Obama’s Day of Service
EmailOn his final day before being sworn in as Commander-in-Chief, President-elect Barack Obama took time to volunteer in an effort to make good on his promise of service. Throughout the campaign, Obama would fault the Bush administration for not seizing the patriotic goodwill post-9/11 and calling the nation to service. He says he intends to not make that same mistake.
The day began with a morning visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center visiting 14 patients who were injured in either Iraq or Afghanistan. It was Obama’s fourth visit to the center since being elected to the Senate in 2004.
Martin Luther King III celebrated his late father’s birthday by joining Obama at Walter Reed and riding with him to the next volunteer stop, an emergency shelter for homeless teens in Washington, D.C.
Crowds lined the road as the motorcade, including the sleek new Cadillac presidential limo, rolled a few miles down the road to the northeast Washington neighborhood.
As the president-elect walked inside the home, teens waited inside on the staircase chanting Obama’s name. Obama smiled but went straight to work, taking off his jacket, rolling up his sleeves, and then evoking the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve,” Obama said, standing next to Martin Luther King III, quoting his late father.
“Dr. King used to say, if you sweep floors for a living, make sure you’re the best floor sweeper there is,” he told the teens after painting a full wall in record time.
Asked about his painting skills, he joked, “This isn’t like rocket science. You take the pole and the roller here and then you roll.”
But Obama admitted he had some previous experience. “I did this professionally when I was 17 years old for the summer painting walls,” he said explaining the minimum wage back then was $4 an hour.
“It’s good practice because I’m moving into a new house tomorrow,” Obama added with a smile, referencing his move into the White House. "May have to do a few touch ups here and there.”
Obama told the roomful of cameras as he looked toward the busy teens, “These young people have huge potential that right now is not being tapped and given the crisis that we’re in and the hardships that so many people are going through, we can’t allow any idle hands. Everybody’s got to be involved. Everybody’s going to have to pitch in.”
He emphasized the importance of the internet, saying it can do more than win elections. “We’ve got 5,000 volunteer organizations and service projects across the country today,” Obama said. “The Internet is an amazing tool for us to be able to organize people together. We saw that in our campaign. But we don’t want to just use it for winning elections; we want to use it to rebuild America.”
As he walked out of the front door, hundreds of people crowded porches across the street. They chanted “yes we can” and repeated “Obama” as the president-elect gave a big smile and a wave.
Winding down the street to the northwest neighborhood of Washington, Obama stopped at Calvin Coolidge High School greeting over 300 volunteers who were busy sending letters to troops and decorating blankets for wounded soldiers.
“Both of us participated in service this morning,” Obama said standing next to his wife Michelle. “And on a day where we remember not just a dreamer, but a doer, an actor, somebody who dedicated his life to working at the grassroots level on behalf of change, on behalf of making communities better, on behalf of bringing about justice and equality, it is fitting that all of you and hundreds of thousands, maybe more than a million, people, through 11,000 service projects all across the country, today commemorated Dr. King and got involved in this process of remaking America.”
A group of young cheerleaders encircled the Obamas doing a rehearsed cheer. The girls were embraced with hugs and the Obamas moved about shaking nearly all 300 hands in the large gymnasium.
“I am making a commitment to you as the next president, that we are going to make government work,” Obama said. “But I can’t do it by myself. Michelle can’t do it by herself. Government can only do so much.”
– Jake Tapper and Jennifer Duck
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
His commitment is to spend our money and bankrupt the country, his inauguration is costing 150 million, 3 times what Bush’s costs!!!
Posted by: HH | January 19, 2009, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
This is going to look as stupid looking back as it looks right now. Is he going to paint his brother’s hut now? When he could do some good for his less well off family, I note he voted present.
It’s like some sort of play weird act.
Posted by: bill-tb | January 19, 2009, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
Bush’s 2005 inauguration cost $157 million in total.
Posted by: Rudy | January 19, 2009, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
“Crowds lined the road as the motorcade, including the sleek new Cadillac presidential limo,”
Story here?
If he did buy American, it would be a nice change from his supporters who from my informal observation go 80% for foreign cars.
Posted by: BertieW | January 19, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
Its going to be like the 9-11 energy, here today gone tomorrow, flags waving, but no one paying. When the going gets tough no one wants to play. Wait a few months and see if all these people are still volunteering. What you will hear is…just give me my free stuff you promised me bo.
Posted by: sam | January 19, 2009, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
Why doesn’t he polish Lincoln’s statues ***.
Posted by: Sluggo | January 19, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
This is really beautiful, that we will have a president who believes in the worth of us all, no matter how simple our job is. And that he wants to, and has organized people, to volunteer all over the country in record numbers today.
Finally, by making MLK’s day to be a day of service to our country and fellow citizens in need, we have a national holiday that isn’t about shopping or eating too much.
Now if they can organize folks to help veterans on Veteran’s Day, we could have two days when many people and their children with the day off, could unite and do some real good.
Obama’s idea that government can’t do it all that we need to help remake America is so honest and true.
Posted by: Lydia | January 19, 2009, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm
wow. i’m kinda surprised. Why all the negative reaction just because a man volunteered some of his time to the community? Please keep some positivity around.
Posted by: Question | January 19, 2009, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm
“This is really beautiful, that we will have a president who believes in the worth of us all, no matter how simple our job is.”
You missed the code for where he did a crappy job.
Posted by: BertieW | January 19, 2009, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
It seems that all the ‘right wing’ is capable of now is pouting and carping, name calling and insults.
Go out and do something positive in your community, that is the message – regardless of how hard your try to ignore it.
Posted by: pefros | January 19, 2009, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm
“Go out and do something positive in your community, that is the message – regardless of how hard your try to ignore it.”
Thats what we were doing to start with.
You Johnny-come-latelies are are only in it (if you are not at the “Shoe Toss” service event) because your Messiah temporally slapped you out of your patcholli haze.
The main staffing at the soup kitchen in my town- Catholics. The largest thrift stores- Catholic. The majority of staffing for local Habitat projects- the area religious high schools. The biggest Red Cross blood donation sites- area Churches.
Posted by: BertieW | January 19, 2009, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
There would be a lot of religious people very upset to find out their volunteer work is being claimed by the ‘right wing’ as its own. Sorry to disillusion you bert, but many Catholics voted Democrat.
Obama’s message is clear (and clearly aimed at people not currently involved in their community) – go out and get involved and do something positive in your community. It’s a good message.
Posted by: pefros | January 19, 2009, 7:37 pm 7:37 pm
Crowds chanting his name, weeping, cameras rolling…yeah, he cares about these people. Right.
There is a wise saying: “Do good… and tell no-one.”
I don’t believe he would look at these people without the cameras rolling.
Posted by: Laughing Cynic | January 19, 2009, 8:07 pm 8:07 pm
I made a beautiful lunch for 8 Choir kids today because they were working hard from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. I also donated books and toys to a local early childhood class, including several sets of multicultural dolls, Spanish books, Spanish music, and a book of seasonal Science Projects for children. That sort of thing is the usual day for me, but I was glad to know we are all working towards this idea of Volunteering, because each one of us can do something to make the world a better place for everyone!
Posted by: Elad | January 19, 2009, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm
“It seems that all the ‘right wing’ is capable of now is pouting and carping, name calling and insults.”
Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black. It’s always the liberals like yourselves who hypocritically accuse conservatives of being intolerant, when the truly intolerant one are the liberals who still kick and cry and pose death threats and vandalize when their CA proposition doesn’t pass.
There are more “right wing” conservatives in our churches nationwide than liberals, and it’s the churches that generate the most monetary and physical support for charities and the needy than anyone both in this country and abroad. Simple case in point: Biden and his wife made $350K last year and donated a measly $350 to charity, while the Palin family made $150K and gave over $5K. Do the math.
Obama should have donated this $150 Million party money of his to our country’s poor, or to Africa like Bush did!
Posted by: NValleyGirl | January 19, 2009, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
I now believe the reports that more uneducated voters voted for John McCain.
Ignorance can only take you so far. Let go of your hatred, fear, xenophobia, etc. When trying to make a point, please stay focused and not dwell on the past. Bush is over and for all those that voted for him, is this country in better shape now than it was 8 years ago?
Please do what you can, anything, to have an epiphany.
Posted by: JV | January 19, 2009, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
Oh. And 120 million of the inaugration money came from grass-roots donation and private contribution. If you’re going to be negative at least be accurate.
Posted by: Maren | January 19, 2009, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
Democrats love to prove how much they care by spending other peoples money.When it comes time to give up their own money,not so much.Check Obama’s charitable contributions if you don’t believe it.
Posted by: Cheney | January 19, 2009, 10:27 pm 10:27 pm
Bertie, get your facts straight: Bush’s 2005 inauguration was $42M…it’s BO’s that will be over $151M…
Posted by: NValleyGirl | January 19, 2009, 10:31 pm 10:31 pm
Laughing Cynic,
Take your selective memory syndrome elsewhere. The man was a community organizer before he ran for office. He did good… and told no one.
What have you done with your life lately?
Posted by: Grow up | January 19, 2009, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
Wow, lot of right-wing blog readers here, if they really believe Bush’s 2005 inauguration only cost $42 million. Two words: Prove it. And without usuing links to blogs or opinion columns. Stop spreading lies; that’s Hannity’s and Limbaugh’s job.
Posted by: sosickofmisinformation | January 20, 2009, 12:12 am 12:12 am
Wow, lot of right-wing blog readers here,
**************************
No kidding. Reading them is not pleasant. There are a lot of distortions around here, and unfortunately, it’s not just with the readers.
Posted by: kathy | January 20, 2009, 12:20 am 12:20 am
“It’s good practice because I’m moving into a new house tomorrow,” Obama added with a smile, referencing his move into the White House.
really? he’s moving into the white house? tomorrow?? who knew?
Posted by: jack | January 20, 2009, 12:33 am 12:33 am
to bad- and what lost opportunities.
you people on here today could have used your blog time to tell each other about what you did to help someone less fortunate than you, but instead you used this time to run obama down, and say things-i guess you think are cute and witty, but they are not.
nothing but sour grapes here
you may as well make up your minds to join the rest of the world, and try to do some good.
there are no holes deep enough for you to climb in for the next four years.
thank god for your station in life, and that you are living in such times.
and help out.
Posted by: jgaw | January 20, 2009, 2:05 am 2:05 am
When you give a man oppourtunity to do something , it is then you will know his potential. Allow him to fulfill his mission because God has placed him there
Posted by: Keji Odeyale | January 20, 2009, 5:47 am 5:47 am
What a sad day for our country.
Posted by: anonymous | January 20, 2009, 5:54 am 5:54 am
Even though MLK Day 2009 is now past, we can, and will, continue to serve our country with pride in the work we do. Some people prefer to do good for others in silence and with no notice. Others complain while they work. Still others feel the urge to sing. says we had twice as many service projects as last year. Notice that many of the projects are not just a day long but last for weeks. If you want to find one near you, you might try:
Posted by: AmeriCorps St. Louis | January 20, 2009, 9:51 am 9:51 am
One of these will get past the Eye…
“Laughing Cynic,
Take your selective memory syndrome elsewhere. The man was a community organizer before he ran for office. He did good… and told no one.
What have you done with your life lately?”
T’would appear responding to you earlier didn’t meet with the approval of the Eye. Truth is painful, and not desired on such a day. And I certainly wouldn’t want you to think that I don’t have a response to your attack.
I’m in the community every day. My work is community. I help the poorest poor elderly, forgotten by people like you and your lot, get medical and social support to stay in their homes. I fight for them when the system wants to write them off. I put 3000 miles a month on my car. I’d say more, but your mind probably can’t accept that anyone who doesn’t buy the Brand really does something like this.
And I’m tired, tired from driving 200 miles TODAY in ice and snow, and tired of smarmy followers questioning the motives of those who don’t mindlessly follow this insanity.
What did you do today, “Grow Up”? Watch TV?
Posted by: LaughingCynic | January 20, 2009, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm