Barack Obama Forced To Take Second Oath Of Office After Mistake Marred His First Try
Posted January 21, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
In a week of so many firsts, there’s now been another one in Washington: U.S. President Barack Obama has retaken the oath of office he so publicly accepted in front of thousands of people on Tuesday (left).
The unusual move comes after a bizarre series of mistakes that marred the declaration the day before, when Chief Justice John Roberts and the new leader mixed up the words to the time honoured pledge.
It’s supposed to say “I ( the president’s name) do solemnly swear 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.”
But when Roberts put the word ‘faithfully’ in the wrong order, it threw off the carefully rehearsed Obama, who immediately tried to repeat the error and wound up getting ahead of the judge.
The gaffe was noted around the world and a slight smile passed over the lips of both men as they realized the magnitude of the mistake. But because the oath is precisely worded according to the U.S. Constitution, Obama’s advisors told him to take it again – just in case.
And on Wednesday night he did, raising his right hand a second time in the Map Room of the White House. This time it was private – and this time, both men got it right.
Roberts would later tell Obama it was his fault and apologized to him for the error.
