Australians unamazed by Trump’s inauguration

Canberra, Jan 21 (IANS) Despite live broadcasts by local television networks and pages of reports and analysis by leading dailies, Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony attracted the eyes in Australia, but failed to grapple the hearts.

The top story on Australian Broadcast Company (ABC) website carried the title of "President Trump's inauguration begins with prayer, ends in protest", in which it dedicated a separate section to the anti-Trump protests staged in Washington, Xinhua news agency reported.

News.com.au mocked about the reduced turnout of spectators at Trump's inauguration ceremony from those at Barack Obama's first inauguration in 2009.

"The ceremony went off without a hitch, but Trump's ego might have to endure some unflattering comparisons to Obama's first inauguration eight years ago," the news website said in its headline story.

"The New York Times compiled these two contrasting images. On the left, was the crowd about 45 minutes before the 2009 inauguration. On the right, was the crowd 45 minutes before today's ceremony.

"It's been estimated that Trump only managed to draw about a third of Obama's 1.8 million-strong crowd," the story said.

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) did not hold back in labelling Trump's inaugural speech as "deeply nationalist and populist".

"Donald Trump's deeply nationalist and populist inaugural address as the 45th US President has affirmed that he will govern just as he campaigned: as an anti-establishment crusader championing to put 'America first' for ordinary citizens who feel 'forgotten' by the elites," AFR writer John Kehoe said in his article.

Kehoe also pointed out the contradiction in Trump's speech in dealing with the Mideast countries and the US counter terrorism efforts.

"The new President said he will 'reinforce old alliances and form new ones' to 'unite the civilised world against radical Islamic terrorism' ... But in a shot at failed military interventions trying to bring peaceful democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump said 'we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone but rather to let it shine as an example'".

Kehoe said that "A nativist, he (Trump) will pursue success via a mix of strength, nationalism and populism".

Greg Sheridan, foreign editor at the The Australian newspaper, has also cast doubt on Trump's speech.

"As with most populists, it is impossible to reconcile all the different parts of the Donald's pitch," Sheridan wrote in his article.

When commenting Trump's promise to bring back the jobs to the United States, Sheridan said "That's OK if it means create new jobs, but if he means he's going to bring back masses of manufacturing jobs which have been lost to technology much more than to trade, it's hard to know how it can possibly happen."