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A big welcome to President Barack Obama.

Some of my thoughts later, but… the official stuff first…

I thought the speech was remarkable — Obama seems to have a sense about time and place… and finds the right words that match both. But there were some words that should really speak to anybody who works in or near government:

There are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

But there was another transition at 12 noon today — from the Bush WhiteHouse.gov site to the new Obama WhiteHouse.gov Web site. [Federal News Radio 1500 AM’s Max Cacas story is here… the NYT story here.] Included on the new Web site is… a blog. What actually thrills me is that people don’t seem all that surprised by this without understanding how powerful that is — or can be. Perhaps it also shows how natural information sharing can be. (One person posted on Twitter: “#1 point in tomorrow’s talk to a group of federal CIOs: the White house is blogging. Think they have security issues? What’s your excuse?” Amen! In fact, there is even some criticism that some of the Web 2.0 aspects that were part of the transition’s change.gov Web site are not on the new White House Web site, causing one tech to Twitter: “It seems that many of the Web 2.0 elements of change.gov did not make it to whitehouse.gov. Technologist enthusiasm yesterday fizzles today.”)

Why blog? The White House’s new director of new media — love that they have a director of new media — posted the WhiteHouse.gov blog’s first post. He has several reasons, but… one of them: Transparency.

Transparency — President Obama has committed to making his administration the most open and transparent in history, and WhiteHouse.gov will play a major role in delivering on that promise. The President’s executive orders and proclamations will be published for everyone to review, and that’s just the beginning of our efforts to provide a window for all Americans into the business of the government. You can also learn about some of the senior leadership in the new administration and about the President’s policy priorities.

Read the full post after the break.

The first post on the WhiteHouse.gov blog

Change has come to WhiteHouse.gov

Change has come to WhiteHouse.gov Welcome to the new WhiteHouse.gov. I’m Macon Phillips, the Director of New Media for the White House and one of the people who will be contributing to the blog.

A short time ago, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States and his new administration officially came to life. One of the first changes is the White House’s new website, which will serve as a place for the President and his administration to connect with the rest of the nation and the world.

Millions of Americans have powered President Obama’s journey to the White House, many taking advantage of the internet to play a role in shaping our country’s future. WhiteHouse.gov is just the beginning of the new administration’s efforts to expand and deepen this online engagement.

Just like your new government, WhiteHouse.gov and the rest of the Administration’s online programs will put citizens first. Our initial new media efforts will center around three priorities:

Communication — Americans are eager for information about the state of the economy, national security and a host of other issues. This site will feature timely and in-depth content meant to keep everyone up-to-date and educated. Check out the briefing room, keep tabs on the blog (RSS feed) and take a moment to sign up for e-mail updates from the President and his administration so you can be sure to know about major announcements and decisions.

Transparency — President Obama has committed to making his administration the most open and transparent in history, and WhiteHouse.gov will play a major role in delivering on that promise. The President’s executive orders and proclamations will be published for everyone to review, and that’s just the beginning of our efforts to provide a window for all Americans into the business of the government. You can also learn about some of the senior leadership in the new administration and about the President’s policy priorities.

Participation — President Obama started his career as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, where he saw firsthand what people can do when they come together for a common cause. Citizen participation will be a priority for the Administration, and the internet will play an important role in that. One significant addition to WhiteHouse.gov reflects a campaign promise from the President: we will publish all non-emergency legislation to the website for five days, and allow the public to review and comment before the President signs it.

We’d also like to hear from you — what sort of things would you find valuable from WhiteHouse.gov? If you have an idea, use this form to let us know. Like the transition website and the campaign’s before that, this online community will continue to be a work in progress as we develop new features and content for you. So thanks in advance for your patience and for your feedback.

Later today, we’ll put up the video and the full text of President Obama’s Inaugural Address. There will also be slideshows of the Inaugural events, the Obamas’ move into the White House, and President Obama’s first days in office.

See the inaugural address for yourself — in case you’re one of the three people that missed it.