
The next presidential inauguration will occur on January 20th, 2009. Upon that day Barack Obama will take the oath of office and be sworn in as the next president of the United States.
The American presidential inauguration occurs every four years and invites a spectacular amount of fanfare. The new president gets his own day of feasting, procession, statesmanship, and celebration. The United States marks its transition of government with a day of events that have developed over time to become our modern-day inauguration.
The theme for the 2009 Inauguration of Barack Obama is "A New Birth of Freedom," which honors the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth.
Thought to be the greatest of all addresses, Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address in March, Detail, Abraham Lincoln meets with military advisors, February, 1865, City Point, Virginia. Oil by George P. A. Healy.1865. With the Union embroiled in civil war, Lincoln invoked God to bring a speedy end to the fighting. However, he went on state his acceptance if God were to allow bloodshed to continue after hundreds of years of slavery, because “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”
The first president, George Washington, was inaugurated at Federal Hall in New York on April 30, 1789. Washington repeated the oath, read by Chancellor Robert Livingston of New York, with one hand on the Bible: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States. And will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Establishing a custom that has been followed by all succeeding presidents, Washington added, “So help me God” at the end.
Washington needed only 135 words to complete the address at his second inauguration in 1793. Some 48 years later, President William Henry Harrison needed 8495 words to complete his address. During that address, which lasted some two hours in the cold weather, Harrison failed to wear a winter coat and developed pneumonia. He died a month later.
Now, a word from your classmate: So, everyone needs to pay attention to how many words President-Elect Obama uses in his inaugural address and whether or not he wears a coat. Hopefully, he will be a great President who can lead our country through these troubled times.
13 Comments:
Well, here we go! This should be interesting, Linda.
I have no problem with a black man being the President of the United States. I just have a problem with THIS black man being President of the United States.
It's not about "how many words" or whether he "wears a coat"! It's all about "what he says and doesn't say". I would bet the farm that 2 things will be missing that have been there from George Washington until now.
1)He won't be sworn in with his hand on The Bible.
2)The words "so help me God" will not pass from his lips.
Tradition, yes, but also, principles this country was founded on.
I fear we may loose the freedoms and rights that we all hold so dear.
I truly believe the days ahead are going to test what we are made of.
It was once said "You don't have to stand tall, but you do have to stand up". I believe payday is coming and it will be our turn to ante up. If we screw this up, nothin' else will matter.
Richard
Ehisians 6:10-18
Ditto Rich, How well put
(CNN) -- While President-elect Barack Obama will certainly be making history when he takes the oath of office on January 20, he'll also be repeating it -- by placing his hand on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used during the inauguration of 1861.
From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears
(CNN) — President-elect Barack Obama has requested that the words “so help me God” be added to the end of the oath of office to be administered by Chief Justice John Roberts on Inauguration Day.
That confirmation came in an affidavit filed today by Roberts' court counselor in a pending lawsuit by an atheist opposed to any mention of God in the inaugural ceremonies. Roberts said he would abide by Obama’s wishes.
The Constitution has specific language on what has to be said when swearing in the president, but the “so help me God” phrase has traditionally been added at the end of the required oath, starting with George Washington in 1789.
Hopefully Obama will be wearing a coat.
See, it works. We talk and we learn. Thanks, Helen. I was unaware of those developments. I stand corrected. Thank You.
Richard
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ditto Rich. We don't even know whether the man to be sworn in a presidnet is a natural born citizen. The document filed in Hawaii is only certification of live birth. The birth certificate has been sealed so God knows where this guy was born.
I pray that we don't lose any more freedoms too but then most people can be talked into anything.
I do admit that I had to look up Ephesians 6:10-18. Thanks Rich for leading us to that passage.
God bless us all.
Carla, all I have ever had is a “certificate of live birth”. I was born in Japan while my Dad was stationed there while in the US ARMY. I’ve gotten two US passports with it and there has never been a question about my citizenship. I always thought that one had to be born on US soil to be eligible for president. Of course Hawaii (Obama)is US soil. BUT what I didn’t know, until doing some research, was that John McCain wasn’t born on US soil! He was born in the Panama Canal Zone. His situation was similar to mine being born in another country by a US military father. All these years I thought I couldn’t become president because of my birth status and now I see it was not so. Maybe I would have tried harder in school if I had known this way back then..LOL!
The thing is this, if Obama is all legal and everything is OK, then why not produce the documentation and be done with it. Why seal the records?? It's too late now, but this should all have been settled long before the election.
BTW
Helen, I think you would have made a fine president. Unfortunately, we would never have know it because you are too honest to get elected. And that's not LOL
Rich, Ha Ha..I can see it now..gourds growing all across the south lawn and the annual Easter egg roll replaced by the gourd roll.
I mistakenly said I had two passports but actually it was three. The first one was issued to me as a toddler while still in Japan. I’m thinking if Obama was indeed born on foreign soil he would have to have a passport to get into the country. I would think that there would be a record of that somewhere. All lawsuits against his eligibility as president have been thrown out of court for lack of evidence. I can’t help thinking that the past administration would have gone through hell and high water to find that evidence in other forms beside the ellusive birth certificate. And if I had to take a guess at why the document is sealed… my guess is that perhaps his parents were never legally married at the time of his birth? I don’t care if they were or weren’t married but if that is the case I can understand him not wanting to bring it before the public.
Just be prepared for a socialist incursion. I just wonder who they think is going to support all these people who do not want to support themselves when there is absolutely NO incentive to work because you will never again achieve the American dream. It is our kids who are going to pay and pay dearly unless they figure out real quick how to get on the 'have-nots' role and let the 10% of the workforce support them too...Why work?
Debbie, don't let any dust gather on that badge. You may be puttin' on the uniform again quicker than ya think. Once they get cranked up they will be takin' more of your retirement than you even want to think about. I, too, am tired of supporting all the ones who don't want to work.
I expect I will still be dreaming of retirement when I pass from this life.
No Rich, I will not go back in to Police work cause I am at an age now where I would just as soon shoot some of the low life's Iv'e been supporting than deal with them again.My empathy for them has run out.I did go back to work though. i work with Claudia and Portia..they are my bosses
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