President Re-Takes Oath

[StefanM]

apparently the oath doesn't mean anything then does it, out goes the constution.

The Constitution would still stand. The idea basically is that the 20th amendment makes the change of power automatic.

 

[KenH]

4.Obama not interrupting.

I think that if Barack Obama helped you cross the street you would criticize him for it.

 

[Alcott]

==You might have a point there, I will have to think about it more, but the way I understand it is that affirming is just agreeing. I'm not sure it violates the "yes" or "no" principle/command but you have given me something to think about.

That was half-way tongue-in-cheek. The real point is: whether accepting the oath of public office or being 'sworn in' as a witness or a juror, all you are doing is accepting a legal obligation to be truthful, not at all conjuring supernatural power to do something if you're lying. And whether we like it or not, that is a justification for leaving the Bible and "So help me, God" out of the whole procedure.

It should be like this:
Chief Justice: Will you faithfully execute the office of Presidency and, to the best of your ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States?
President Elect: Yep.

 

[JamieinNH]

4.Obama not interrupting.

What was he suppose to do? Continue with the Oath with it's mistakes in place? How can you say Obama interrupted Roberts when Roberts was the one in the wrong.

Roberts admited it today that it was his fault, so how can you spin this against Obama?

 

[LadyEagle]

Yeah, I get the willies talking to 20 people!



Don't say that, LE might hear you!! hehe

:tongue3: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[matt wade]

You realize that the justice was appointed by Bush right? This must have been a right-wing conspiracy! :laugh:

 

[LeBuick]

The Constitution would still stand. The idea basically is that the 20th amendment makes the change of power automatic.

Didn't that amendment also move the day from like the 4th of March or something?

But you are correct, the transfer of power is at noon per the constitution. That isn't tossing out the constitution, it is going by the constitution.

 

[windcatcher]

Have any of you considered how humiliating it must be in Justice Roberts' shoes or President Obama's to make such a flub?

Only 35 words to memorize...... few enough to conceal on a 3x5 card..... something a smart person would consider to do as wisdom...... but a person wishing to complete the impression of finish and finesse and confident in trusting their memory........ oh well...

One easily imagines Justice Roberts prepared for this ocassion.

I easily imagine that BHO, knowing he'd be taking the oath since winning the election, would have practiced and had it memorized.

Can we relate? They are both human. We did not elect a god to the POTUS...... never have, never will!

It's not the end of the world!

 

[Crabtownboy]

Really by the book. So the Bible aspect was just for show yesterday. As a man of God why wouldn't he want to use the Bible for the retake? Obviously he wanted to assure himself of his Presidency but left the Bible out. Priorities noted.

There are Christians who say that according to the Bible we are not to take an oath. That our word is our bond. In times past Christians died for this belief. Give the man a break.

And, according to CNN the constitution states that he became president at 12:01, regardless of whether he had taken an oath or not.

 

[Crabtownboy]

What was he suppose to do? Continue with the Oath with it's mistakes in place? How can you say Obama interrupted Roberts when Roberts was the one in the wrong.

Roberts admited it today that it was his fault, so how can you spin this against Obama?

You are right. Later in the day I happened to see Obama being interviewed by a lady reporter. I cannot remember which network. She asked him about the flug. Obama was very polite saying that he had helped Roberts and Roberts had helped him. I thought that was a wonderful answer showing that Obama is a person who has very good people skills. And did you notice he opened the car door for his wife earlier in the day?

 

[Crabtownboy]

What I saw on tv was that the constution has a specific oath that must be followed, and when he didn't follow it exactly, no matter who was at fault, he was not legally president until he take the oath in the manner given in the constution.

According to the constitutioin he became president at 12:01 whether he has taken the oath or not.

Amendment 20 - Presidential, Congressional Terms. Ratified 1/23/1933. History

1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Note: In Amendment 20 of the constitution there is no mention of an oath being required for a person, a Senator or a Representative to legally take office. [emphasis mine.]

 

[4His_glory]

This is interesting. So was he our President today or yesterday. If the answer is yesterday why do a repeat.

I noticed in the second swearing in Obama did not bring a Bible. So it was done without a Bible. It seems it was a pretty big deal to do the retake so why leave the Bible out? Interesting.

The constitution states that he was President at noon on inauguration day, wether he takes the oath or not.

 

[4His_glory]

According to the constitutioin he became president at 12:01 whether he has taken the oath or not.



Note: In Amendment 20 of the constitution there is no mention of an oath being required for a person, a Senator or a Representative to legally take office. [emphasis mine.]

My bad! You beat me to the punch. sorry!

 

[Crabtownboy]

Two presidents -- Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur -- have retaken the oath because of unusual circumstances the first time around.

From the Washington Post's article on Obama taking the oath a second time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012103685.html?hpid=topnews

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I noticed in the second swearing in Obama did not bring a Bible. So it was done without a Bible. It seems it was a pretty big deal to do the retake so why leave the Bible out? Interesting.

I probably would not use one at all. Jesus talks about the danger of swearing on anything - 'Let your yeah be yeah and your nay be nay"

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

==Let's go to the Constitutional and Biblical facts before we try to make something out of nothing.

1. We are not to swear on the Bible. Everytime a person places their left hand on the Bible, raises their right hand, and swears to anything they are disobeying Scripture (Matt 23:20-22, Jms 5:12). Christians should affirm without placing their hand on Scripture. The Bible says "your yes is to be yes, and your no, no". How many people have brought judgment on themselves by swearing on the Bible? Only God can answer that. When you go to court for jury duty, for testimony, or if you are elected to an office, you are to affirm and not swear. The Constitution of the United States makes allowance for this in Article 2 Section 1.

2. The Constitution does not require any sort of book, much less the Bible, be used at a 'swearing in'. All it says is:

"Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation: "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."

The phrase "So help me God" was added by President Washington as was the Bible. However neither are required by law and Biblically it is better not be swearing on anything (much less the Bible).

3. Barack Obama was President of the United States at noon on January 20, 2009. That is clearly stated in Amendment 20:

"The terms of the President and Vice-President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January...and the terms of their successors shall then begin"

The swearing in is required by the Constitution but, with the 20th Amendment, the President-Elect becomes President at noon on the 20th. So technically Mr. Obama was President before he took his oath since it was after the noon time when he was sworn in.

Other points of importance:

1. Justice Roberts did not use notes and therefore messed up. A man in his position should know never to try speaking at such an event without notes (nerves can cause the best to mess up). The mistake was with Justice Roberts and not Mr. Obama.

2. The redo was done to "be on the safe side". They understand that some Republican political hacks would try to make it an issue at some point. Therefore the redo was the safe and right thing to do.

3. I would not read anything into him not using a Bible. It was not an official ceremony, just a redo for political/legal purposes. Therefore a Bible was not required or demanded.

4. Mr. Obama is President of the United States of America.

What? Balance and reason on the BB!??!?!? What are we coming to????

The oath is given in Art I Sec 8, but it has nothing to do with the term of office. Obama became president at 12.01. At some point he had to take the oath, and he did.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I think that if Barack Obama helped you cross the street you would criticize him for it.

I can imagine that if Obama scratches his nose with the wrong finger he will be attacked.


Oh yeah, that already happened.

He will not be able to do anything right according to some folks.

 

[Pastor Larry]

Some here apparently didn't watch it (and the video is all over).

1. Obama did interrupt Roberts, by breaking in after "I Barack Hussein Obama." Roberts was continuing and Obama interrupted.

2. Roberts did get the oath wrong by saying the word "to" instead of "of" and saying "faithfully" later in the oath.

3. After Roberts corrected it, Obama said it wrong anyway putting faithfully at the end of the clause as Roberts had the first time.

4. Obama was president in any case. This didn't matter. It was all for show.

5. Not taking the oath on the Bible is irrelevant.

So all you guys blaming Obama are wrong. And all you guys blaming the Roberts are wrong. Both messed up. And neither was stupid or unprepared.

Did anyone notice Feinstein introducing the Chief Justice to give the "oaf of office"? I thought that was pretty funny. And it reminds me that anyone who speaks enough in public will say silly things.

 

[Martin]

What? Balance and reason on the BB!??!?!? What are we coming to????

==Hey, I have my moments. They maybe few and far between but I have my moments. :laugh:

 

[chuck2336]

President Obama summoned Chief Justice John Roberts to readminister the oath of office, following Roberts' flubbing of the oath at the official ceremony yesterday. While Obama was, and is, legally the President without the retake, it erases the potential for anyone to make an issue of it. After the brouhaha by the nutty fringe over his birth certificate, can't say as I blame him.

Story HERE

Roberts messed up because obama jumped in before Roberts was done.