Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with barack

Does the president need to take the oath of office?

bchaplin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:48:32 -0800

A few questions about the oath of office and when the president-elect becomes president... When exactly does the president-elect become president? Today's New York Times mentioned that due to the schedule running late, Barack Obama actually took the oath of office after noon, and so he was already president when he was sworn in.

This got me thinking. If for some reason the president:
A) Could not take the oath of office due to extreme circumstances, or
B) Chose not to swear on the Bible (let's say he was a Hindu, Muslim or atheist), or
C) Decided to re-word the oath in some way
would that have any bearing on his legitimacy as president? Does the declared winner simply become president at noon on January 20, regardless of whether he takes the oath or not, and whether or not the protocols were observed?

What will outgoing President Bush be doing during the Obama inauguration?

gregb1007 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:28:13 -0800

What will outgoing President Bush be doing during the Obama inauguration? I basically want to know what role Bush will be playing in the Obama inauguration. As far as I can tell, the outgoing president has some ceremonial functions to perform. What are these exactly?

What's the strangest, schlockiest, Obama-themed gift we can find?

bookish — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:08:47 -0800

My boyfriend's goofy father has requested kitschy Obama souvenirs for Christmas. I know there must be some truly ridiculous Obama-themed items out there. Help us find the absolute weirdest and kitschy-est of them all.

Capturing the mOment

Jaybo — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:39:20 -0800

I'm looking for news stories, blog posts, photos, video clips, mash-ups or anything else that captures the impact and emotion of Barack Obama's victory, especially on a personal level. Some examples might be:
- Sheri Sheppard breaks down on The View

- a young black conservative writes about how Obama's victory affected him

- Stephen Cobert tears up when Obama is announced as the winner

- there was a clip I saw somewhere and can't seem to find again of Condi Rice's touching remarks this morning about Obama's historic win.

...and why not, even stuff from before the election like the clip of the elderly black volunteer who won a raffle to meet Barack Obama.

Americans Abroad?

Doublewhiskeycokenoice — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:50:15 -0800

Where can my sister watch the election returns in Dublin? She's doing a year abroad over there and would love to watch the results trickle in. Is there any sort of place that's doing this? No cover would be preferable I am told.

Other than hope

boy detective — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:52:59 -0800

What does Barack Obama smell like? Despite the creepy and irrelevant nature of this inquiry, I am genuinely curious to know. Pine? Pencil shavings? I want a composite scent based on hard facts. It cannot be an impossible task; he is extremely famous and daily comes into contact with thousands of people who have functioning aural facilities.

- Is his choice of cologne known publicly?
- What about detergent?
- Does he enjoy onions on his sandwich?
- Does anyone have a first-hand account?

I tried a search to no avail, but it's likely I am missing some relevant article (I can't be the first person to wonder. Um. You know?)

Thanks!

Yes we can... help me be punctual

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:38:38 -0800

How long, approximately, do you think the Barack Obama rally this Saturday in Springfield, IL will last? Some friends and I were thinking of driving down to Springfield from Chicago to see the rally, but I have to be back in Chicago by 7:30 to see a show. Google trip planner estimates a 3 and a half hour drive to Springfield. The only information I can find about the rally on the internet or through the Obama campaign is that the gates will open at 12:00 noon, they don't announce when Obama will take the stage. If any of you have inside info or have been to a similar event, I'd appreciate any advice. I have seen the previous questions about Obama rallies and time, but they all seemed to be focussed on the issue of how early one should arrive. I'd like to know when I can expect this specific rally to end, specifically if it will be early enough to make it back to Chicago in time. Thanks so much in advance!

Hoa many donors do Clinton or McCain have?

raf — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:54:38 -0800

Barack Obama now has more than 1.5 million donors. How many donors do Clinton or McCain have? I can't seem to figure it out; the internets are failing me.

Help me make my Barack Obama event successful

brandnew — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:54:10 -0800

So, I have twenty-some unknown Barack Obama supporters coming to my house on Sunday, and I don't know what to do. So, I had this great idea. I wanted to host an event where local Barack Obama supporters could come together to meet each other and discuss various political topics. Easy enough, I just went to Obama's web site and posted a "meet & greet" event open to all. Great idea, right?

Now, I have twenty-some random strangers planning to come to my house this Sunday evening, and I have no idea what to do! Please help me!

The session will run from 5:30 - 7:30 PM Sunday evening. I want to make this event as enjoyable and productive as possible for everyone. However, I've never hosted such an event (or any event for that matter), and I'm not sure what to expect. I'm afraid that a bunch of people will show up, stand around in silence for 15 minutes, and then leave.

What are some things that I can do to make the event most enjoyable for all? What can I prepare? Should I have literature available? Should I have snacks? Are there ice-breakers tactics that I can use to loosen people up? Any tips or tricks would be helpful...

Will President Obama take my job away?

micketymoc — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:29:35 -0800

What would an Obama Presidency mean for the business process outsourcing industry? I work for a company that creates marketing materials for US clients. A growing number of my countrymen also work for call centers that do a lot of business with US companies. Barack Obama hinted in his SC victory speech that he would bring back jobs outsourced abroad. What does that mean for my company and its employees?

Has he made any concrete policy positions that would deal with business process outsourcing in particular?

I was impressed by Obama's SC victory speech, but I couldn't help but wonder if I was cheering for someone who would make life very difficult for my employers (and me) in the near future.