The Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States
The inauguration of President Obama happened on January 20, 2009. This inauguration actually started at around 10:30 am. Since morning of that day, approximately 2 million people gathered around the grounds of the National Mall in Washington D.C., Some of the past Presidents along with their families, Senators and members of Congress gathered at this historic event. The spouses of incumbent, President-Elect, Vice President-Elect arrived at the venue of the inauguration. Finally, the incumbent President and President-Elect come out to the West portico of Capitol Hill, see the gigantic crowd out in front. Everyone settled in to view, observe and take part in this historic moment. After a few greetings, the traditional ceremony began to take place. First, two musical selections were played. Then, the chairman of the Inaugural committee, Diane Feinstein, did the welcoming remarks. After her remarks, she handed it over to Dr. Rick Warren, who did the Invocation. Afterwards, there was another musical selection. Joe Biden took the oath as the vice president with the help of Justice John Paul Stevens. Before the oath of the president took place, there was a musical selection. Then came the most important event of the day, the oath of the President. President Barack Hussein Obama got administered the oath of office with the courtesy of the Chief Justice of the U.S, Justice John Roberts Jr. Then the 44th President of US delivered his inaugural address. Next, we had a poem and a benediction. Lastly, the National Anthem was sung. The next big event came, which was the take-off of former president George W. Bush to Texas. Then, we had President Obama descend from the Capitol to the White House! In the evening, the Obama family attended approximately ten (10) inaugural balls.
My first article, which came from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_2009_presidential_inauguration , is about the ten different inaugural balls that the Obamas attended to. At every one of these balls, the President spoke and danced with his wife to the song “At last”. Obama asked the crowd of celebrities and supporters at the first inaugural ball, "First of all, how good looking is my wife?" The balls that he attended to were:
* The Neighborhood Inaugural Ball was the first stop of the night for the Obamas. This is also where First Lady, Michelle Obama revealed her inaugural gown.
* The President Obama Home States Ball which was held at the Walter Washington Convention Center. The guests came from the Obama hometown states, Hawaii and Illinois.
* The Commander-in-Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum. Military families, duty members of the U.S military, families that their loved ones were lost in the war and families that have their loved ones deployed to overseas for military purposes came to this party.
* The Eastern Ball at the Union Station. Many people from New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and other places came over to celebrate.
* The Mid-Atlantic Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Many people from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland and other places came to celebrate here with the Obamas and Bidens.
* The Eastern Ball at the Union Station. Many people from New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and other places came over to celebrate.
* The Mid-Atlantic Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Many people from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland and other places came to celebrate here with the Obamas and Bidens.
* The Midwestern Ball was also held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Many people from Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and many other places attended at this inaugural Ball.
* The Southern Ball at the D.C Armory center. The attendees came from Tenneesse, Florida, Lousiana, Kentucky and many other places.
* The Vice President Biden Home States Ball also took place at the Washington Convention Center. This ball featured people who came from the Biden hometown states, Delaware and Pennslyvania.
* The Southern Ball at the D.C Armory center. The attendees came from Tenneesse, Florida, Lousiana, Kentucky and many other places.
* The Vice President Biden Home States Ball also took place at the Washington Convention Center. This ball featured people who came from the Biden hometown states, Delaware and Pennslyvania.
* The Western Ball also took place at the Walter Washington Convention Center. The invited guests came from California, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska and many other places.
* The last ball was the Youth Ball held at the Washington Hilton and Towers. This ball was created especially for young people of eighteen to thirty-five years of age.
* The last ball was the Youth Ball held at the Washington Hilton and Towers. This ball was created especially for young people of eighteen to thirty-five years of age.
My opinion on this article is just wow! I would be extremely tired by the end of all these Balls. Plus, it is soooo cool how a few balls specifically invitees of the different regions of the U.S. I thought that was cool. I think that was really cool how they had a specific ball for every region of the country.Then they also had a special ball for the hometown states of the President and Vice president. I have a question about the importance of these inaugural balls. That is, what and why these inaugural balls occur on this specific day? Luckily, most of the balls were held at the Walter Washington Convention Center. So, the Obamas didn’t get tired going around Washington D.C.
My second article, which came from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22oath.html?scp=1&sq=I%20Really%20Do%20Swear,%20Faithfully:%20Obama%20and%20Roberts%20Try%20Again&st=cse is about the President and the Chief Justice redoing the oath. The presidential oath, right from the Constitution, is:
I do solemnly swear(or affirm)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.
The President and the Chief Justice have decided to re-do the oath since they had messed up the words during the oath at the Capitol. They did this oath in the Map Room at 7:35 pm the day after the Inauguration. At the Capitol, the Chief justice accidently said, “ I will execute the Office of the President of the United States faithfully”. The mistake in this was that the word faithfully is supposed to go between will and execute. When the Chief Justice asked if Obama was ready, Obama said,” I am, and we’re going to do it very slowly.” There were only nine people who were present when the President re-did the oath.
My opinion on this article is that it was interesting. I thought it was awkward, how the Chief Justice knew his mistake but still continued. The White House counsel, Gregory B Craig, said. “But the oath appears in the Constitution itself, and out of an abundance of caution, because there was one word out of sequence, Chief Justice Roberts administered the oath a second time.” I also thought it was funny when the article said that even at the re-do, the Chief Justice still stumbled over the word “execute”. My question about this article is that do you need to do the oath with a Bible in hand? Also, why the Chief Justice did not have a prepared note of the the oath which was accepatable to have and use the note to adminster the oath?
