Source with video:
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/01/obamas_oath...
by Mark Silva
35 words.
The Constitution prescribes the text: The oath of office for the president of the United States.
And President Barack Obama, a constitutional lawyer in his time, apparently stood ready to repeat them. Because when Chief Justice John Roberts, administering the oath for his first time, misspoke the order of a few words, Obama took notice.
With the Bible used by Abraham Lincoln at his first inaugural, where the same words were mouthed, Roberts asked Obama: "Are you prepared to take the oath, senator?" Obama, now the 44th president, said he was.
Roberts, one of former President George W. Bush's appointees on the high court, led the way. But, when he reached the phrase, "that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States,'' Roberts at first omitted the word "faithfully'' - he re-inserted it after "president of the United States.''
Obama paused, not taking the miscue at first.
So Roberts repeated the phrase correctly, inserting "faithfully" in the right order: "faithfully execute the office of president of the United States."
Yet Obama then repeated Roberts' original misstatement - "the office of president of the United States faithfully."
Later, shaking hands before a congressional luncheon of pheasant and duck in Statuary Hall of the Capitol, Roberts chatted briefly with Obama - observers reported that the chief justice apparently allowed that he was to the blame for the missteps.
Close enough for government work?
Here's the transcript:
ROBERTS: Are you prepared to take the oath, Senator?
OBAMA: I am.
ROBERTS: I, Barack Hussein Obama...
OBAMA: I, Barack...
ROBERTS: ... do solemnly swear...
OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear...
ROBERTS: ... that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully...
OBAMA: ... that I will execute...
ROBERTS: ... faithfully the office of president of the United States...
OBAMA: ... the office of president of the United States faithfully...
ROBERTS: ... and will to the best of my ability...
OBAMA: ... and will to the best of my ability...
ROBERTS: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
OBAMA: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
ROBERTS: So help you God?
OBAMA: So help me God.
ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.
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