Happy Inauguration Day guys!

[helenofbritain]

I just finished watching it on telly (how dedicated to history am I? I got up at 3.30am on the 21st to watch it!)

It's funny - my first thought was 'the people on the West Wing really got the look right on the show'!!

But I have to say, you guys do do pomp and ceremony well - and the crowd was just amazing! They reckoned over 2 million people would be there if the crowd went all the way to the Lincoln memorial - and it did. That's pretty cool. We don't get that excited about our Prime Ministers....

I thought President Obama's speech was great. He's quite an orator, isn't he? he seems to have a pretty firm grip on the challenges facing America and the world, and he also realises that the rest of the planet doesn't think you guys are the bees knees, which is an important thing to be aware of!!! I liked the vision he set out. I hope he achieves the aims he described in his speech.

I liked the benediction from Rev Jeremiah. He was cool. Specially the end - "Black don't have to give back. Brown can stick around. Yellow can be mellow. Red can get ahead. White will do what's right." Never heard it before. But I liked it. Fingers crossed that it comes to pass.

A couple of questions though:

1. Why isn't there an un-oath for the outgoing P and VP? Or is that done earlier?

2. Why is the song Aretha Franklin sung (my holy country??) the same tune as 'God Save the Queen'?

3. Why didn't Joe Biden get to make a short speech first?

4. Why is the vice-presidential oath longer than the presidential one?



Anyways, just wanted to congratulate you guys on your new president - may he lead your contry well over the next four years.

 

[helenofbritain]

Guess you guys aren't that excited....

 

[Rochir]

A couple of questions though:

1. Why isn't there an un-oath for the outgoing P and VP? Or is that done earlier?

No idea

2. Why is the song Aretha Franklin sung (my holy country??) the same tune as 'God Save the Queen'?

I guess that is because the first settlers of the now USA were British?

3. Why didn't Joe Biden get to make a short speech first?

No idea

4. Why is the vice-presidential oath longer than the presidential one?

It was???

 

[stone]

1. Why isn't there an un-oath for the outgoing P and VP? Or is that done earlier?

They will continue to be addressed as Mr. President for the rest of their lives. There is only one acting president.

 

[Fish and Bread]

I just finished watching it on telly (how dedicated to history am I? I got up at 3.30am on the 21st to watch it!)

It's funny - my first thought was 'the people on the West Wing really got the look right on the show'!!

But I have to say, you guys do do pomp and ceremony well - and the crowd was just amazing! They reckoned over 2 million people would be there if the crowd went all the way to the Lincoln memorial - and it did. That's pretty cool. We don't get that excited about our Prime Ministers....

I thought President Obama's speech was great. He's quite an orator, isn't he? he seems to have a pretty firm grip on the challenges facing America and the world, and he also realises that the rest of the planet doesn't think you guys are the bees knees, which is an important thing to be aware of!!! I liked the vision he set out. I hope he achieves the aims he described in his speech.

I liked the benediction from Rev Jeremiah. He was cool. Specially the end - "Black don't have to give back. Brown can stick around. Yellow can be mellow. Red can get ahead. White will do what's right." Never heard it before. But I liked it. Fingers crossed that it comes to pass.

It was a great speech, the best inaugural address I've ever seen or heard. He made it brief, and hit all the important points, and did so in a really profound and poignant way.

1. Why isn't there an un-oath for the outgoing P and VP? Or is that done earlier?

There is no un-oath. I suppose the thinking is that it's fine for ex-Presidents to continue to uphold and defend the constitution and such.

2. Why is the song Aretha Franklin sung (my holy country??) the same tune as 'God Save the Queen'?

The song is entitled "My County Tis of Thee". It's a very old song -- from the 19th century, I think. And, you're right, the composer stole the tune to it from "God Save the Queen". I think the thought was, in those days, without audio recordings and and this and that, the best way to get a song known and sung was to set it to a tune everyone already knows. I think that was a common practice in the old days -- the Maryland state anthem, "Maryland, My Maryland", has the same tune as "O Christmas Tree", for example.

3. Why didn't Joe Biden get to make a short speech first?

It just isn't done. I think a lot of these things are governed my tradition. My guess would be that it goes back to the early days of the republic, when the Vice-President was not selected on a "ticket" as the runningmate of the President, was rather the person with the second highest vote total. Thus, you could have a President and a Vice-President from two different parties in the days of yore. Back to back speeches expousing different agendas might have ruined the pagentry and joy of the moment, and then when the changed the law to run as a united ticket, the tradition had probably already been established. That's just a guess, though.

4. Why is the vice-presidential oath longer than the presidential one?

I don't think it is.

Anyways, just wanted to congratulate you guys on your new president - may he lead your contry well over the next four years.

Thanks.

Guess you guys aren't that excited....

Oh, I'm excited. I was watching with my "Obama" baseball cap on and a little American flag on a stick waving in my hand.

 

[ZuZu]

I'm excited! My son is there with his history class....texted me that it's a zoo up there, but a wonderful time to be an American!

 

[neeners]

I am WAY excited

My daughters middle school was extending 1st period class so all the kids could watch the whole thing.

It's an exciting day for many different reasons

 

[stivvy]

And with such class you have the stupid libs with their classiness have to put it on display:

The crowd packed on the west side of the Capitol grounds serenaded President Bush in mocking fashion when he took to the inaugural stage alongside Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Nah nah nah nah, hey hey, good-bye," a section of the crowd chanted.

 

[neeners]

And with such class you have the stupid libs with their classiness have to put it on display:

Stupid people reside on both sides of the political spectrum stivvy.

 

[Fish and Bread]

And with such class you have the stupid libs with their classiness have to put it on display:

When I was growing up, they used to have a saying when it came to stuff like that: "Be the better person". I struggle with that sometimes, too. It's natural to want to not be classy when others fail to show class, but if we fall into that cycle and no one tries to break it, there won't be any classy people left in the world.

 

[helenofbritain]

It was a great speech, the best inaugural address I've ever seen or heard. He made it brief, and hit all the important points, and did so in a really profound and poignant way.



There is no un-oath. I suppose the thinking is that it's fine for ex-Presidents to continue to uphold and defend the constitution and such.



The song is entitled "My County Tis of Thee". It's a very old song -- from the 19th century, I think. And, you're right, the composer stole the tune to it from "God Save the Queen". I think the thought was, in those days, without audio recordings and and this and that, the best way to get a song known and sung was to set it to a tune everyone already knows. I think that was a common practice in the old days -- the Maryland state anthem, "Maryland, My Maryland", has the same tune as "O Christmas Tree", for example.



It just isn't done. I think a lot of these things are governed my tradition. My guess would be that it goes back to the early days of the republic, when the Vice-President was not selected on a "ticket" as the runningmate of the President, was rather the person with the second highest vote total. Thus, you could have a President and a Vice-President from two different parties in the days of yore. Back to back speeches expousing different agendas might have ruined the pagentry and joy of the moment, and then when the changed the law to run as a united ticket, the tradition had probably already been established. That's just a guess, though.



I don't think it is.



Thanks.



Oh, I'm excited. I was watching with my "Obama" baseball cap on and a little American flag on a stick waving in my hand.

Thanks for the informative reply, Fishy!

I thought you'd be enjoying this...

HofB

 

[Miss Shelby]

It was so heartwarming to see Jesus riding into the white house on his donkey. er. I mean in his heavily gaurded tank/suv.

 

[Assisi]

I just finished watching it on telly (how dedicated to history am I? I got up at 3.30am on the 21st to watch it!)

It's funny - my first thought was 'the people on the West Wing really got the look right on the show'!!

You ARE dedicated. We watched from 7am with our breakfast...
Oh, and I thought that about West Wing too hahaha.

2. Why is the song Aretha Franklin sung (my holy country??) the same tune as 'God Save the Queen'?

Lol at the moment they're playing one which I'm certain is the tune of 'The Pride of South Australia'

 

[helenofbritain]

Ooh, remembered my other fave Rev Jeremiah quote.... 'swords into ploughshares' became 'tanks into tractors'.

Awesome!

 

[helenofbritain]

It was so heartwarming to see Jesus riding into the white house on his donkey. er. I mean in his heavily gaurded tank/suv.

Hey Miss Shelby!

Are you being serious or sarcastic? I can't remember your politics....

 

[Rhamiel]

a lot of old American songs are to the tune of old british drinking songs, and a lot of old british drinking songs are to the tune of God save the Queen and other hymns... so yeah, thats how it goes
Battle Hymn of the Republic is also to the tune of a drinking song

 

[Michie]

Hey Miss Shelby!

Are you being serious or sarcastic? I can't remember your politics....

I think she might have been possibly referring to this? Not to mention a lot of folks look at him as the second coming.

Is it wrong that, in all the coverage so far leading up to the actual swearing-in ceremony, I'm most interested in the descriptions of thenew presidential limo?

According to Presidential vehicle experts, the new limo is a beast-like General Motors truck-based Cadillac that is so tough it's like a 'rolling tank with windows.'

Among the vehicle's main features are windows that are 5 inches thick, 19.5-inch Goodyear RHS tires (same as super tough trucks), and possibly even a lock safety mechanism that seals off the car like a bank vault in case of an emergency.

Because the Secret Service keeps details of the limo understandably private, even the most knowledgeable security experts don't really know how much gadgety tech is being installed in the new ride. But it's not stopping them making a few informed guesses.
​

Onboard missile launchers, please let there be onboard missile launchers...

http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=-The-Beast-.html&Itemid=127

 

[BillH]

3. Why didn't Joe Biden get to make a short speech first?

4. Why is the vice-presidential oath longer than the presidential one?

I'll tackle these two...

Joe Biden doesn't make a speech because, honestly, nobody really cares what he thinks. After the last eight years, I'm kinda hoping that we have a Vice President who goes back to the traditional role of reading the newspaper each morning to find out whether or not the President is dead.

It's actually not prescribed anywhere in the Constitution what the Vice-Presidential oath is. So, he's actually given the oath that the members of Congress take, as one of his few real duties is to be the President of the Senate.

 

[helenofbritain]

I think she might have been possibly referring to this? Not to mention a lot of folks look at him as the second coming.

http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=-The-Beast-.html&Itemid=127

Thanks Michie

 

[helenofbritain]

I'll tackle these two...

Joe Biden doesn't make a speech because, honestly, nobody really cares what he thinks. After the last eight years, I'm kinda hoping that we have a Vice President who goes back to the traditional role of reading the newspaper each morning to find out whether or not the President is dead.

It's actually not prescribed anywhere in the Constitution what the Vice-Presidential oath is. So, he's actually given the oath that the members of Congress take, as one of his few real duties is to be the President of the Senate.

Ahhh, OK. That makes sense I guess.