Obama inaugurated, second term begins

Nearly one million people flocked to the National Mall in Washington D.C. Monday, Jan. 21, to witness the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.

The crowd estimate came in at approximately 56 percent less than the 44th president’s first inauguration, according to Politico.

Both Obama and Biden were privately sworn in Sunday, Jan. 20 on the official day that the Constitution requires. 

Monday’s event was purely ceremonial. 

The ceremony began at approximately 11:30 a.m. and was preceded by the introduction of distinguished congressmen and the families of both Obama and vice president Joe Biden.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, a widow of civil rights activist Medgar Evers took the podium shortly after 11:30 a.m. to deliver the invocation and officially begin the process.

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” just before Biden was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

After Biden’s oath, Grammy award winning singer James Taylor performed “America the Beautiful.” 

According to the Associated Press, Taylor was an active supporter of Obama on his 2012 reelection campaign. In addition, Taylor performed at several of Obama’s 2008 election campaign stops and performed at Obama’s 2009 pre-inaugural concert.

Just before noon, Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts

administered the presidential oath to President Obama. 

After a 21-gun salute, Obama delivered his second inaugural address.

During the address, Obama tackled several subjects that he intends to make the focus of his second term in office, including: strengthening the economy, ending a decade of war in the Middle East, a strengthened middle class, racial, gender and marriage equality, the deficit and more.

Obama also renewed his 2008 push for bipartisanship.

“My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction,” he said.

The speech ended at 12:10 p.m.

The Experience:

With the exception of the attendance statistic from Politico and the information about Taylor from the Associated Press, all of the information referenced in this article came from firsthand experience.

On a stroke of luck, The Penn was able to receive credentialed access to Obama’s inauguration. 

This reporter joined the ranks of a writer for the New York Times in section 16 of the red area on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building to witness and report on Obama’s inauguration.

The event was a turning point in my life as a reporter, and in my life as an American. It was indescribable.