Mandela praises Obama for his message of hope

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – On the day that he made history, Barack Obama got some heartfelt praise from Nelson Mandela.

The anti-apartheid icon said Obama’s inauguration in Washington has inspired the same sense of hope the world felt when South Africa threw off apartheid and elected its first black president — Mandela himself.

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Text of President Barack Obama’s inaugural address

President Barack Obama

My fellow citizens:I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

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