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Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library
President Ronald Reagan is sworn in for his second term in a private ceremony on Jan. 20, 1985, with his wife, Nancy Reagan, at his side and Chief Justice Warren Burger administering the oath in the White House Cross Hall, Grand Staircase.
Updated at 12:15 p.m. ET: For the first time since Ronald Reagan’s second term, a president has taken the oath of office for a term first in a private ceremony at the White House.
The Constitution says that the president must take office on Jan. 20. But if that's a Sunday, public inaugural festivities -- which for Obama will include a re-enactment of the swearing-in from Chief Justice John Roberts -– are saved for Monday.
So, Obama's swearing-in Sunday was a brief private affair in the Blue Room of the White House, an ornate oval room often used to receive official guests. Only Obama’s immediate family and a few reporters attended. The ceremony was televised live and streamed live on the Internet.
Reagan’s official ceremony took place at the grand North Entrance Hall to the White House, a roomy foyer where tours of the home exit onto Pennsylvania Avenue. Still, seating was limited so guests included family members of Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush as well as a smattering of legislative leaders and reporters.
The 1985 swearing-in of the president known as the Great Communicator was televised live. The ceremony was strikingly brief -- a few minutes at most. Reagan placed his left hand on a Bible given to him by his mother, then clearly repeated the 37-word oath recited by Chief Justice Warren Burger.
Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library
President Reagan being sworn in for second term by Warren Burger during the "private" ceremony held at the White House
He then gave first lady Nancy a kiss, posed for a picture and briskly walked with Bush to the North Portico, where the two waved at White House press corps reporters outside.
That Sunday, however, might be better remembered for Super Bowl XIX between the San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins, which was played at Stanford Stadium in California.
A former California governor, Reagan made the opening coin toss from the White House. It was broadcast on TV via satellite hookup.
Quarterback Joe Montana, MVP of the game, threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in a 38-16 win over the Dan Marino-led Dolphins. The game was watched by some 85 million people.
Obama was sworn in well before kickoff of Championship Sunday games, in which teams vying for this year's Super Bowl will take the field.
So, why not just skip the rerun swearing-in on Monday?
According to Meena Bose, a professor and presidential scholar at Hofstra University in New York, since the Constitution calls only for a presidential transition at noon and the oath -- and nothing more -- that’s possible. But inaugural celebrations are a tradition that goes back to George Washington.
“It would be a big problem politically for the president and his supporters and fundraisers. I'm not sure it would make a big difference to the public at large if there were no big celebrations, especially for the second inauguration,” Bose said.
“In the 1980s, there was a sense that celebration was good," Bose said. "These are much tougher times now for the country, so it’s certainly an occasion for celebration, but it’s a more workmanlike state of mind now than it was 28 years ago.”
In fact it was so bitterly cold in Washington in 1985 that the traditional outdoor inauguration was moved indoors to the Rotunda at the Capitol.
Reagan's son Ron Reagan, who provides commentary on msnbc, recalls the unusually severe temperatures and how they affected the events that Monday.
"Privileged attendees ended up packed like anchovies under the Capitol dome: family members, justices, new Cabinet members, scoundrels," Ron Reagan said in an email. "At least some of the parade was canceled over concerns that brass instruments would freeze to the lips of young marching band trumpeters, creating a grisly and appalling spectacle."
Obama will take it outdoors to the plaza at the Capitol, where he will take the oath again and give his inaugural address. The inaugural also coincides with Martin Luther King Day. An estimated 1.8 million people, the most ever to attend a inaugural ceremony, attended Obama's first inauguration, and more than 600,000 are expected to attend on Monday.
The weather forecast is partly cloudy with a high of 42 degrees and a low of 23, according to The Weather Channel.
Woodrow Wilson was the first president to be sworn into office on a Sunday, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies website. Wilson took the office privately in the President's Room in the U.S. Capitol by Chief Justice Edward D. White. First lady Edith Bolling Wilson noted in her diary that she was the only woman present among the officials there that day.
"This simple ceremony (I was the only woman present) was more to our taste than the formal Inauguration which followed on Monday, March 5th," she wrote.
Abraham Lincoln swore the oath in front of an incomplete Capitol dome. Lyndon B. Johnson became president on Air Force One next to a dazed Jacqueline Kennedy. A collection of photographs from past presidential inaugurations.
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In reading a lot of the comments here, I feel sad for Americans. You are filled with hate and intolerance for one another.
In a place where a democracy is supposed to be a good thing, the very cornerstone of what you say you stand for, you treat each other like you live in two different countries. If you split yourselves physically in half as a country like you split yourselves in terms of ideology, maybe you'd be happier?
There are many people around the world who wish that the USA would get its "stuff" together and be a world leader again. As it stands, you don't lead the world in much of anything (education, healthcare, energy efficiency, manufacturing, etc). It is really sad to see, from the outside, how far you have fallen. And that's not a democrat or republican issue...that's an all together issue.
Great post HMR,i wish it wasn't true.
You are right about one thing HMR we are in this together. Without the Democrats realizing we have a spending problems. Their children and their children will have it just as hard as the Republicans. So let me know when the oh so intelligent left, decides to have an intelligent conversation about our spending problem. They claim they have common sense, yet they want to remove the debt ceiling and accrue more debt for future generations. Sounds very intelligent to me and a little issue Democrats have is they have live for the here and now and never think about the future. A big problem especially with someone they have as a leader.
Ronald(6 letters) Wilson(6) Reagan(6) was the "666 1st Beast who was ruler of the world, his actions were the opposite of the Christ (his "Voodoo Economics" helped the rich and greatly increased military spending while producing HUGE budget deficits), he lied to all nations, and was wounded yet lived." - The Revelation Chapter 13. The 40th president is known as the 'Great Deceiver'.
George Walker Bush Jr. was/is the "2nd Beast who exercised the power/authority of the 1st Beast before him and he made fire come down from the heavens with the 'destruction of Babylon' (War In Iraq)"
United(6) States(6) Dollar(6) is the "666 mark of the Beast that everyone must have to buy or sell with"
You Republicans describe Reagan as the great uniter, the truth is Democrats didn't like him. The difference between the mentalities of the parties is that the Democrats accepted him as their president. They didn't disrespect him the way republicans disrespect obama.
No, Dave, the difference is, President Reagan knew how to work with those who held opposing views. O merely taunts with his schoolboy "we won" mantra.
BO...taunter-in-chief, mocker-in-chief, procrastinator-in-chief, blamer-in-chief
Reagan was mentally challenged with Altzheimer, Obama isn't. Reagan was a old white man, Obama isn't. Other than that, they are very much the same.
Reagan coined the phrase "trickle down" meaning jobs, not urine, but where has all those jobs went? Overseas with Mitt's blessing. Typical GOP. And lets not forget their "family values" either. Diaper boy Vitter is the poster boy for the magazine cover, right? Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Obama coined the phrase "hope and change." You better hope you have some change in your pocket. We still got two unpaid wars to pay for.
Well, what does that say about your illustrious leader, SA, if a mentally challenged President performed at a higher level than he? Reagan brought 30 years of prosperity; O sunk the ship. Reagan, as a degreed economist, understood that using a deficit to stimulate the economy worked, but only up to certain limits. All O can do is try to mimmick that strategy without understanding the drivers behind it...like the crushing debt that is ruining our ability to be a productive and properous nation.
"Reagan brought 30 years of prosperity"
That's total BS. We had a recession less than 4 years after Reagan left office. Why do you think Bush 41 LOST in 1992??
Bush 41 lost his bid for re-election 'cuz Brown ran the original "change" message into the ground. We had just liberated Kuwait and the economy was good; Bush--and most of us for that matter--never understood what the hell Dems were talking "change" so much about. As it was, it was just a power grab and, like O's run, had no substance.
"We had just liberated Kuwait and the economy was good"
You can deny it all you want but we had a recession during the Bush 41 administration. But then --- that's a FACT and you teatards hate FACTS.
Hey is it true that Vegas is taking bets on how long the President's speech will be?
Probably.. Vega will bet on anything
NBC NEWS Here is a newsflash. OBAMA IS NO RONALD REAGAN.Nice try but,having obama and Reagan in the same sentence is like having hard working and welfare recipient in the same line.Only your lemmings are falling for it at this stage of the game.
Comparing Obama to Ronald Reagan is sad.I liked Reagan as a movie star and I liked his humor and grit.The only grit Obama has is on the bottom of his shoes.
The 80's were tough for me, laid off several times BUT I never blamed President Regan and I never gave up hope that a new job was around the corner. I'm grateful I am employed today - the negativity is oppressive in this country. My heart goes out to those unemployed and under employed.
Any news twists by NBC to make the $44 million spent on second inauguration seem.... a bit softer. I suggest that the victims of Sandy could use the money.
Haha hehe ho ho
Four more years to go,,,,
Like i've always said about OdumbO his not a leader his a follower. He seems too copy all the pass prez. or tries to one up.
One amazing fact is that one million people are expected at the inauguration but only two will have to call in late for work.
And BTW libs, did any of you who continually accuse the right of fear mongering watch B.O.s ridiculous and idiotic press conference last week Monday? Talk about fear mongering! Don't try to convince me this stinking B. O. is about working together for the better good when all he repeatedly tried to shove down our throats during that speech was threats to the right and to the citizens, that if we didn't OBEY him then soldiers wouldn't get paid, people wouldn't get their SS checks, etc. etc. Talk about fear mongering...that stuttering blathering speech was the his weakest and most divisive yet. And all those less educated who voted for him think he's so brilliant? He would've sounded better if he just repeated, "uh....duh...." to every question. That speech was beyond partisan and divisive.
I am no Republican nor a Democrat so keep that in mind. I voted for Obama and if I had any idea he would explode our debt and push our country even closer to the brink of collapse, I would have voted for Ozzy Osborne first, It takes a high level of intelligence and commitment to screw our country over even deeper than Bush did. I keep waiting on Obama to apologize to the terrorists in Algeria. As far as gun control is concerned, do you think those hostages could have used a few semi-auto rifles? Something tells me they are pro-gun now. Want gun control, go to Mexico. I was just there a few weeks ago and heard three different gun battles, one firing possibly hundreds of rounds. (gun ownership is illegal in Mexico and punishable by imprisonment, someone forgot to inform the criminals of this law I guess). There were at least 19 people in one week in Tijuana that were murdered by illegal guns just while I was there, and that was just the cases that made the news, many times a single murder isn't even mentioned in the news there.
Cant wait to see if he uses a Bible this time. Last time no one could find one in the white house.
I suppose warren, you will complain if he used the Koran instead of a bible. Either way, each is a religious book, if that means anything.
Can't wait to see if the right wing nut Chief Justice can screw up the oath again? That would be funny. Probably why Obama is having a private and public swearing in. Gives the old white guy a chance in private to fix his screw ups.
sally a koran wouldn't surprise me a bit.
Obama is no Reagan!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why don't you idiot liberals crawl back into your holes. Better yet, why don't you liberals find out the real facts instead of being so gullable that you believe what the media and the mind indoctrinating socialist wan-a-be dictators tell you. But then, you have to be loyal to the one who gives you your money, food, housing and cell phones. Hey wait a minute, that money etc. comes from us who work for a living, but you don't care as long as you can set on your dead rear and collect all the freebees.
goatroper, quit trying to re-write history and maybe them libs would see real FACTS, something you wing nuts don't know anything about.
The GOP/Teabeggers have no common sense at all. They are not able to read information said or read to them on an individual basis. The Teabegger Congress has no understanding that the President won the election, and they continue too continue their ignorance on the issues facing our nation. The GOP/Teabeggers lack any abiltiy to think for themselves on many issues, and they continue to support 'outdated' policies. President Reagan was President in a very different time, and he was his own person. It is insane to compare President Reagan with President Obama. Both of these individuals have very different personalities, and the nation was very different politically. That is fact!
We have enough common sense to realize we are 96 thousand billion dollars in debt. Your party does not think we have a spending problem. Haha
Haha he is nothing compared to Reagan. Reagan brought the Country together. Obama has torn it apart and has been a nightmare. His motto was Hope and Change. Now I just hope we have some Change in the treasury after he has pilfered every cent we have and left future generations in dire financial straits.
What an amusing title. There is NOTHING OBOZO has in common with Reagan. True they both were re-election winners, but with OBLAMA the american people are the losers. Four more years of the failed policies of a bogus administration. The history books will certainly report how this admintration will bankrupt a once prosperous nation. How long can deficit spending an nonsustainable policies continue?
Why would the article mention the Republican President Ronald Reagan instead of two term billy clinton or President George Bush which occurred later as Commander in Chief. Oh yeah they blame everything on President Bush even though billy spent 8 years plus assaulted woman instead of remembering his oath. billy had 8 years to get Bin Laden and President Bush had 8 month. Trust me Obama is nothing like President Ronald Reagan. This was taken out of the CNN handbook... Clinton News Network.....Obama you are a joke and will prove me right with another 4 years under your belt. ( I have two daughters so I am not a big fan of men that assault women). billy just so you know oral contact is considered sexual activity.
You have 2 daughters and vote for Women haters??? That's interesting.
Reagan give us the Bushes.. Nuff said.
Reagan give us the Bushes.. Nuff said.
Sorry for the D-posts
Please do not not compare the President to that worthless, has-been Reagan. That jelly bean nearly bankrupted our great nation. Not to mention arming Osama Bin Laden!
Andy, stick to football...you obviously know nothing of Reagan and the state of our country when he became president. He stepped up to the plate like a big boy and took on the problems we faced...without blaming Carter or anyone else. He restored hope in America, brought the economy back, and won the cold war. O's done nothing but spout his big mouth off, divide our country and run us in to the ground.
So, yes, PLEASE don't compare President Reagan with this POS.
How can Behruit Barry be compared to such a TRUE AMERICAN as Ronald Reagan and or Abraham Lincoln?
Lincoln and Reagan UPHELD the Constitution of The United States of America and each of them did all they could to protect and defend it against all enemies, both foriegn and domestic.
Obama is attempting to CHANGE our constitution and sell us out to our enemies.
wait and you will see CHANGE, watch what he does in the next year.
God help us.
'Obama is attempting to CHANGE our constitution and sell us out to our enemies.'
Please give examples of your absurd claims. Please use sources other than FOX, Limberger, et al. We all know they just make stuff up to sell paranoia and sensationalism to the weak of mind...
Do we need to point out that the Constitution cannot be changed without the will of the majority of Americans? Stop the paranoid ranting, you only make yourself look like a fool. Who are the enemies he is trying to 'sell us out to', the T-baggers? He has certainly allowed them to influence the future much more than they deserve.
Obama is the President and will remain so for 4 years, hopefully followed by another rational leader that will not have fallen off the GOP turnip truck either. If you cannot handle that, we understand - you can go to Yemen where there are more folks like you still living in the 18th Century. My bet is that there are members of your family who would help with the ticket.
Didn't think you would have any substance to your fascist talking points....
God, you are an idiot. Lincoln is famous for having abused constitutional rights in order to save the Union.