wonka ‏@NerdyWonka 8m
A Powerful Sight: Barack Obama, the two-term African-American POTUS honoring Martin Luther King Jr's legacy. #MOW50 pic.twitter.com/Dozr5oOQpA




Kamala Harris ‏@KamalaHarris 5m
President @BarackObama: "Freedom is not given. Let's keep marching." #AdvanceTheDream pic.twitter.com/8OAdxmP8r




Charles Dharapak ‏@Dharapak 9m
PHOTO: POTUS, FLOTUS, Carter, Clinton, Lincoln at end of MLK March on Washington celebration via @AP pic.twitter.com/6QZtxpzN3j





watch President Obama's address:

Washington Post ‏@washingtonpost 3m
A transcript of President Obama's speech http://wapo.st/1914Tfx #MarchonWashington #MOW50

[Pab Sungenis]

1. That first photo

is a beautiful sight.

[gopiscrap]

2. Yes wonderful images!

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. He must have gotten the WiFi option for the camera

Or they got the new Nokia Lumia

Sorry, my technical side

[RoccoR5955]

29. Those Lumias are

crap! Windows phone, should be illegal!

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. They have the largest sensor

And best megapixel capacity in the family. I use my cell to take photos at news events. Those photos looked like a large sensor. That is why I suggested the wifi option. I could do that but they are non secured wifi connections. I have considered it though

[libodem]

4. I just fill with pride and tears

I have so much respect and admiration for our President and his historic accomplishments. He has the hardest job in the world. Herding Democrats. Love you BHO.

[Isoldeblue]

28. 1+ n/t

[Little Star]

5. I love the POTUS, FLOTUS, Carter, Clinton one. Three living Dem presidents, nice. k&r

[calimary]

32. +1,000,000!!!!

Three of my favorite presidents, and a DAMN Fine First Lady! She makes me so incredibly proud!

[Little Star]

49. She is beautiful and very down to earth. I really like her alot.

[calimary]

60. I sure do, too! She reminds me of how I felt about then-First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Granted, I was very young and I only resonated with the "young mom who was a young President's wife, with little kids in the White House." I was only in fifth grade when JFK was assassinated. But that whole First Family really resonated with me. But that Jackie Kennedy, MAN did she ring a bell with me. My mom idolized her in particular because of her understated elegance and style and taste, but the whole Kennedy thing - the Catholic thing, the noblesse oblige thing - that went over HUGELY in our house when I was little.

I loved Rosalynn Carter for her sense of public commitment and obligation, I revered Eleanor Roosevelt (about whom I only had read and studied second-hand), I dearly loved and appreciated Betty Ford - for MANY reasons, and Hillary Rodham Clinton was the first First Lady to whom I could relate in any personal way - she was an independent professional, a working mom, and very near my age - after the dumpy imperious grandma during the bush1 years and the rich, skinny, manipulative hag in the reagan era - neither one of whom I found anything to which I could relate on a personal basis.

But Michelle Obama has it all, at least for me. The surface stuff and the deep stuff - glamour, elegance, style, class, poise, intelligence, a BIG heart - very loving and as classy as she was she still has the common touch; AND a strong commitment to be an example for good - a deep devotion to the greater good.

[Little Star]

61. Exactly.

[Supersedeas]

59. it's a group thang

luv the whole lot of them

[Peacetrain]

6. Brings tears to my eyes

I wasn't quite a teenager in 63.. I remember watching it on TV.. and to think 50 years later... in my lifetime.. sometimes it is overwhelming..

[Journeyman]

7. Maybe today's the day we should recognize him solely for who he is, not what he is . . .

[bigtree]

10. I think admirers of his appearance today have an even deeper understanding and appreciation

. . . of the man, his mantle, and the moment.

[Journeyman]

24. And yet . . .

[Iliyah]

12. Well said - Journeyman!

Well said.

[madokie]

8. Black President Obama is a dream that many of us had

Now I want to see a woman as President.

[calimary]

36. Can't recommend this one enough!!!

Now I want to see a woman president. I want that last glass ceiling shattered into 16-million little pieces. Sixteen million cracks in it are NOT enough.

[kelliekat44]

9. His speech was good but the Obama's look tired and drained. I feel for them both. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

16. At the beginning yes

carrying the weight of current events and the abject hatred leveled at him and his family 24/7 from left, right, and center. But about 1/3rd the way through, all of a sudden he got his groove back, dusted himself off, and hit it out of the Mall.

[Mr.Bill]

11. I guess W couldn't make it.

Probably busy getting drunk and painting cats.

[Aerows]

14. He was probably afraid he would be struck down on the spot

by lightning. I've gotten to the point where I don't entirely trust President Obama, and many things he does are not what I agree with. But compared to Bush, he's a saint.

[KamaAina]

15. Or Poppy

Hmmmmm...

[Mr.Bill]

17. He could legitimately plead health issues, W can't.

CNN said many republican legislators and political figures were invited. Every single one of them declined.

[Cha]

20. Wow. I wondered about that. thanks Mr Bill nm

[treestar]

22. They are disgusting

Are they making a point by that? Just awful.

[meanit]

27. Oh yes

the GOP is making a point by doing that - loud and clear.

[calimary]

37. I hope voters remember THAT next election day.

All those smug rights-wrecking republi-CONs who turned down a chance to be part of this.

Crap. And they wonder why they can't connect with this demographic??????? Seriously????????

[BumRushDaShow]

41. Actually, W just had a stent put in

a couple weeks ago, which I forgot about until I saw it mentioned in articles about why the BFEE wasn't there...

[question everything]

38. Still recovering from a procedure to unbblocked artery

In a statement, Bush paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. and noted that the nation has made great progress since King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech half a century ago. But Bush noted the country's "journey to justice is not complete."

"Laura and I thank the King family and all who work to carry on the legacy of a great man and the promise of a great nation," Bush said in a statement. "May we continue to march toward the day when the dignity and humanity of every person is respected.

"Dr. King was on this Earth just 39 years, but the ideals that guided his life of conscience and purpose are eternal. There's still a need for every American to help hasten the day when Dr. King's vision is made real in every community."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/08/27/george-bush-mlk-march-on-washington/2711353/

Let it pass...

[RoccoR5955]

54. What a load of bovine fecal matter!

If he wanted to be there, he could have. Typical of that rat bass turd though!

[Mr.Bill]

44. I regret posting this before doing a little investigating.

But it is still notable that no Republicans were there and I will stand by hearing on CNN that many were invited and all declined.

I must also note that even though all medical conditions are unique in each patient, I know many who have had stents installed and were back to work in far less than 22 days.

[totodeinhere]

58. It's reasonable to suspect that he was using his medical condition as an excuse.

If he really wanted to be there he could have been. In fact if he had chosen to attend in a wheelchair in spite of his medical condition that would have sent a good message. But alas he chose not to attend along with every other Republican.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. K&R

Bookend!

[SunSeeker]

48. Great pics. Thanks. nt

[Rex]

18. So awesome that we have Honest Abe in the background!

I think I see a smile on that stoney face.

[lillypaddle]

19. An emotional day

great thread & pics. Thanks! K&R

[nolabear]

21. Wonderful images. Thank you.

What a ride this past 50 years has been.

[Cha]

23. Mahalo for the thread of POTUS,FLOTUS, Carter, Clinton, MLK, and Lincoln, bigtree

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/08/28/let-freedom-ring-president-obamas-address/

[sheshe2]

25. And because they kept marching, America changed.

"A lifetime of indignities had taught them that no man can take away the dignity and grace that God grants us. They had learned through hard experience what Frederick Douglas once taught: that freedom is not given; it must be won through struggle and discipline, persistence and faith."

They marched for every man, woman and child, thank you bigtree. Beautifully done.

[giftedgirl77]

26. K&R. .

The first photo is my favorite, with Lincoln right behind him is perfect, I listened to his speech while I was driving home. There is going to be some hitching tonight from the right wing morons for sure.

In another note I LOVE the First Lady's dress...

[Whisp]

34. yes, that dress... she has such awesome taste in clothes!

but then she would look great in a potato sack too.

[Demoiselle]

50. She knows what she can wear...and it's wonderful. That's one great dress!

And I kinda liked the whole event too...What a great day. (In case you thought I was just an old superficial fashionista.)

[RoccoR5955]

30. I wonder what happened to...

Bush, and Bush Jr.?
Were they on the ranch, "cutting brush?"

[question everything]

39. Both are recovering from health problems

but W sent his comments, see 38, above

[calimary]

40. I don't. Didn't need them there. Glad they were absent.

Every photo op that dubya is in - is ruined for me. I'd much rather both those beasts stayed away. It's not THEIR day, anyway. Never could be. Besides, dubya would insist on being in the middle - and he fucking DOESN'T BELONG. Just doesn't.

[Whisp]

31. Beautiful photos of beautiful people. ty. n/t

[question everything]

33. This morning I was thinking that, had we not have now a black president

(but at least a Democratic one) I would not have given it much though.

But the idea that he could have been defeated by McCain or Romeny really gives me shudders.

[MoonRiver]

35. Yes, indeed!

On my thread about this I said I can visualize Martin looking down, smiling and nodding. Wow, what a day!

[Hekate]

42. Beautiful. Thanks so much.

Good day -- good week!

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

45. I have a nightmare....

This beautiful scene will be replaced by a wartime president.

Feel good now.

Now flame away!

[proverbialwisdom]

46. K&R

[SunSeeker]

47. K & R

[OhDemMom]

51. A farce.

Too bad the day after this fateful anniversary he will make the same mistake as Kennedy and Johnson and get involved in a civil war 1/2 the world away. We have no moral authority to make judgments on another country. We have sat by as killings in Darfur, Burma, Congo etc. have occurred and done nothing. Of course there isn't a natural gas pipeline involved in those other countries. We have 3 million for a few bombs but must cut the food stamp program. Disgusting!

[Laelth]

52. Welcome to DU. n/t

-Laelth

[Scurrilous]

53. K & R

[bigtree]

55. few more . . .

petesouza @petesouza
Pres Obama delivers his remarks at the Lincoln Memorial pic.twitter.com/IEHYliSh6l




petesouza @petesouza
Pres Obama w Mrs Obama waves to crowd from steps of Lincoln Memorial following speech




more pics: http://theobamadiary.com/2013/08/28/barack-obama-hope/

[Coyotl]

56. Both Lincoln's and King's dream realized in these photos to quite a degree

It's a start!

[obama2terms]

57. Is it just me

Or has Obama gotten much grayer these past few weeks?

[School Teacher]

62. 5oth Anniversary Marchers Excluded from Speeches and Ceremony on the Mall FOR SHAME!

I came to Washington DC to march in the Aug 28 commemorative march. Yesterday I marched with veterans who were in the original march and many great supporters of Civil Rights. It was the proudest day of my life.

Little did I know that, as we reached the Washington Monument, thousands of marchers that we would be herded into a gigantic mass to wait for security screening in the baking heat. There was no official with a microphone to tell us what was happening, only rumors from the crowd. They had only 7 screeners for thousands of people! We waited in the hot sun for 4 and a half hours. And, finally, the National Guard arrived with water. After waiting this long, I could no longer tolerate the heat and crowding so I left for health reasons. I am 67 and there were other marchers and original march veterans much older and people with children who were in difficult circumstances.

Think about this, it seemed to many of us that the marchers who honored Dr. King and our precious Civil Rights were singled out for special and very bad treatment. This was a select group who marched, those who really cared and people like me who had flown across the country to make a strong statement. I felt in the end that we were used as a prop for the politicians who gave speeches on the Mall, speeches that we were not allowed to hear! Perhaps you saw the coverage of the crowds chanting “Let Us In!” It was the marchers at the Washington Monument where the march ended who were chanting. THEY HAD 4 HOURS TO FIX THIS AND THEY DIDN'T. Where were the big screen TVs so we could hear the speeches?

But what was the government's statement to us? As we saw other people streaming into the Mall from other locations far away, we were held back by the lack of forethought and respect. I am sure that to the many African American marchers it WAS A very humiliating reminding them of pre Civil Rights days. What is the message? I am going back to Portland with sadness and regrets about how our Civil Rights supporters were treated on this historic day.