Flubbing the Oath
- On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed the oath of office in his attempt to recite it from memory while swearing in Barack Obama.
- The following day, for good measure, Obama took the oath again:
Obama and Roberts went through the drill again out of what White House counsel Greg Craig called “an abundance of caution.”
This time, the scene was the White House Map Room in front of a small group of reporters, not the Capitol platform before the whole watching world.
“We decided that because it was so much fun …,” Obama joked to reporters
Later on, Vice President Biden attempted to get in a cheap shot at Roberts while swearing in the senior members of White House Staff:
Obama: Joe, you want to administer the oath?
Biden: Am I doing this again? Oh! For the senior staff. My memory’s not as good as Justice Roberts‘ … Chief Justice Roberts.
Obama, not looking amused, gave Biden a tap on his back with his right hand in an attempt to get his VP back on track.
The oath then took place without any more incidents, but Biden did get some laughs from staffers and the press corps.
- Biden then proceeded to flub the oath while administering it to Colorado Sen. Michael Bennett.
14 Responses to Flubbing the Oath
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“But Biden got some laughs…..” Thus consolidating his role as the Court Jester of the Obama Monarchy. The trips to the attic will be Fact Finding Tours. Get him to Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan. Meet with Medvedev, whoever is running Hamas these days, communing with his soul brother Hugo Chavez. I do not go with conspiracy theories. People do what they do, sometimes in concert with others, always to benefit themselves. But Dick Chaney was given authority far beyond that of a Vice President, perhaps any in that august position. Back in August, while Michael Phelps was breaking Olympic swimming records and Russian tanks were rumbling in Georgia, someone decided that Mr. Obama should have an anti-Chaney as running mate. In part, to enhance the Annointed One’s celestial status. In part, because it might be fun. Thus our Joe. Awaiting more tortured defenses of abortion in light of twisted interpretation of Augustine. Or more dumb statements about the long-suffering Jill. He may provide the limited amount of fun to expect for the next few years. Thus do we see the manifestation of Hope and Change. Perhaps in Jabberin Joe his own self.
heh. I posted the video earlier, but it cut out before Biden flubbed the oath.
Interestingly, Obama did not find it necessary to use the Lincoln (or any bible) for this corrected swearing in… I guess it was just for show.
Matt
The re-did the oath just to make sure the Constitutional formality was complied with. The Constitution does not mention a Bible, so there was really no need to include one, and I am sure Lincoln’s bible had probably already been returned to wherever they keep it.
John Henry,
I did not say it was not a legal oath… I merely pointed out that the use of the Lincoln or any bible, apparently, was only for show.
Interestingly, Johnson was sworn in on a Catholic missal they found in Kennedy’s desk on Air Force one.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/01/22/oaths_bibles_and_presidents.html
I’m pretty sure there was a bible SOMEWHERE nearby.
Matt
Without using google can anyone tell me the President who was sworn into office by his father, a justice of the peace?
I should probably ask for clues, but I am going to guess Chester Arthur, needing to be sworn in after Garfield’s inauguration.
err, Garfield’s assassination.
Woodrow Wilson?
I meant calvin coolidge… big difference, eh?
Mr. DeFrancisis is correct! Coolidge’s dad was also a Civil War vet, and “Silent Cal” took the oath again later from a Supreme Court justice due to some concern over whether his father, who was a notary public as wll as a justice of the peace, had the authority to swear him in. The first swearing in was done in the middle of the night at his father’s farm after Coolidge received news of Harding’s death. I have always thought that must have been a very proud moment for Coolidge’s father, but I am sure with granite New England reserve he gave no outward indication
Hey, at least I was on the right track with my guess.
Coolidge, hun? Boy, I was waaaaaay off. My first guess was John Quincy Adams.
Gerard E wrote:
“He(Biden) may provide the limited amount of fun to expect for the next few years.”
Well, Obama has no siblings to embarrass him, so Biden is stepping up to the plate and taking on the Billy Carter role. Knowing Joe’s love of choo-choos, maybe when Obama sends him on a “fact-finding mission” it will be on an Amtrak that travels in a non-stop loop for the next 4 years.
If I were some sort of conspiracy theorist, I might say that the first oath was invalid for lack of proper form, and the second non-binding because of the lack of a bible. This would combine nicely with suggestions that he is disqualified from the presidency due to unanswered questions about his citizenship.
Fun.