REPLIES TO THE CURRENT QUESTION

Our question last week was:

Write your suggested first two sentences for President-elect Obama's inaugural address.

Here are your answers.  The name of a writer is included only if he or she actually placed a name at the end of the message.  Otherwise, we assume the writer wished anonymity and "name withheld" is inserted.

"My fellow Americans, now is the time for all good men and women to
come to the aid of their country. Now is the time for all Americans
to reaffirm that we love our country and recognize that we are
privileged to live in the greatest, the most prosperous, and the most
honorable and decent country the world has ever known."

(name withheld)

Ladies and gentleman, I extend my hand to you as a gesture of respect for the magnificent diversity of all our country's citizens, and as a pledge to honor the American ideas that weld us together as Americans and which have made today possible. Just as Thomas Jefferson wrote so many years ago, I, too, hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Beth Dewenter

"My fellow Americans, it is time for some frank talk.  I lied like hell to be able to win the nomination; and, I lied a whole lot more to get elected; but..."  

(Anything said after the "but..." must be viewed in the same vein as the first two sentences.)

Don Newell

It's a privilege to stand before the American people to become their president, their leader.  For those of us Americans who were born in the United States and for those of us who weren't,  we should all recognize the order, the grace, and the pure goodness of this nation every day and together.

Ron Kean

"My fellow Americans, ask not what you can do for yourselves, but  
demand that the government do everything for you.  And, thankfully,  
with all of your money, as president, I am now able to make sure that  
comes to pass."

John Gibbons

President Bush, Vice-President Biden, Chief Justice Roberts, fellow Americans:

A terrible mistake has happened; I'm not ready for this.

HELP!

Alan Weick

My fellow Americans, last November you voted in support of our
message of change.

In light of that I must take this opportunity to assure you and the
world, that although change is surely coming, what America stands for will never change:
the self evident truth that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the inalienable right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Scott Robinson

My fellow Americans, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you
that Joe Biden has just informed me that he will not be sworn in today
as Vice President.

Sam Dunkin