CNN Whether you know them by heart or have never heard them at all, the 35 words that Donald Trump will speak to become our president will, in some way, impact your next four years. On the occasion of CNN's mini-documentary, "The Oath ," CNN Opinion asked scholars and writers to weigh in on how history and happenstance have shaped the president's oath of office. The oath of office: 35 words, four views.
We prayed with Trump. President Trump, start by saying sorry. Rita Dove: Why Trump needs poetry. Trump's skeletal government leaves key jobs unfilled. A worried world awaits Trump presidency: 10 views. Carol Costello: What's the state of sisterhood in the time of Trump? What happens when first ladies share a backseat. Join us on Twitter and Facebook. More Videos The Oath: 35 words that make a President Jim Bendat: Thank you, James Madison. Jim Bendat. The presidential oath of office consists of 35 words:.
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. We can probably thank the nation's fourth president, James Madison, as much as any other person, for that wording. Well before he became president, Madison had earned the nickname "Father of the Constitution," by virtue of his speeches, effective negotiations and successful compromises at the Constitutional Convention in Read More.
Part of the work at that convention involved the writing of the president's inaugural oath. An early version simply stated, "I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States of America. So, on August 27, , the two men moved to add to the oath the phrase, "and will, to the best of my judgment and power, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The Constitution does allow a president the choice of swearing or affirming the oath of office, but only one president—Franklin Pierce—chose to affirm his oath. It is unclear exactly why Pierce chose to affirm the oath. Presidential inaugurations used to be celebrated on March 4, but Congress moved the date to January 20 when they ratified the Twentieth Amendment in The four-month delay between election and inauguration was needed in the early years of our country, but modern communication and transportation enabled newly elected administrations to assume power in a more timely manner.
Following the passage of the Twentieth Amendment, Franklin Roosevelt became the first president to be inaugurated on January 20 in Today inaugurations take place in Washington, D. Though inaugural celebrations may last way past midnight, the swearing-in ceremony begins at a. Following introductory band music, an invocation, and on occasion a poetry reading, the vice president-elect is sworn in first. At noon the president-elect is sworn in and then addresses the crowds and nation in his or her inaugural speech.
Though tradition plays a dominant role in presidential inaugural ceremonies, special circumstances and personal preferences sometimes compel changes. Following the death of a president, it is critical that power be transferred immediately to the successor.
Many vice presidents have therefore been sworn in as president under unusual circumstances. President William Henry Harrison died just thirty-one days after his inauguration, thrusting Vice President John Tyler into the presidency.
Chief Judge William Cranch of the U. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia administered the oath. James Monroe began the tradition of taking the oath of office outside the Capitol in and since then the public has enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to witness the peaceful transfer of power.
This hand-painted banner proclaims: "T. Kennedy invited Robert Frost, then eighty-six, to read a poem at his inauguration. The presence of the New England poet lent an air of cultural sophistication to the proceedings. However, the sun's glare prevented Frost from reading "Dedication," which he had written for the occasion.
Instead, he recited "The Gift Outright" from memory. Souvenir scarf produced for Richard M.
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