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Showing posts with label Presidential. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Presidential. Show all posts

Friday, March 8, 2013

Presidential Inauguration Marks Start Of Obama's Second Term In Office

The 2013 Inauguration ceremonies mark the start of President Barack Obama's second term in office.

Along with the president and vice president's swearing-in ceremonies and Obama's inaugural address, the celebration also includes a parade and performances from artists like Beyonce and Kelly Clarkson.

Click here for a complete schedule of the day's events.

Below, live updates from Inauguration 2013:

National Mall Full And Closed @ OhMyGOFF : National Mall FULL and CLOSED via National Park Police and @nbcwashington (all visitors not on Mall go to overflow at Monument) Cloudy And 37 Degrees At White House Myrlie Evers-Williams Slip Up @ peterbakernyt : Hmm, did Myrlie Evers-Williams just make Obama "our 45th president"? Obama Enters Capitol Platform @ CBSNews : LIVE NOW: President Barack Obama enters U.S. Capitol platform to be inaugurated for second term. WATCH: http://t.co/aOAT21XF Biden Takes Place On Platform FLOTUS Enters For Ceremony Immigrants Come Out To Support Obama, And Call For Reform

There are about 120 immigrant rights activists -- young undocumented immigrants, migrant workers and allies -- on the Washington Mall with advocacy group Casa de Maryland on Monday.

They walked for about 10 blocks, chanting most of the way. "What to we want?" "Immigration reform!" "When do we want it?" "Now!"

Many of the group's fellow inauguration-goers looked on with some amusement, but a few seemed excited to join in.

Nathaly Uribe, a 17-year-old undocumented high school senior, received deferred action in December. She said the policy, implemented by the president last year for young undocumented immigrants, has given them hope. But they still want broader reform, she said, and plan to remind President Barack Obama of his promise.

-- Elise Foley

Veterans Affairs Secretary Designated Cabinet Official Not Attending @ scottwfoster : VA secretary Shinseki is the designated cabinet official not attending today's inaugural events wh says Everyone In Place, Waiting On Obama, Biden Newt Gingrich Next To Jay-Z And Beyonce POTUS: "I Miss This Place" @ kwelkernbc : POTUS upon entering the Capitol: "I miss this place, it looks great." Romney Family Won't Be Watching @ PeterAlexander : Mitt & Ann Romney in La Jolla, CA today. Asked if he'll be watching #Inaug2013, fmr aide tells me: "Doubtful." Clintons Make Their Way To Inauguration Platform @ mpoindc : Former President Clinton and outgoing Sec of State Hillary Clinton, arm in arm, make their way to the #inaug2013 platform. #NBCPolitics Chuck Grassley Tweets Crowd Estimate Big Cheers For Beyonce And Jay-Z @ BenjySarlin : Biggest cheers so far: Jay Z and Beyonce followed by Jimmy Carter #inauguration Newt Gingrich On Inauguration @ jbendery : Just ran into Newt Gingrich, asked if it's bittersweet being at O's inaug. "No, it's always exciting to be part of the American process." Aerial Shot Shows Massive Crowds On The Mall Update On Access To Viewing Areas @ DC_HSEMA : 10:41am: General access to Mall viewing areas thru 9th/12th & Constitution and 12th & Independence only. #inauag2013 Presidential Limousine Heads To Capitol National Mall Is Packed @ DCPoliceDept : The National Mall Panels from 4th-7th Street are closed Gridlock In The Orange Area @ iankoski : Crowd stuck in #orangecrush now angrily chanting "orange gate" over and over again. Others trying to keep positive. #inaug2013 Paul Ryan Booed

Acting as a painful reminder that Republicans lost the presidential election in November, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) -- a former vice presidential nominee -- was booed by inauguration-goers on Monday morning as he walked out of the Capitol.

-- Amanda Terkel

Spectators Outside White House Get Excited

From a White House pool report:

At 10:26 am, Pool is holding in van outside WH. The bleachers on this section of Pennsylvania ave are about 50% full. A few moments ago, a man in a red hat and black coat appeared to be serving as a volunteer cheerleader, running up and down the length of one section, and leading the crowd in doing the wave and screaming "Wooo!" as they rose to their feet and raised their hands in the air. There were also chants of "Obama! Obama!"
It's A Family Affair @ howardfineman : Lots of families in line -- just saw Jay Carney and his son. Nice vibe all around. Statuary Hall @ jbendery : The fancy set-up in Statuary Hall, where Obama will have lunch with Hill leaders right after the Inauguration. http://t.co/nG4tkhV3 D.C. Medical Examiner Is Ready

According to the Associated Press, the D.C. medical examiner is traveling with Metro Transit Police just in case there are any passenger deaths in the Metrorail system on Inauguration Day.

Read more here.

Protesters Gather, Urge 'Jobs Not War'

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON — A few dozen protesters were gathered along the Inauguration Day parade route on Pennsylvania Avenue invoking the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King's legacy and urging jobs, not war.

The protesters from the anti-war group ANSWER Coalition handed out posters saying "Dr. King's Legacy ... Jobs Not War."

Brian Becker, director of the coalition, said the group chose to focus on messages that would resonate with a pro-President Barack Obama crowd.

In addition to the poster focusing on MLK's legacy and jobs, protesters also had signs saying "Indict Bush Now" and "Drone Strikes (equals) War Crimes."

Read more here.

Inauguration Lunch Set Up @ jbendery : The fancy set-up in Statuary Hall, where Obama will have lunch with Hill leaders right after the Inauguration. http://t.co/nG4tkhV3 Westboro Penned InAlso on HuffPost:

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Bill Lucey: Presidential Inaugurations: Feats, Facts and Historic Firsts

2013-01-20-JFKinauguration.jpg


On Monday, January 21, 2013, President Barack Obama will take the oath of office, marking the 57th formal Presidential Inaugural ceremony.

In all, U.S. presidents have been sworn in 70 times, which includes both private and public ceremonies.

This year's ceremony will be the seventh time the Inauguration date has fallen on a Sunday. There has never been a precedent for a president holding a formal Inauguration on a Sunday, so in keeping with tradition, President Obama will be sworn in publicly on Monday, January 21st.

Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes (1877), Woodrow Wilson (1917),Dwight D. Eisenhower (1957) and Ronald Reagan (1985), however, all elected to have the oath of office administered privately on a Sunday, with the formal swearing-in taking place on the following Monday. Presidents James Monroe (1821) and Zachary Taylor (1849) did not hold private swearing-in ceremonies on a Sunday.

Like his predecessors, Mr. Obama will hold a private swearing-in ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House just before noon on Sunday, January 20th.

Since Monday's ceremony coincides with Martin Luther King's Birthday, the 44th U.S. president will use one of the Bibles used by Dr. King, along with another Bible used by Abraham Lincoln at his public swearing-in ceremony.

As part of the star-studded entertainment scheduled for Monday's Inauguration, James Taylor will belt out ``America the Beautiful''; Kelly Clarkson will let loose with ``My Country, 'Tis of Thee''; while The National Anthem will be sung by Beyonce. Other musical selections will be performed by PS 22, Staten Island, New York, Lee University Festival Choir, Cleveland, Tennessee and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

The poet chosen to read at the Inauguration is Richard Blanco, a Spanish born Cuban-American, the first Latino, openly gay, as well as the youngest poet ever at a presidential inauguration. Myrlie Evers-Williams, a civil rights activist and journalist and widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers will deliver the Invocation.

In order to prepare for Monday's festivities, what follows are some feats, facts, and historic firsts for Presidential Inaugurations.

• George Washington, the nation's first chief executive took his oath of office on Thursday, April 30, 1789 in New York City on the balcony of the Senate Chamber at Federal Hall on Wall Street.

• On March 4, 1793 during the first Inauguration to take place in Philadelphia, PA, George Washington delivered the shortest Inauguration address in presidential history, a mere 135 words. George Washington was additionally the only president not to be sworn in by a Chief Justice.

• John Adams on March 4, 1797 was the first president to receive the oath of office from a Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

• The first Inauguration to be held in Washington D.C. took place on March 4, 1801 for the presidency of Thomas Jefferson.

• The first Inaugural ball was held on March 4, 1809 for James Madison. The festivities were held at Long's Hotel; tickets went for $4.

• The first president to take the oath of office on the east front portico of the U.S. Capitol was Andrew Jackson on March 4, 1829.

• President William Henry Harrison delivered the longest Inaugural address (8,445 words) on March 4, 1841. He died of pneumonia one month later.

• In 1845, the Marine Band played ``Hail to the Chief'' for the first time at the Inauguration ceremony for James Polk.

• Chief Justice John Marshall administered the oath on Inauguration day a record nine times from 1801 through 1833.

• On March 4, 1853, Franklin Pierce was the first president to recite his Inauguration address entirely from memory.

• The Inauguration ceremony for James Buchanan on March 4. 1857, was the first to be photographed.

• For the Inauguration ceremony of Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1865, African-Americans participated in the ceremonies for the first time.

• The first Inaugural ceremony recorded by a motion picture camera took place on March 4, 1897 for William McKinley.

• For the first time since 1853, the Inaugural ball was suspended on March 4, 1913 at the request of President Wilson because he found it inappropriate for such a solemn occasion.

• Edith Bolling Galt Wilson was the first First Lady to accompany the President (Woodrow Wilson) both to and from the Capitol on March 5, 1917.

• Warren G. Harding in 1921 was the first president to travel to and from his Inauguration ceremony in an automobile.

• Calvin Coolidge's Inauguration ceremony was the first to be broadcast nationally by radio on March 4, 1925.

• Beginning in 1933 with Franklin D. Roosevelt, every president has said ``so help me God'' at the conclusion of the oath.

• As a result of a change made by the 20th Amendment, Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to be inaugurated on January 20th, 1937.

• The Inauguration ceremony for Harry S. Truman on January 20, 1949 was the first ceremony to be televised. Truman also reinstated the Inaugural ball.

• Dwight D. Eisenhower on January 20, 1953, broke with precedent by reciting his own prayer after taking the oath, rather than kissing the Bible.

• Bill Clinton's Inauguration on January 20, 1997 was the first to be broadcast live on the Internet.

• Ronald Reagan's Inauguration on January 20, 1981 was the first to be held on the west front of the U.S. Capitol. Prior to 1981, all outdoor Inaugurations were held on the east side of the Capitol.

• January 21, 1985 was the coldest Inauguration date on record with noon temperature of 7 degrees; the warmest Inauguration day on record with a noon temperature of 55 degrees took place four years earlier on January 20, 1981.

• President Obama's Inauguration on January 20, 2009 drew the largest attendance of any event in the history of Washington, DC as well as the largest audience for a presidential Inauguration.

-Bill Lucey
January 19, 2013

Source: Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies

This article was cross-posted from The Morning Delivery

Follow Bill Lucey on Twitter: www.twitter.com/wplucey

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