Obama takes Presidential oath...again

[DaemonSeid]

WASHINGTON – After the flub heard around the world, President Barack Obama has taken the oath of office. Again. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the oath to Obama on Wednesday night at the White House — a rare do-over. The surprise moment came in response to Tuesday's much-noticed stumble, when Roberts got the words of the oath a little off, which prompted Obama to do so, too.

Don't worry, the White House says: Obama has still been president since noon on Inauguration Day.

Nevertheless, Obama and Roberts went through the drill again out of what White House counsel Greg Craig called "an abundance of caution."

This time, the scene was the White House Map Room in front of a small group of reporters, not the Capitol platform before the whole watching world.
"We decided that because it was so much fun ...," Obama joked to reporters who followed press secretary Robert Gibbs into the room. No TV camera crews or news photographers were allowed in. A few of Obama's closest aides were there, along with a White House photographer.

Roberts put on his black robe.

"Are you ready to take the oath?" he said.

"Yes, I am," Obama said. "And we're going to do it very slowly."

Roberts then led Obama through the oath without any missteps.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090122/...a_oath_do_over


That will keep some of the looney toons on the far extreme right from saying "He's not the President".

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

WASHINGTON – After the flub heard around the world, President Barack Obama has taken the oath of office. Again. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the oath to Obama on Wednesday night at the White House — a rare do-over. The surprise moment came in response to Tuesday's much-noticed stumble, when Roberts got the words of the oath a little off, which prompted Obama to do so, too.

Don't worry, the White House says: Obama has still been president since noon on Inauguration Day.

Nevertheless, Obama and Roberts went through the drill again out of what White House counsel Greg Craig called "an abundance of caution."

This time, the scene was the White House Map Room in front of a small group of reporters, not the Capitol platform before the whole watching world.
"We decided that because it was so much fun ...," Obama joked to reporters who followed press secretary Robert Gibbs into the room. No TV camera crews or news photographers were allowed in. A few of Obama's closest aides were there, along with a White House photographer.

Roberts put on his black robe.

"Are you ready to take the oath?" he said.

"Yes, I am," Obama said. "And we're going to do it very slowly."

Roberts then led Obama through the oath without any missteps.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090122/...a_oath_do_over


That will keep some of the looney toons on the far extreme right from saying "He's not the President".

First I've heard of it and I listen to a lot of talk radio

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

First I've heard of it and I listen to a lot of talk radio

I suggest that you don't let that be your only outlet.

ETA: And in case you missed it, Hillary was confirmed today.

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I suggest that you don't let that be your only outlet.

ETA: And in case you missed it, Hillary was confirmed today.

I heard plenty about that.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

I heard plenty about that.

Good.

[Jimmy Choo]

Chris Wallace on FOX News said after the oath was botched that b/c it had been Obama was not president. I'm not sure what other news outlets shared his POV but better safe than sorry.

[LucyKKG]

I wonder what percentage of my news info comes from GC. Seriously! I was explaining this story to my roommate today, and most of what I knew about it came directly from GC. Love it!

Dear Lord, it's 3 AM!

[kddani]

The main reason they probably even bothered to do it again is because you know some crazy idiot would file an emergency injunction saying that G.W. is still pres...

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by kddani

The main reason they probably even bothered to do it again is because you know some crazy idiot would file an emergency injunction saying that G.W. is still pres...

But Biden had already been sworn in! I think he started the rumor-mongering...

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by honeychile

But Biden had already been sworn in! I think he started the rumor-mongering...

I wouldn't put it past him!

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I wouldn't put it past him!

Me, neither. He was involved in a pre-internet scandal, but somehow got out of it. My own congressman didn't survive it.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

First I've heard of it and I listen to a lot of talk radio

But apparently you don't talk to enough lawyers. (And if that's the case, good for you. ) This was a prime topic of conversation yesterday, going back and forth between "what was the CJ thinking, trying to do the oath from memory?" to "the CJ should really be embarrassed" to "what's the legal effect of flubbing the oath?"

As to the last question, others are right: Per Amendment XX, GWB's term ended at noon on Tuesday and, at the same moment, Obama became president. The question would have to do with his legal ability to exercise his authority as president until taking the oath, with many constitutional scholars coming down on the side of "he's president, but until he takes the oath, he can't do anything presidential." (Article II, § 1(8) says, "Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath . . . .") The question then became whether the flubbed oath counted. I saw disagreement on that, but most were taking the "better safe than sorry" approach.

BTW, this isn't the first time this has happened. Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur both re-took the oath. Both of those times, the sitting president had died (or been killed) while in office, and there was a question as to whether the first oath had been administered by someone qualified to do so.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But apparently you don't talk to enough lawyers. (And if that's the case, good for you. ) This was a prime topic of conversation yesterday, going back and forth between "what was the CJ thinking, trying to do the oath from memory?" to "the CJ should really be embarrassed" to "what's the legal effect of flubbing the oath?"

As to the last question, others are right: Per Amendment XX, GWB's term ended at noon on Tuesday and, at the same moment, Obama became president. The question would have to do with his legal ability to exercise his authority as president until taking the oath, with many constitutional scholars coming down on the side of "he's president, but until he takes the oath, he can't do anything presidential." (Article II, § 1(8) says, "Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath . . . .") The question then became whether the flubbed oath counted. I saw disagreement on that, but most were taking the "better safe than sorry" approach.

BTW, this isn't the first time this has happened. Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur both re-took the oath. Both of those times, the sitting president had died (or been killed) while in office, and there was a question as to whether the first oath had been administered by someone qualified to do so.

Exactly; I'm a big fan of the CJ (he's one of my favorite Supreme Court justices ever, as dorky as that sounds), and even I was a little puzzled as to why he went about it the way he did.

[RaggedyAnn]

At least it will sound better now for news clips and commemorative DVDs.