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First inauguration of Barack Obama

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File:Obama-Biden Presidential Inaugural Committee logo.png
2009 Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama
Preparations at the Capitol
Date January 20, 2009 www.pic2009.org
LocationWashington, D.C.
U.S. Capitol
ParticipantsPresident-elect of the United States, Barack H. Obama II
Assuming office
Chief Justice of the United
States, John G. Roberts
Administering oath
Vice President-elect of the United States
Joe R. Biden, Jr.
Assuming office
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, John Paul Stevens
Administering oath
Joint Congressional Committee
on Inaugural Ceremonies
Responsible for inaugural events
(including inaugural parade
and balls)

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This article is part of
a series about
Barack Obama
Personal
Illinois State Senator and U.S. Senator from Illinois
44th President of the United States
Tenure
Policies
Appointments
Presidential campaigns
Barack Obama's signature
Seal of the President of the United States

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The 2009 presidential inauguration of Barack Obama will take place on January 20, 2009 under the provisions of the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The inauguration will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama and Joe Biden as President and Vice President, respectively. The inauguration is expected to draw a record-setting crowd of between 1.5 and 4 million people.[1] The theme of the inauguration is "A New Birth of Freedom," commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.[2]

Official Inauguration events commence on January 17th with a train ride beginning in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and stopping in Wilmington, Delaware and Baltimore, Maryland before continuing on to Washington, D.C.[3] Events are scheduled in Washington from January 18 to January 21, 2009.[4]

Details

The commencement of inauguration activities is a tribute to Abraham Lincoln, a former Illinois politician and the sixteenth president of the United States. Lincoln travelled by train from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. in 1861.[5] Lincoln stopped in 70 places along the way to his inauguration, but his tour began in Template:City-state on February 11, 1861 before arriving in Philadelphia on February 21.[6]

After holding a town hall meeting in Philadelphia at 10 a.m., Obama will ride to Wilmington to pick up Vice President-elect Biden. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is preventing private planes, news helicopters, balloonists and others from getting anywhere near the airspace above the train.[5] Obama and family depart from 30th Street Station at 11 a.m. and arrive in Union Station at 7 p.m.[6]

The inaugural program will begin on January 20 at 10a.m. EST with the oath of office and inaugural address taking place at noon at the west front of the United States Capitol.[7] The public observation area is the National Mall, although a section of the Mall between 3rd and 4th Streets NW is reserved for ticket-holders.[7]

The 2009 inauguration is expected to be attended by 1.5 to 4 million people, which would set a record.[1] Lyndon Johnson's 1965 inauguration holds the record with 1.2 million attendees, following John F. Kennedy's assassination. By comparison, both of George W. Bush's inaugurations drew about 300,000.[8]

Unlike in political campaigns, there are no legal restrictions on the amount that one can contribute to an inaugural celebration. The 2005 inauguration saw numerous corporations contribute $250,000 to George W. Bush's second inauguration, which cost an estimated $42.3 million,[9] while Obama's inauguration is expected to cost $40 million from Obama's Presidential Inaugural Committee[10] and "near $50 million" from the city.[11] As the costs have soared to over $150 million for the District and neighboring states,[9] such as Maryland where the costs are over $11 million,[12] President Bush has declared a state of emergency.[13] Barack Obama's inauguration committee (Penny Pritzker, John W. Rogers, Jr., Pat Ryan, William Daley and Julianna Smoot) set a $50,000 contribution limit to underscore their "commitment to change business as usual in Washington."[14] As of January 6, 2009, the committee had raised over $27 million and at least 378 people gave the maximum $50,000, including George Soros, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ron Howard, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Jim Henson's daughter Lisa Henson.[15] Although the committee is not accepting donations from PACs, federally registered lobbyists, or corporations,[16] they are accepting donations from individuals with active lobbying interest such as Google and Microsoft executives such as Eric Schmidt and Steve Ballmer.[15]

The Tuskegee Airmen are among the invited guests for the inauguration.[17]

Obama has purchased his first new tuxedo in 15 years for the inauguration.[18] The tuxedo was made by Hart Schaffner Marx, a Chicago-based menswear firm that uses union labor.[18]

The number of official inaugural balls during inauguration week has not been confirmed,[18] but the Obamas will attend ten official inaugural balls on January 20.[19] The Obamas will begin Inauguration Day night at the Washington Convention Center as hosts of the "Neighborhood Inaugural Ball", which will commence the evening of celebrations.[20] The Neighborhood Ball is scheduled to be the premier event of the evening.[21] Numerous celebrities will participate in it.[22] Obama will also host the "Commander-in-Chief's Ball" at the National Building Museum for Purple Heart recipients, families of fallen heroes, and spouses of deployed military.[23][24]

During the four nights of the inauguration celebration, District of Columbia bars will be permitted to remain open until 5:00AM, later than usual.[18] Additionally, restaurants will be allowed to stay open twenty-four hours a day for the entire four day period.[25] Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies Chairperson, Senator Dianne Feinstein and committee member Senator Robert Foster Bennett felt that the original 5am liquor curfew and 24 hour food service would be a strain on law enforcement resources. The Council of the District of Columbia passed the extended curfews as emergency legislation proposed by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.[25]

The District of Columbia police force is expected to double to 8,000 with the police officers from around the United States being added to the force for additional security.[25][8] Five thousand troops will participate in the Inaugural Parade in a ceremonial capacity. 1,300 unarmed National Guard troops will aid Park Police in crowd control on the National Mall. The remainder will perform other security functions. The FAA will have airspace restrictions on the city from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 20th.[5]

Program

The program by the Congressional leaders includes music by vocalist Aretha Franklin, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill.[26] Some of the musical selections are by composer John Williams.[27] Poet Elizabeth Alexander will speak.[26] Other inauguration participants include the "The President's Own" (the United States Marine Band) and the United States Navy Band.[26] The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus will also perform.[28] Evangelical pastor Rick Warren is scheduled to deliver the invocation,[29][30] while civil rights activist Joseph Lowery of the United Methodist Church is scheduled to deliver the benediction for the inaugural ceremony.[31]

Vice President-elect Biden will take his oath first from Associate Justice John Paul Stevens,[26] then Obama will take his oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama is to be sworn on the Bible used by Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration in 1861, and will use the phrase "so help me God" at the end of the oath.[32][33] The swearing in will be followed by the very first 21-gun salute to the new President from the members of the armed forces, as well as the first playing of four ruffles and flourishes and "Hail to the Chief." Obama will deliver his inaugural address as the President of the United States following his swearing in ceremony.

Schedule

  • Gates to the Inaugural Ceremony open at 8 a.m.[28]
  • The inaugural festivities are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. They will include:
  • Musical selections of The United States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
  • Sen. Dianne Feinstein provides call to order and welcoming remarks.
  • Invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren.
  • Musical selection of Aretha Franklin.
  • Biden will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
  • Musical selection of John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet).
  • Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled around noon.
  • Obama gives the inaugural address.
  • Poem by Elizabeth Alexander.
  • Benediction by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.
  • The National Anthem by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."
  • Obama escorts outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.
  • The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.

Parade

The inaugural parade will travel down Pennsylvania Avenue, in front of the White House. Because of the threat that the President-elect may face on January 20, it is more than likely that Obama will be traveling down Pennsylvania Avenue by motorcade; it was tradition for the new President to walk instead of being driven. It is scheduled to extend for over two hours in the afternoon following the inauguration. It will include 15,000 people, 240 horses, dozens of marching bands, two drum and bugle corps, and one mariachi band from Espanola, New Mexico.[8] He has invited the 9-time Drum Corps International (DCI) World Champion The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, the eight-time finalist Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa, as well as the high school marching band from Punahou School, his high school in Hawaii to perform in the inaugural parade.[18] During part of the parade, Obama will ride in a new armored limousine.[13]

Online Broadcasting

A number of news organizations and online video broadcasting companies will stream the Inauguration live online[34]. It is expected that over 200 million viewers worldwide will watch Inauguration videos and live streams over the internet[35]. The event will also be available live to select iPhone users[36].

Use of “Hussein”

“I think the tradition is that they use all three names, and I will follow the tradition, not trying to make a statement one way or the other.”

Barack Hussein Obama[37]

Obama has decided to follow tradition and use his full name, including his middle name Hussein,[37] regardless of its past and present use by detractors as an effort to slant his image.[27] This seems to have caught the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies off guard. According to their announced program, the schedule states, "Oath of Office Administered to President-elect Barack H. Obama." The program also states that the inaugural address will be given by "the President of the United States, The Honorable Barack H. Obama."[27] The decision to use his middle name is part of an effort to "reboot America's image around the world," according to Obama.[38]

Connection with Abraham Lincoln criticism

Ironically, during his fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois on September 18, 1858, it was Lincoln who so staunchly objected to the equality of blacks and whites when he said:

"I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."[39]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Sheridan, Mary Beth (2008-12-22). "Inauguration Day Crowd Estimate Reduced by Half". Washington Post. p. A1. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
  2. ^ "Senator Feinstein Announces 2009 Inaugural Theme". Press Release. Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. 2008-11-05. Retrieved 2009-01-15. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Jackson, David (2008-12-15). "Obama's inaugural train to start in Philly". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  4. ^ "Inaugural Schedule". Presidential Inaugural Committee. undated. Retrieved 2008-12-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c "Obama set to ride rails to historic inauguration". Cable News Network. 2009-01-17. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  6. ^ a b Gray, Kathleen]] (2009-01-17). "Obama train ride to D.C. is a tribute to Lincoln". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  7. ^ a b Ruggeri, Amanda (2008-12-17). "A Visitor's Guide to the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama". U.S. News & World Report. U.S.News & World Report LP. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  8. ^ a b c "Officials scramble for last-minute Obama inauguration plans". The Associated Press. 2008-12-21. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  9. ^ a b MacAskill, Ewen (2009-01-14). "Obama's inauguration set to be the most expensive in US history: The $150m (£102m) cost of the celebration will dwarf the amount spent on George Bush's inauguration in 2005". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
  10. ^ Syeed, Nafeesa (2009-01-10). "Obama's inauguration by the numbers". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
  11. ^ Streitfeld, Rachel (2008-12-20). "Big inauguration equals big price tag". CNN. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
  12. ^ West, Paul (2009-01-14). "Inauguration to cost Md. $11 million: Train through state, stop in Baltimore on agenda". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
  13. ^ a b Thompson, Paul (2009-01-14). "Bush declares a 'state of emergency' in Washington as cost of Obama's swearing-in ceremony soars to £110m". Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
  14. ^ "Inauguration committee limits donations to $50,000". International Business Times. The Ibtimes Company. 2008-11-26. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  15. ^ a b Theimer, Sharon (2009-01-06). "Obama raises $27 million for inaugural". BusinessWeek. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  16. ^ "Inaugural committee offers a chance at tickets". BusinessWeek. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  17. ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (2008-12-09). "Inauguration Is a Culmination for Black Airmen". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  18. ^ a b c d e Seelye, Katharine Q. (2008-12-09). "In a New Tux, Obama Seeks the Proper Tone". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  19. ^ "Obamas to twirl through 10 inaugural balls Jan. 20". CTV.ca. CTV Global Media. 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2008-12-26.
  20. ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (2009-01-05). "Obama to Attend 'Neighborhood Ball'". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  21. ^ "President-elect Obama to Host Neighborhood Ball". PIC2009.org. 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  22. ^ Lorber, Janie (2009-01-13). "More Celebrities Sign On for Inauguration Festivities". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  23. ^ "President-elect Obama to Host Commander-in-Chief's Ball". PIC2009.org. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  24. ^ "Obama to host Commander-in-Chief's ball". Political Ticker. Cable News Network LP, LLLP. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  25. ^ a b c "Senators Call Extending Bar Hours for Inauguration a Bad Idea". Boston University School of Public Health. 2008-12-11. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  26. ^ a b c d "Aretha Franklin to sing at Obama inauguration: Yo-Yo Ma will play cello, accompanied by violinist Itzhak Perlman". MSNBC.com. The Associated Press/Microsoft. 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  27. ^ a b c Akers, Mary Ann (2008-12-17). "I Barack Hussein Obama Do Solemnly Swear..." The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  28. ^ a b "Schedule of events for Obama's inauguration". Associated Press. 2009-01-17. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  29. ^ Mooney, Alexander (2008-12-18). "Obama's inaugural choice sparks outrage". CNN.com. Cable News Network. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  30. ^ "Obama's New Pastor Controversy - - At Inauguration". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  31. ^ Zoll, Rachel (2008-12-19). "Preachers selected to pray at inauguration". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  32. ^ Seelye, Katherine Q., Obama to Take Oath on Same Bible as Lincoln, New York Times, December 23, 2008
  33. ^ Mears, Bill Obama has asked to say 'so help me God' at swearing-in CNN, January 9, 2009
  34. ^ Chris Tew. "Watch Barack Obama Inauguration Day Speech Online". WebTVHub. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  35. ^ "Watch Obama Inauguration Day 2009 Online - Live Streams". WebWire. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2009-01-17. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  36. ^ John Ham (2009-01-16). "Watch the Inauguration Live on the iPhone with Ustream". Ustream. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  37. ^ a b "Obama to Resurrect Middle Name for Inauguration Day". FOX News. FOX News Network, LLC. 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  38. ^ Parsons, Christi, John McCormick and Peter Nicholas (2008-12-09). "Barack Obama plans to reach out to Muslim world". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-12-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  39. ^ "Fourth Joint Debate at Charleston. Mr. Lincoln's Speech. Lincoln, Abraham. 1897. Political Debates Between Lincoln and Douglas:". bartleby.com. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
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