# Obama's First Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 21, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358 "2009-01-21T21:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/1 "2009-01-21T21:16:55Z")
So what has Obama done as President so far? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/2 "2009-01-21T21:19:34Z")
Apparently he called the leaders of Israel, Egypt, Palestine and Jordan to say we’re onboard with the ceasefire and will do what is needed, froze the pay of (top level) staffers, and has suspended Gitmo trials. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/3 "2009-01-21T21:21:04Z")
[Captain’s log.](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/4 "2009-01-21T21:22:14Z")
I expect the economy fixed by 6:00pm _latest_. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/5 "2009-01-21T21:25:54Z")
> **[BBC NEWS | Americas | Obama inauguration | Obama pledges 'era of openness'](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7843424.stm)** > > President Obama signs executive orders he says will bring a "new era of openness" to government, on his first full day in office. ---
**Author:** ![Labor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Labor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labor)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/6 "2009-01-21T21:38:06Z")
Wouldn’t it be incredible if Obama appeared on television next Tuesday and was able to make some amazing announcement. We interrupt tonight’s programming for this message from President Obama… "My fellow Americans, sorry for the delay, we have solved the problem with the banking and economic system. It’s a bit complicated but you will not pay anything more in taxes, things should be fixed by this time tomorrow, watch your 401k, it should be up 10% by noon tomorrow. I apologize for the long wait regarding terrorism and Gitmo, this is a bit tricky as our best translator had to find a new place to live and the references took a while to come through, anyway we should have that ironed out in about 72 hours, 64 hours if bin Laden turns himself in. Thanks for your patience, I’ll get back to work." That woudl be great! ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/7 "2009-01-21T22:01:04Z")
> [@Labor](#): > > Wouldn’t it be incredible if Obama appeared on television next Tuesday and was able to make some amazing announcement. I guarantee that, within fifteen minutes, the message boards would be full of people saying, “What? No cure for cancer? So much for the ‘messiah’!” ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/8 "2009-01-21T22:31:31Z")
He made me feel happy. That’s worth something, no? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/9 "2009-01-21T23:15:09Z")
His secretary of state was also confirmed, and he met with his military advisers to ask them to draw up plans to the withdrawal from Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/10 "2009-01-22T05:52:52Z")
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/the\_press\_office/ExecutiveOrderPresidentialRecords/](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ExecutiveOrderPresidentialRecords/) A new Executive order repealing Bush’s Executive Order 13233, which has kept Iran-Contra era records of the Reagan administration sealed from the public for the last eight years. Obama’s order also imposes stricter scrutiny for presidents and ex-presidents to claim executive privilege. ---
**Author:** ![Momofgirls](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/momofgirls/32/21798_2.png) [@Momofgirls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momofgirls)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/11 "2009-01-22T06:08:16Z")
I’m very interested in Michelle and the girls as well. They are so young - will she be a stay-at-home mom, or will she be flying to other countries as other First Ladies have done? Is there an on-site babysitter/nanny they can count on when they have to go out for the evening or out of the country? Do the girls have the run of the White House, or are they restricted to certain areas? Will they get to have sleepovers and will Michelle go on school field trips? Do the girls get their own Secret Service team? I know there have been kids in the White House in my lifetime (I’m 43), but this is the first time I have wondered about these things, probably because my girls aren’t that much older than the Obama girls. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/12 "2009-01-22T06:11:48Z")
He did a [retake](http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/21/obama.oath/index.html#cnnSTCOther1) of the oath of office. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/13 "2009-01-22T06:14:10Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > [Captain’s log.](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/) Crap- I thought this was some kind of Trekkie wonkery, so I didn’t click (no offense intended). Well, mine includes audio, FWIW…😃 ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/14 "2009-01-22T06:20:14Z")
He also set up a new barrier to lobbyist corruption in executive branch personnel. I’m trying to remain cautiously optomistic, but warm and tingly is trying to win out. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the\_press\_office/ExecutiveOrder-EthicsCommitments/](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ExecutiveOrder-EthicsCommitments/) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/15 "2009-01-22T07:55:32Z")
> [@Momofgirls](#): > > I’m very interested in Michelle and the girls as well. They are so young - will she be a stay-at-home mom, or will she be flying to other countries as other First Ladies have done? Is there an on-site babysitter/nanny they can count on when they have to go out for the evening or out of the country? Do the girls have the run of the White House, or are they restricted to certain areas? Will they get to have sleepovers and will Michelle go on school field trips? Do the girls get their own Secret Service team? > > I know there have been kids in the White House in my lifetime (I’m 43), but this is the first time I have wondered about these things, probably because my girls aren’t that much older than the Obama girls. Michelle’s mother is living with the Obamas’ and is assisting with rearing the little ones. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/16 "2009-01-22T08:23:21Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Apparently he called the leaders of Israel, Egypt, Palestine and Jordan to say we’re onboard with the ceasefire and will do what is needed, froze the pay of (top level) staffers, and has suspended Gitmo trials. Damn, and all I did today was play Halo 3. (OK that’s not entirely true. I also looked at porn) ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/17 "2009-01-22T08:31:16Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Damn, and all I did today was play Halo 3. > > (OK that’s not entirely true. I also looked at porn) and you wonder why you’re never going to rule the world? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/18 "2009-01-22T08:36:13Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > and you wonder why you’re never going to rule the world? Ah but in my mind I already do. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/19 "2009-01-22T09:05:48Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Damn, and all I did today was play Halo 3. > > (OK that’s not entirely true. I also looked at porn) I seem to remember recently reading something to the effect that porn is losing ground; it isn’t nearly as popular as it used to be. In China, anyway. But President Obama’s speech wasn’t well received there either. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358/20 "2009-01-23T00:37:43Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Michelle’s mother is living with the Obamas’ and is assisting with rearing the little ones. we have a first grandmother! also it was announced that michelle will not have many official things scheduled for the next 2 weeks to get the obama’s into a routine. she wants to get school, extra curricular stuff, and just plain fun time figured out before she starts with official stuff. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-first-day/482358.md?page=2)