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January 17th, 2009 at 9:58 am

President-Elect Barack Obama Weekly Address Video, Photos 1-17-09

Barack Obama at Cardinal Fasteners & Specialty Company in Bedford, Ohio, January 16, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama weekly address on January 17, 2009 via YouTube and radio. See the video address, transcript and photos of Obama during a recent visit to a factory in Bedford, Ohio. It was Obama’s final weekly address as President-elect; he will be sworn into office in a ceremony on January 20, 2009. Inaugural Day.

In his address, Obama focused upon the upcoming Inauguration and the significance of it in U.S. and world history; it is a peaceful transition of power, and a tradition reflective of the country as a democratic republic.

Barack Obama at Cardinal Fasteners & Specialty Company in Bedford, Ohio, January 16, 2009

Noting that it is easy to take this for granted, he said, “[W]e must remember that our nation was founded at a time of Kings and Queens, and even today billions of people around the world cannot imagine their leaders giving up power without strife or bloodshed. Through the ages, many have struggled for the right to live in a land where power does not belong to one person or party, and many brave Americans have fought and died to help advance that right.” He made mention of the Cold War and how “our transitions from one President to the next provided a stark contrast to the suffocating grip of Soviet Communism,” to illustrate the uniqueness and significance.

Barack Obama at Cardinal Fasteners & Specialty Company in Bedford, Ohio, January 16, 2009

He said that this inauguration will be the most open and accessible in U.S. history, bringing people together both in Washington, DC and across the country and that the preceding day, which is the official Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, is designated as a day of service throughout the country.

He concluded by quoting the words of the country’s first president, George Washington, who in his inaugural address, 220 years ago revealed the reason for his desire to serve, “I was called by my country, whose voice I can never hear but with veneration and love.”

Obama is winding down his transition, traveling today by train to the nation’s capital and holding celebratory events in Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, and Baltimore. The celebration continues in Washington, where Obama will attend a public concert tomorrow with music legends including Bruce Springsteen and Bono. On Monday, he will also take part in a day devoted to community service.

Source: Obama Says Transition of Power a Symbol of Democracy’s Strength

Barack Obama at Cardinal Fasteners & Specialty Company in Bedford, Ohio, January 16, 2009

On Saturday, January 17, 2009, Obama will embark on a train trip from Philadelphia to Washington; this symbolic train ride retraces the journey Abraham Lincoln took right before his inauguration in 1861. He departs Philadelphia at noon and picks up Vice President-elect Joe Biden in Wilmington, DE (his home town from which he has famously commuted via Amtrak train to DC during his long tenure as a Senator) and the two will hold a rally in Baltimore, MD at 4:15 p.m. ET.

UPDATE: See Obama Train Video, Photos: Obama Express Whistle-stop Train Inauguration

The train trip marks the start of what is likely to be an emotional four days for Obama, who gave a rare peek Friday into how the historic nature of his presidency is affecting him. He acknowledged “choking up” during practice sessions for his Democratic convention speech in August when he touched upon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s accomplishments and began reflecting on his own journey.

Barack Obama at Cardinal Fasteners & Specialty Company in Bedford, Ohio, January 16, 2009

“Well, I’m going to try to keep it together,” Obama said of the inaugural speech, in an interview with CNN. “(Y)ou think about all the women who walked instead of riding the bus, out in Montgomery and Birmingham and what a moment like this would mean to them and what’s remarkable is some of them are still alive. They’re still there and some of them are going to be standing there at the inauguration.”

Source: Obama: ‘Much work to be done’

Photos: Barack Obama at Cardinal Fasteners & Specialty Company in Bedford, Ohio, January 16, 2009. The company makes specialty screws and bolts needed for custom construction and wind turbines. Obama toured the factory and held a town hall-style meeting with workers before heading to Philadelphia. (Photo credit: Getty Images North America)

See more photos on Obama-Biden Flickr