Obama Takes Oath of Office
By: Pete Koehn
Updated: January 20, 2009
President Barack Obama is summoning the nation to a "new era of responsibility." Americas 44th President stepped into history as the nations first African-American President in an historic inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. In his inaugural address, Obama called responsibility the "price and promise of citizenship." He said, quote, "Everywhere we look, there is work to be done." The Illinois Democrat cited the deepening economic crisis, the ongoing prosecution of two wars and the global threat of terrorism. Obama said the nations challeng
es are real and serious. He warned they will not be "met easily or in a short span of time," but he vowed they "will be met."
Obama said Americans have "chosen hope over fear (and) unity of purpose over conflict and discord." He noted the challenges may be new but he stressed the nations response must be traditional. He called for "hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity." Obama said those values represent the "quiet force of progress throughout history." President Obama called for bold responses to the nations challenges and an end to "stale political arguments" and petty partisan bickering.
He said a key question is not whether the U.S. government is too big or too small, but "whether it works." Under sunny skies, Obama was sworn-in by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama placed his hand on the same bible that Abraham Lincoln used when he was first inaugurated in 1861.
Justice John Paul Stevens administered the oath of office to Vice President Joe Biden.
Unprecedented crowds jammed onto the National Mall to witness the historic event, braving frigid temperatures and thick levels of security.
