U.S. President Barack Obama will take his last public oath of office on Capitol Hill Monday after winning re-election in November.
President Obama was officially sworn into his second term during a private White House ceremony at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. His Vice President, Joe Biden, was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor hours earlier.
The U.S. Constitution states that the president must be sworn-in on January 20 even if it falls on a Sunday. Monday’s ceremony is public and ceremonial. It will be the seventh time that January 20 has fallen on a Sunday dating back to 1821.
Obama is scheduled to be sworn-in publicly at about 11:30 a.m. at the west side of the U.S. Capitol building by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
The Oath of Office is as follows: “I do solemnly swear 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.”
Obama’s inaugural speech will follow.
WATCH THE 57TH PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION LIVE
For the swearing-in ceremony, Obama will use two historic Bibles—one used by President Lincoln at his first inauguration and another used by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“President Obama is honored to use these Bibles at the swearing-in ceremonies,” said Steve Kerrigan, President and CEO of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé, and James Taylor are all scheduled to perform at the inauguration on Capitol Hill.
Following the speech at about 2:30 p.m., the Obamas and Bidens will lead the inaugural parade featuring floats and vehicles representing more than 58 groups in the U.S. government. At 6:00 p.m., President Obama will host the Commander-in-Chief’s Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Centre. The venue also hosted Obama’s 2009 ball.
The U.S. Secret Service released its inaugural security plan including a list of prohibited items for those in attendance. Additional airspace restrictions are in affect above Washington DC for Obama’s inauguration ceremony. Expect frequent security checks should you attend.
Links:
∙ Official Inaugural Store | About Washington DC | White House website | Obama bio | Biden bio
Peter Paul has been a Toronto and International Headlines Examiner for Examiner.com since 2009. Connect with him on Twitter @PeterPaulX or join his Examiner Facebook fan page.
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