Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration Preview:
The Inauguration (or Swearing in Ceremony) of the 44th President of the United States will be a historic event. Former Senator and President-elect Barack Obama will take his oath of office in front of thousands of Americans in a ceremony that the nation will never forget. Along with Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden will also be sworn in at the ceremony. Make sure you get your tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime event, and join in with your fellow Americans in celebrating the election of our 44th President and first-ever black President of the United States – Barack Obama.
Presidential Inauguration Background:
The first Presidential Inauguration occurred on April 30, 1789 as the first President of the United States, George Washington, was sworn into office. Since Washington, the inauguration has become a defining moment in the American presidency. All U.S. presidents, including Washington, have uttered these words before assuming the presidency:
"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 location for the Presidential Inauguration is typically the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The ceremony starts at noon, though inaugural events start five days prior to the ceremony and end almost five days afterward. Most U.S. presidents have pledged their oath over a Christian Bible during the inauguration. Alhough Theodore Roosevelt and John Quincy Adams were not sworn in with their hand on a Bible, it is considered to be the custom.