[Photo by ANTOINE MCGRATH]
“In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by nine campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a 
moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: “Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it.” America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.” — President Barack Obama
OFFICIAL: 2,000,000 People, Zero Arrests
[satellite image via GeoEye]
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Nobody got arrested during President Obama’s record-smashing Inauguration 
celebration, The Mouth learned tonight from a half-dozen D.C. and federal law enforcement officials. Think about that folks. Crowd estimates range from 1-2 million on the National Mall today. And no one left wearing bracelets. “As of 6 p.m. no one had been arrested by any agency — unheard of for a crowd that size,” said one senior federal agent inside the Joint Information Center. “Quite a testament to the President and the people wanting change for the better.” “There were no reports of any arrests,” confirmed a D.C. Police spokesman. A Homeland Security Department spokesman also said no arrests were logged Tuesday by feds. Mostly, the 20,000 National Guard troops and cops helped Obamaniacs with medical emergencies. There was only one protest from a group asking Obama to close the Guantanamo Bay terror prison. MORE
REUTERS: Hours after taking office on Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama ordered military prosecutors in the Guantanamo war crimes tribunals to ask for a 120-day halt in all pending cases. Military judges were expected to rule on the request on Wednesday at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an official involved in the trials said on condition of anonymity. The request would halt proceedings in 21 pending cases, including the death penalty case against five Guantanamo prisoners accused of plotting the September 11 hijacked plane attacks in 2001. Prosecutors said in their written request the halt was “in the interests of justice.” MORE
RAY CHARLES: America