Obama's Statement on Egypt Post Mubarak Double Down

A quick rundown of what happened today: Senior Egyptian military officials announced to the press and to the protestors that their demand -- that Mubarak step down -- would be met (which tells you what? One expert's opinion is that it was a misunderstanding. Another so-called expert says the military is trying to push Mubarak out). Next, millions gathered in Liberation Square awaiting a statement from Mubarak that he was stepping down. After making the crowd wait late into the evening, Mubarak essentially said he's going nowhere. What was the point of it all? No one seems to know.
Obama's statement:

The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient. Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world. The Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity.

As we have said from the beginning of this unrest, the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people. But the United States has also been clear that we stand for a set of core principles. We believe that the universal rights of the Egyptian people must be respected, and their aspirations must be met. We believe that this transition must immediately demonstrate irreversible political change, and a negotiated path to democracy. To that end, we believe that the emergency law should be lifted. We believe that meaningful negotiations with the broad opposition and Egyptian civil society should address the key questions confronting Egypt’s future: protecting the fundamental rights of all citizens; revising the Constitution and other laws to demonstrate irreversible change; and jointly developing a clear roadmap to elections that are free and fair.

We therefore urge the Egyptian government to move swiftly to explain the changes that have been made, and to spell out in clear and unambiguous language the step by step process that will lead to democracy and the representative government that the Egyptian people seek. Going forward, it will be essential that the universal rights of the Egyptian people be respected. There must be restraint by all parties. Violence must be forsaken. It is imperative that the government not respond to the aspirations of their people with repression or brutality. The voices of the Egyptian people must be heard.

The Egyptian people have made it clear that there is no going back to the way things were: Egypt has changed, and its future is in the hands of the people. Those who have exercised their right to peaceful assembly represent the greatness of the Egyptian people, and are broadly representative of Egyptian society. We have seen young and old, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian join together, and earn the respect of the world through their non-violent calls for change. In that effort, young people have been at the forefront, and a new generation has emerged. They have made it clear that Egypt must reflect their hopes, fulfill their highest aspirations, and tap their boundless potential. In these difficult times, I know that the Egyptian people will persevere, and they must know that they will continue to have a friend in the United States of America.

Obama's statement prior to Mubarak's speech:

Obama's statement: "Before I begin, I just want to say that we are following today’s events in Egypt very closely, and we’ll have more to say as this plays out. But what is absolutely clear is that we are witnessing history unfold – it is a moment of transformation that is taking place because the people of Egypt are calling for change. They’ve turned out in extraordinary numbers, representing all ages and all walks of life, but it is young people who have been at the forefront – a new generation, your generation, who want their voices to be heard. And so going forward, we want those young people – and all Egyptians – to know America will continue to do everything that we can to support an orderly and genuine transition to democracy in Egypt."

Very insightful commentary on what happened today and what's ahead: