Video: Chris Wallace wonders who’s President
posted at 10:40 am on January 21, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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I’m going to give Fox News’ Chris Wallace the benefit of the doubt here and assume he wanted to fill a little time during the interminable Hope and Change coverage yesterday. After both Barack Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts managed to bobble the Most HistoricTM Oath of Office evah, Wallace wondered aloud whether Obama legally could assume office:
“It’s just conceivable that this will end up going to the courts.” Well, yes, it is conceivable, since we have a myriad of lawsuits in process already objecting to Obama’s birth status, but it’s not terribly likely to have any more success than the Birthers have had in the courts. As Brit Hume points out, Obama will have at least one vote on the Supreme Court — John Roberts, who bungled the oath.
Otherwise, this is pointless. As every news organization pointed out at the time, Obama officially became President some time during Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma’s Inaugural Dirge. (Couldn’t they have found something a little more upbeat, or were they clued in to Obama’s speech?) Obama repeated what Roberts sputtered out, and that should be enough to satisfy all but the most intractable of ODS sufferers.
Besides, I’m not comforted by the words President Joe Biden. And since the alternative to that is President Nancy Pelosi, I’m more than satisfied with the oath taken yesterday, bobbles and all.
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“As every news organization pointed out at the time, Obama officially became President some time during Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma’s Inaugural Dirge.”
Ed, instead of taking the news organizations on faith (BTW, they disagreed– Katie Couric said Biden was POTUS then), please consult a constitutional expert.
I was lucky to be surrounded by three nationally-known experts at the time, and all three vehemently protested Wolf Blitzer’s proclamation that Obama became POTUS at noon, oath or not.
That’s simply not how it works, Ed.
Dave@Garfield Ridge on January 21, 2009 at 12:22 PM
You mean he gets a do-over? Rats. Roberts should have thought of that before he pulled this dirty trick.
TexAz on January 21, 2009 at 12:34 PM
*shudders*
President Biden? President Pelosi?
Perish the thought.
NoFanofLibs on January 21, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Roberts flubbed it. Nobody is perfect. Move on, it is silly.
getalife on January 21, 2009 at 1:00 PM
It just struck me as to what really amuses me about this whole thing…
It IS a clear constitutional requirement that he say those words, in that order…
And in an OATH which states: “and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Manages to not follow the Constitution… in what is his very FIRST act as President…
Its like a bad movie… but sometimes reality is much more bizarre than anything Hollyweird can come up with…
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 1:02 PM
I guess what baffles me is that President Obama (there I said it, ech!) and Chief Justice Roberts are supposedly two Constitutional Scholars.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
“I Barack Hussein Obama”; “I Barack”; “do solemnly swear”; “I Barack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear”; “That I will execute the office of President to the United States faithfully”; “That I will execute (pause, pause)”; “The off, faithfully, the Pres, the office of President of the United States”; “The office of President to the United States faithfully”; “And will to the best of my ability”, “And will to b…est of my ability”; “Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”; “Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”; “So help you God”; “So help me God”; “Congratulations Mr. President”
pain train on January 21, 2009 at 1:30 PM
The minute Wallace brought this up I said to myself: “Self…here’s your first nutroots conspiracy theory of the Age of Obama: Fox News leads effort to remove The Golden Child from Office coz reichwing ‘justice’ Roberts carries water for PNAC.”
Mike D. on January 21, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Talking about erratic and hypocritcial, the Erratic Andrew Sullivan!
Mr. Joe on January 21, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Army of Darkness reference doesn’t involve enunciation, but the actual replacement of the proper word used, which is what we are talking about here.
I agree it’s a trifling matter, but sometimes trifling matters give way to matters not so trifling.
It’s another instance of how distractions muddy the waters.
Who knows what to pick on & defend when there is so much ‘noise’ out there?
Easy to get in under the radar, I’m afraid, with this type of atmosphere.
It happens all the time with things like the interpretation of the Clean Air & Water Acts, EPA mandates, etc…..
Badger40 on January 21, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Just as his qualifications are ‘bobbled’, so was the oath.
BO is consistent in his, at times clumsy, empty suit facade; I wonder if the zombies will ever catch on. The media might have something to do with the outcome, which seems a no-brainer.
The masses have finally found their Messiah and not even atheists are pointing out the religiosity of The Obama Nation.
Amazing? Not in The Age of Obama!
And, they’re ‘just getting started! Who-haaa!’
Christine on January 21, 2009 at 3:40 PM
I dont know whats worse
Obama is a nice looking laywer who absolutly has never done anything except sue his own government on behalf of minorities
or Biden
the absolute friggin moron whos only claim to fame is
he DIDNT blow the oath like obama did..
jcila on January 21, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Hillary will find it easy to make Byrd look like an unfortunate incident – heck he had to be carried out after Kennedy’s seizure. The other three will take a little doing but I’m sure she’s up to it.
The question really comes down to the order, doesn’t it?
I’d bet on Joe being first – if she’s tapped to replace him that saves her two steps.
All I know is that if I’m getting on a plane and I see Biden, Pelosi, and/or Byrd getting on them I’m getting off!
KCSteve on January 21, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Wallace…wallace… the name rings a bell. Isn’t he related to some famous guy named wallace? Is he related to Rusty Wallace?
kanda on January 21, 2009 at 6:14 PM
just heard on CNN, Obama retoke the oath today
agmartin on January 21, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Man, you were so right. Great point. Boy, you must be really smart or, as they say in Boston, “wicked smaaat” Now, go home, its time to leave work and stop checking Hotair.com every 20 minutes…
RedSoxNation on January 21, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Exactly RedSox. Moot now that he has.
Christian Conservative on January 21, 2009 at 11:05 PM
Words have meaning and it is the meaning that provides legal credibility.
Personal experience proves this. I was once placed under arrest and the ‘Miranda Rights’ were not administered properly – the officer fumbled the words and left out one clause. My lawyer, filed for a dismissal under the fact that I was not read my rights and the charges were dropped and I went free.
MSGTAS on January 22, 2009 at 9:12 AM
If a Bible is necessary for use in a court of law, when swearing in, why isn’t it necessary to swear in the President?
No Bible was used for the second, supposedly correct and official, swearing in.
Sami on January 22, 2009 at 10:30 AM
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