Why is the inauguration of Barack Obama significant?

Answer 1

The constitution says a president must be born in the United States. Some of Mr. Obama's political opponents are called Birthers: they are a small group of people (about 13% of voters) who insist the president was born in Africa and is thus not eligible to be president. But he was not born in Africa. His biological father was born in Kenya and later came to Hawaii to study; President Obama was born in Hawaii, on August 4, 1961, as has been thoroughly documented repeatedly. However, that has not stopped the Birthers from continuing to believe Mr. Obama is foreign-born.

Answer 2

First, and most clear, is that he is the first African-American president.

Another big difference is that Obama ushers in a new age of president. He is younger, and more in touch with today's youth than have been the past presidents. This can be seen by his attachment to his Blackberry which any other president, I would hazard a guess, would have no idea how to use.