Hope restored: Obama takes oath of office again
posted at 9:00 pm on January 21, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Apparently Barack Obama must read the blogs, or listen to constitutional lawyers on television. The new President took some free advice and re-took the oath of office today, just to be on the safe side:
Chief Justice John Roberts administered the presidential oath of office to Barack Obama for a second time Wednesday just to be on the safe side.
The unusual step came after Roberts flubbed the 35-word constitutionally prescribed oath a bit on Tuesday, causing Obama to repeat the wording differently than as prescribed in the Constitution.
The chief justice and the president handled the matter privately in the Map Room on Wednesday night. White House counsel Greg Craig said Obama retook the oath for the sake of caution.
The prospect of President Joe Biden must have caused Obama a sleepless night in his new residence. And as it turns out, Obama wasn’t the first president to flub the oath on Inauguration Day. Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur both had do-overs after fumbling the first attempt, the AP notes. I’m pretty sure that Obama has to feel some relief at not making history with this.
Now we can rest easy, with the specter of President Biden … or heaven forfend, President Pelosi … put to rest. I’m feeling HopeandChangey already!
Blowback
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CYA
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on January 21, 2009 at 9:03 PM
This isn’t going to satisfy people who want to make a big deal about it because it wasn’t done in public.
Mark1971 on January 21, 2009 at 9:04 PM
oh, thank goodness!
/now, about the b/c barry …
:-)
:-)
Buckaroo on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
I too can now rest easy this evening. Gag me with a spoon.
ORrighty on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
I’m glad he did this. It shows he respects the oath. I honestly thought he wouldn’t care.
JellyToast on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Now all he needs to do is produce his birth certificate.
echosyst on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
It occurs to me he has seen the lawsuits? Remember all of those suits filed to look at Barack Obama’s birth certificate -that have been presented about “The ONE” Does Roberts have some inside knowledge, and was just you know choking on the words.
Dr Evil on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
obama wasn’t too happy with Biden’s crack about Robert’s memory. He looked like a disgusted parent, when their child says something stupid but can’t reprimand them.
joepub on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Now……………
…………. about that birth certificate thingy.
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 9:06 PM
This is dumb.
Weight of Glory on January 21, 2009 at 9:06 PM
But the one that will always be remembered by the people that were watching it– will be the goofed one,and for some reason my dark soul is happy about that.
canditaylor68 on January 21, 2009 at 9:06 PM
The unusual step came after Roberts flubbed the 35-word constitutionally prescribed oath a bit on Tuesday, causing Obama to repeat the wording differently than as prescribed in the Constitution.
Roberts did that on purpose! It’s a travesty of justice! He did it so Biden would become … oh wait, never mind.
Tony737 on January 21, 2009 at 9:07 PM
LBJ was sworn in privately on Air Force 1 (IIRC) with only a few snapshots to record it.
Gideon7 on January 21, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Great minds……
……… think alike!
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Honestly, this birth certificate stuff is as bad as the “Palin gave birth to her granddaughter” crap. It’s trooferesque.
okonkolo on January 21, 2009 at 9:08 PM
Oh God, you can hear the moonbat PUMAS with Berg at the helm followed and backed up by the Far Right wingnuts – all Truthers btw – howling at the moon.
AprilOrit on January 21, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Obviously, Chief Justice Roberts doesn’t speak with a black voice.
SouthernGent on January 21, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Could you even IMAGINE if Bush had done this in 2000? I am obviously a wise enough man to realize everyone makes mistakes. But if this had happened to President Bush in 2000 or 2004, it would have been headline worthy news for weeks. The youtube clips would have been simply unbearable.
BackSeatDriver on January 21, 2009 at 9:09 PM
“okonkolo on January 21, 2009 at 9:08 PM”
newsflash — Sarah doesn’t have a granddaughter.
however, barry’s b/c has NEVER seen the light of day — there is a difference …
Buckaroo on January 21, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Roberts is just another example of Bush-era incompetence
Noneya on January 21, 2009 at 9:11 PM
So does this mean it`s his 2nd term?
Alright, only 4 more years!
ThePrez on January 21, 2009 at 9:11 PM
The Birthers among you must be totally jealous of the Oathers!
benny shakar on January 21, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Change Fidel can believe in!
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 9:13 PM
It is believed that Obama has now spent over $2 million dollars on 5 different law firms keeping his birth certificate (that cost may also include his college records) from public view. I’d just have paid the $12.50? for a copy, released it to the public, and have been done with it, unless … … …
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Oh no,thats not good…..its a sign…..of impending
doom,not good at all!
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:13 PM
No do-overs.
You flubbed it when it counted genius.
DeweyWins on January 21, 2009 at 9:15 PM
I thinks someone be paranoid.
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 9:15 PM
You don’t need to say the oath, only say: “I will.” after it is read.
Roberts should be ashamed of himself for screwing up such a serious moment in the nation’s passage.
I don’t even like Obama, but you don’t mess with history, Chief Justice, by such amateurish incompetence.
I think Obama just did this to yank Roberts’ chain.
And justifiably so.
profitsbeard on January 21, 2009 at 9:15 PM
When someone starts out a sentence with the passive “It is believed..” you know the rest of the statement is horse hockey.
Low grade horse hockey at that.
SteveMG on January 21, 2009 at 9:16 PM
I was surprised to learn that it has happened before, and handled this same way. Whoda thunk it?
Skandia Recluse on January 21, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Sorry, too many already agree. He’s one of the best legal writers and thinkers the Court has ever had. Scalia, Roberts, and Alito are by far the best writers on the Court.
Shifting gears, have they revisited everything official action taken before re-taking the oath? How about that Gitmo action? If he signed something before the second oath, in a year, when nothing has happened, he’ll argue that the action was ineffective.
Too funny.
BuckeyeSam on January 21, 2009 at 9:17 PM
What is a black voice?
AprilOrit on January 21, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Doesn’t matter anyway. His momma was American-Marxist. Courts have already ruled on the issue of an American citizen born abroad. They are a natural-born citizen by right of parental citizenship.
The only way to take out this foo’ is with bodies – March on DC singin’ Dixieland.
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Don’t bet the farm on that simplistic assumption.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:18 PM
I don’t know why anyone is getting mad at me. I’m not the paranoid one hiding his fricken birth certificate.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Chill already about the oath. It’s not like Obama is going to take any of that protect the country against all threats foreign and domestic stuff seriously anyway.
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 9:21 PM
The Brithers among you………
benny shakar on Jan 21,2009 at 9:13PM.
benny shakar: You mean,like a boating docking birth,like
the Titanic Obama Administration!
And benny,you should have a court protection
order against yourself,and not be allowed to
be within 100 feet of yourself,for your own
good!———–Haha.
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:22 PM
We all noticed that you didn’t say “I believe” but, instead, “It is believed”.
Believed by whom?
“It is believed” that we never landed on the moon. “It is believed” that the sun revolves around the earth. “It is believed” that the earth is flat.
Believed by nuts.
SteveMG on January 21, 2009 at 9:23 PM
And the angels sang!
juanito on January 21, 2009 at 9:24 PM
A sign of the changes to come.
BDU-33 on January 21, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Don’t forget,on the ‘Birth CertificateGate’,
it was a concerned LIBERAL who took it to
the Supreme Court!
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Are we sure those kids are actually his?
Just asking.
Bishop on January 21, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Never mind the fact that he flubbed the oath of office.
Where’s the unicorns and rainbows that we were promised once Obama got into office? I want my unicorns and rainbows, dang it!
ScoopPC11 on January 21, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Listen to XM Radio 169 THE POWER
“Conversation about social, political, and economic issues from the African American perspective.”
It’s not racist since it’s mostly anti-white.
crash72 on January 21, 2009 at 9:30 PM
“It is believed” that we landed on the moon. “It is believed” that the earth revolves around the sun. “It is believed” that the earth is round (actually slightly pear shaped).
See, that works the other way around just as well and such a hoopla all based on a manner of speaking rather than the matter of his not releasing his birth certificate (the real issue). How much do you believe that he has spent and on how many lawyers or do you believe that he has not spent anything to keep his birth certificate from being seen by Americans?
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Sure keep blaming Roberts for Obama’s screw up. Obama messed up first…jumping ahead of Roberts and threw the CJ off his stride.
I realize Obama’s probably been saying the oath to himself everyday since Kindergarden (if you believe Hillary)…and at least since his first tea with Bill Ayers, but come on…when you repeat an oath, you wait for the guy administering it to say the line.
Rogue on January 21, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Philip Berg? He’s also a 9/11 Truther who wants to charge Bush with complicity in the attacks. He also wanted Supreme Court justices disbarred that sided with Bush in Bush v. Gore. And Berg is a Clinton supporter who wanted Obama disqualified.
amerpundit on January 21, 2009 at 9:33 PM
Has The One blamed Bush yet?
Zorro on January 21, 2009 at 9:34 PM
C’mon…. The O is in way over his head. Has been since the onset. Wayyyyy over.
Jed1899 on January 21, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Repeating a lie does not make it the truth, the courts have never declared any foreign born American a “Natural Born Citizen”, they have declared them citizens… two totaly different things…
And Thankyou Obama, for in this instance (the oath) following the letter of the Constitution.
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Singing Dixieland??
Are you joking?? Why?
You mean a crazy moonbat troother….let’s be classy people – let’s not emulate the behavior…
Are we sure those kids are actually his?
Just asking.
Bishop on January 21, 2009 at 9:26 PM
So inappropiate….again – keep it classy…
AprilOrit on January 21, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Our loons at TNR told us what it is…this is linked in the Allahpundit post about ComedyCentral with the President Bush picture…
SouthernGent on January 21, 2009 at 9:38 PM
Maybe he also beats his wife and cheats on his income tax and maybe even bays at the moon, but extraneous to the matter of The One not performing the simple act of saying to an aide, “Get my birth certificate released” and being done with it.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:40 PM
I personally giggled with the “preserve the Constitution” part.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on January 21, 2009 at 9:40 PM
I’m still trying to figure out why we are supposed to march singing Dixieland….
AprilOrit on January 21, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Philip Berg?
amerpundit on Jan 21,209 at 9:33PM.
amerpundit: Affrimitive,and Yes.
He was on CoastoCoast radio,a few times,and
you should of heard the Liberal callers go up
one side of him and down the other!
Liberal on liberal,especially since he was
accused of single handily tried to derail
the ‘Ones’ Presidentcy,by Liberals!!!haha:)
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:40 PM
What’s wrong April…………..
………… if it’s good enough for Gov. Sarah Palin, then why not all elected political officials?
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 9:41 PM
crap,that 2009,not 209.Ugh.
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Has he proven Michelle is the mother of his children yet? Wait, wrong universe.
Jim Treacher on January 21, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Gah! Late to the joke again…
Jim Treacher on January 21, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Until,any one see’s a birth certificate,
of President Hopey/Changey,its fair game!!
Jus sayin!
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:43 PM
No worries……….
…………. just keep Helen Thomas on the mind.
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 9:44 PM
There is no provision that the oath needs to be it needs to be done in public with a multi-million dollar orgasim of faux patriotism.
Lyndon Johnson took the oath on the plane back from Dallas. Other unexpected Presidents took the oath in private with a small number of witnesses. It’s the oath that matters not the surroundings and I’m willing to bet that the only reason why this was done is the media. Hard to believe that this is the first time in the nation’s history that the oath wasn’t letter perfect.
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 9:44 PM
It was pretty clear to me “where he was coming from”. Think about it.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Still buying ammo.
jukin on January 21, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Well, if you gotta’ ask, maybe not.
Or maybe so.
You never know.
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 9:46 PM
“Obama takes oath of office again”
Can we consider this his second term?
artist on January 21, 2009 at 9:48 PM
It is believed that The One is doing it out of compassion, that His earthly mother told Him as a child that if any unclean person (like some whitey) saw His birth certificate they would be turned to stone.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:48 PM
Let’s wait and see what comes of Alan Keyes’ lawsuit. He is the only plaintiff with true actual standing to sue.
Are those Michelle kids really his? After all, they don’t look like him. Perspiring minds are dying to know the truth.
platypus on January 21, 2009 at 9:49 PM
This has got to be the most ignorant statement you’ve ever made. Politics aside, Roberts is a genius. There is absolutely no way you saw or heard his confirmation hearing and are able to say that with a straight face.
I won’t defend everything Bush did, but Roberts is objectively not incompetent.
But hey, I won’t hold this against you. We can still have a drink.
Esthier on January 21, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Wanna bet on who will release a birth certificate first? Trigg or Barry?
christene on January 21, 2009 at 9:50 PM
WTF, fellers. Ya’ll don’t like Dixieland, or what?
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Hey! Safety Dance! Men Without Hats!
We can leave your friends behind. Because your friends don’t dance, and if they don’t dance, then they’re no friends of mine!
That, right there, is probably where we lost a generation…
juanito on January 21, 2009 at 9:50 PM
I have it on good authority the Obamatons are reading me.
Not that they’re taking my advice.
/
JammieWearingFool on January 21, 2009 at 9:50 PM
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/us/politics/28mccain.html
Good enough for one, good enough for t’ other.
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 9:52 PM
You mean a crazy moonbat truther….
AprilOrit on Jan 21,2009 at 9:37PM.
AprilOrit:Oooooooooooo yer killin me here,ahaha,
a Liberal whose a Liberal MoonBat with
bats in his belfry,p#ssing off other
Liberals,who aren’t happy that a Liberal
had the balls,to question the’ONE’ before
the election,and ruin History,so everyone
on the Left could feel better for at least
a nano-second!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 9:52 PM
It is believed that they do bare a certain resemblance to John Edwards, however.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Not really. When it comes to jazz I’m more of a big band person.
Esthier on January 21, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Why should he? Did Bush have to release his birth certificate after being elected? Because a bunch of loons insist he do something he should do it? I assure you that there aren’t enough people out there who buy into the 9/11 conspiracy theorist’s latest conspiracy to warrant him taking time to prove them wrong.
amerpundit on January 21, 2009 at 9:58 PM
No worries……….
…………. just keep Helen Thomas on the mind.
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Is it true that when you say her name horses whinny like they did for Frau Bluecher in “Young Frankenstein”?
kingsjester on January 21, 2009 at 9:58 PM
WTF fellers,Ya’ll don’t like Dixieland,or what?
Klickink.wordpress.com on Jan 21,2009 at 9:50PM.
klickink.wordpress.com: Me thinks,’Yankee Doodle Dandy’
might work better,no?:)
canopfor on January 21, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Berg sued George W Bush – for that alone the guy should be hanged for treason.
AprilOrit on January 21, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Phew!
tmq on January 21, 2009 at 10:01 PM
I think the flub is either an omen or it’s karma… maybe both.
Texas Gal on January 21, 2009 at 10:02 PM
I prefer the Battle Hymn of the Republic or Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Dixieland isn’t exactly patriotic enough.
AprilOrit on January 21, 2009 at 10:03 PM
That makes me want to run and hide under my bed.
Sir Corky on January 21, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Fraid not. Obama DOES make history in being the first President to screw up the oath.
Coolidge retook the oath because it originally was done by a notary, and there were legal questions on whether or not they had constitutional authority to swear in a President.
Arthur retook the oath on choice, since the first time was done in private.
Both Coolidge and Arthur didn’t bungle the oath.
Enoxo on January 21, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Yep, has yet to be settled… Congress did pass a sense of type of Resolution… but its nonbinding.
The last Supreme Court decision that discussed Natural Born specificly did not answer the question.
And McCain was NOT born in a Military Hospital according to his birth cert… he was born in a civilian hospital, and at the time of his birth, the question of his citizenship was open. They passed a law later, which Grandfathered him in as a citizen, but under some legal interpretations, because he was not a citizen at BIRTH, he could not be a Natural Born Citizen…
But the courts punted on the question, and never ruled.
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 10:05 PM
For the record, Zero blew the whole thing. He jumped in too early before Roberts had finished the first part of the oath, sort of like a false start by the offense. Then Roberts was thrown offsides. Penalty: Zero
PC14 on January 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
They should have had the oath on a teleprompter. He would have sailed through it.
kingsjester on January 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Extraneous.
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Just how long to you figure it would take The One to say, “Just release my birth certificate, make it so”?
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 10:08 PM
RHINO! The full-on GOP treatment would be to claim they’re McCain’s.
benny shakar on January 21, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Nirthers have infected Hot Air? I don’t care for Obama’s socialism/communism, and I think it’s a terrible idea for him to be President. However, this birth certificate crap is…crap. Right up there with Trooferism.
Tom Blogical on January 21, 2009 at 10:10 PM
It’s just a style. It could be patriotic.
Esthier on January 21, 2009 at 10:11 PM
And I was only referring to the comment section. I’m well aware of the author’s views about Nirtherism. Just to make sure I’m clear.
Tom Blogical on January 21, 2009 at 10:12 PM
No, more like Clinton’s. The claim was that Palin had an affair with a co-worker. The Obama girls are too young to be their own mothers.
Esthier on January 21, 2009 at 10:12 PM
How about the question of whether the writers of the Constitution, wanted Dual Citizens to be President?
And, just what is Obama’s citizenship status LEGALY?
He was British American at birth, then may have become an Indonesian citizen via adoption… but none of the records have been made available to see…
Its an interesting question, and one the courts have punted on not heard because of various reasons (standing, didn’t sue in time…).
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 10:15 PM
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