Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Is Obama the President yet?

Yesterday Barack Obama took the oath of office and fluffed his lines. The Oath in the US constitution is as follows:

"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."


What Obama and Chief Justice Roberts said:

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


It's a small mistake and apparently does not invalidate Obamas presidency but in the country of hanging chads and armies of lawyers I wonder if they made Obama take the oath of office again in private just to save themselves the hassle of crazy lawsuits.


Update 22nd Jan: Turns out they did make him take the oath of office again.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well it was chief justice that initially fluffed it.

Declan said...

Yup but Obama still repeated the incorrect version. Though as the BBC says it's happened twice before with Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur. The president is still the president, it's just a technicality, but you just know in America someone would chance their arm and try a lawsuit to get some press coverage.