Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Obama retakes oath


Well, as you probably know right now, the right-wingers out there have been having a field day with the fact that the presidential oath was flubbed. Naturally, they've been blaming Obama (calling him incompetent) and also have been claiming that he's, therefore, not "really" president. What they're not acknowledging, needless to say, is that it was Chief Justice Roberts who flubbed the oath. (That's why the above cartoon is so rich!)

Of course, according to the Constitution, Obama officially became President at 12 Noon yesterday - even before the oath was taken. But just to err on the side of thoroughness and caution, he took the oath all over again this evening:

President Obama retook his oath of office Wednesday after Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed while delivering it at Tuesday's inauguration.

The second oath -- also administered by Roberts -- took place at 7:35 p.m. Wednesday in the White House's Map Room. Roberts asked Obama whether he was ready.

"I am, and we're going to do it very slowly," Obama replied.

The do-over was aimed at dispelling any confusion that might arise from Tuesday's take -- in which "faithfully" was said out of sequence -- and erase any question that Obama is legally the president.

However, per the Constitution, Obama became president at noon Tuesday without taking the oath.

"We believe that the oath of office was administered effectively and that the president was sworn in appropriately yesterday," White House counsel Greg Craig said Wednesday in a written statement.
...
Before Wednesday's do-over at the White House, Obama, waiting on a couch, joked that "we decided it was so much fun ... "

Now that remark is classy! :-)

Okay, wingnuts! I hope your minds are now put at ease.

2 comments:

  1. meh. 'open your mouth and expose your ignorance' came to mind re: wingnuts, in this case they apparently didn't know the oath, eh?

    I thought at the time Obama showed plenty of grace and class for giving C.J. Roberts the opportunity to get it right, alas, addled brains abound everywhere (I have one).

    My hope is that the wingnuts just give it up and join the rest of us in working together to help our new President, our country, and the world.

    Will we EVER hear a President say the words 'God Bless this earth and all its inhabitants'? I was really hoping to hear this or something similar, (not just 'America') from Obama on Tuesday.

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  2. Oh, yes, Marianne, I'm so with you. I felt a real disapppointment at that "God bless..." bit.

    Well, it's become a ritual. But wouldn't it be wonderful to hear "God bless everyone; no exceptions".

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