CBS: World Celebrates Obama Inauguration

On Wednesday’s CBS Early Show, correspondent Shelia Macvicar declared: "Playing on television sets around the world, the inauguration of this U.S. president became an extraordinary global event. From his father's ancestral homeland in Kenya, where celebration mixed with expectation...Newborn babies now bear the names of the first couple, Barack and Michelle."

From there, Macvicar went to France: "In the splendor of a grand hall in Paris, emotion overwhelmed." One French woman exclaimed: "Martin Luther King say that we shall overcome. We did today." Finally, to the Middle East: "In Gaza, they've seen presidents come and go and not much change, but, still, maybe this really is something new." A Palestinian man explained: "This is good. This is what we are looking for." Macvicar concluded: "As this president begins work, he has been greeted with an abundance of good will, and the burden of even greater expectations."

Following Macvicar’s report, co-host Julie Chen described a trip to Paris just prior to the election: "That was on October 31st. Everyone I ran into on the trip, they were calling it then the Obama election. Not the election, the Obama election." Co-host Harry Smith added: "Well, we were very fortunate yesterday, because both of us were on the Mall during the -- during the speech and during the swearing in and thereafter. And it really -- I have to say it was one of -- a remarkable experience." Co-host Maggie Rodriguez also chimed in: "Yeah. People were jumping up and down, weeping, strangers embracing. It was a beautiful thing."

Here is the full transcript of the segment:

7:47AM SEGMENT:

HARRY SMITH: Barack Obama's inauguration was not only front page news here in the United States, it was watched around the world. CBS News correspondent Sheila Macvicar reports from London.

SHELIA MACVICAR: Playing on television sets around the world, the inauguration of this U.S. president became an extraordinary global event. From his father's ancestral homeland in Kenya, where celebration mixed with expectation.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Let's see the hope he has given us. Let's see it in practice.

MACVICAR: Newborn babies now bear the names of the first couple, Barack and Michelle.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It shows all women how a black woman is supposed to be.

MACVICAR: In the splendor of a grand hall in Paris, emotion overwhelmed.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN B: Martin Luther King say that we shall overcome. We did today.

MACVICAR: With these words reaching out:

BARACK OBAMA: To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect.

MACVICAR: Listened to intently by U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Gaza, they've seen presidents come and go and not much change, but, still, maybe this really is something new.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN B: This is good. This is what we are looking for.

MACVICAR: As this president begins work, he has been greeted with an abundance of good will, and the burden of even greater expectations.

CROWD IN FRANCE: Obama! Obama! Obama!

MACVICAR: Sheila Macvicar, CBS News, London.

JULIE CHEN: Wow that is incredible, but not at all surprising. Do you guys remember right before the election, you guys sent me on assignment to Paris for our 'Destination Unknown' trip?

SMITH: Right, right.

CHEN: That was on October 31st. Everyone I ran into on the trip, they were calling it then the Obama election. Not the election, the Obama election.

SMITH: Well, we were very fortunate yesterday, because both of us were on the Mall during the -- during the speech and during the swearing in and thereafter. And it really -- I have to say it was one of -- a remarkable experience.

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: Yeah. People were jumping up and down, weeping, strangers embracing. It was a beautiful thing. Getting to the Mall was incredibly difficult. So it's a testament to the dedication of everyone who showed up.