why do the yanks put their date like this 01/20/2009 and not the correct way like us brits 20/01/2009

a great day indeed, the first black president AND they got rid of that last bozo..double plus!

I'll be watching Man Utd spank Derby in the Carling Cup semi tonight. However, I do appreaciate this is a historic date and I wish the best of luck for the new President of the United States of America.

Love that pic! All the best to BO today!!!

I know it's good to see the other election-thieving, war-mongering dufus gone, but... in all this post-Obama euphoria - remember the inane grins on the British faces when we got rid of the Tories? We thought Blair would be someone to remember; we weren't wrong.
I hope he does achieve his health-care reforms, upturn the fuckedup economic situation and pull the forces back behind his own national borders. But there's a big machine behind government - driven by multi-national industry and finance. All the good intentions in the world won't change a bloody thing.
If I'm wrong in four/eight years time please get in an orderly queue to tell me the world told me so.
I really would dearly love to be a less cynical b@stard.

He's very popular tho isn't he?

Sorry, gotta say it America just cant seem to do events like this as well as we can in the UK Saying that, I dont think a change of PM over here would get that sort of turnout on the streets ;D

Completely agree with you - Great to see the back of George "I believe human beings and fish can coexist peacefully" Bush.

But I think BO has very little/no chance of living up to people's expectations. Although it will at least be somewhat refreshing to have a president who can string a sentence together.

Very moving footage on the news tonight, amazed how much hope americans of all race seem to have in him... and to get rid of the last warmongering feckwit must be a great relief to them ,us and anyone who has any oil

that would make an amazing tshirt

I'm not blaming Blair for Thatcher's policies - I hold the grinning mad bastard responsible for taking UK soldiers into a war that was illegal and executed in our name. Who knew that was coming when he came to power? And he topped that by becoming Middle Easy Peace Envoy. He's a screaming fecking hypocrite.

We did rejoice when Blair got in but to be honest, except for dragging us into an unjust war, Labour did achieve a lot under Blair. As someone who works in the NHS I have seen great improvements since Labour got in. The Labour government was never going to be everything to everyone but cresit were credit is due. He did fuk up with war though.

And Neale, I think that is Dr King and not O.J.

Yeah, he's looking older by the second You could see the stress on his face today

The thing that people tend to forget was that when Thatcher took over Britain was in a state due a great deal to, but not entirely to, the previous government. She took over in a period of global recession and had to pull it round. This was impossible to do immediately and because there was no immediate changed she was lambasted from many quarters for it. All of a sudden she was the one held responsible for all the economy's ills of the previous 20 or so years.

People need to differentiate between opinion/heresay and facts. Just looking at the economy she took over when it was at the bottom and revitalised it, doing what was necessary to pull Britain out of the recession that we were in. Yes she upset people in the process, but a great leader is one who can put the county first and their popularity last. Yes there was high unemployment in her time, but things don't change overnight, what she did was pave the way for the country to become an economic power again, for example her stance with the trade unions, while a major factor in her unpopularity was 100% needed.

She took the country and fixed it, getting no thanks for it... Mr Blair and Mr Brown have managed to take it back to almost where we were in 1979 again, so maybe it's time for another strong leader to come in and sort us out, they won't be liked, but someone has to do it. Of course she makes mistakes, everyone does, you can't rule for the amount of time she did without them, but her legacy is a distinctly positive one.

Mr Obama and whoever takes over here next needs to realise that if you put your country before your popularity then things can be fixed... good luck to him