"I Do Solemnly Swear..."

YouTube did a cool thing yesterday, partnering with C-Span to provide videos of many presidential inaugurations dating back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's in 1933. Through that, I found another video, about ten minutes long, containing audio and/or video of every president since 1933 taking the constitutional oath. It's a short oath, just 39 words if you count the unofficial "so help me God" at the end, but I'm sure if you asked each of those men they would place it among the most remarkable moments of their lives, that thirty second or so period of time where they officially became the leader of the greatest nation on Earth. There is never so much hope for the future as that moment when a new president swears to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

(My personal favorite is the first President Bush. He can't help but grin while repeating the "President of the United States" line at the 7:46 part. It was like watching a grown man realize that his childhood dream was coming true.)



President Obama is not included in the above video. His taking of the oath can be seen at the start of the video below and is followed by his inaugural address. Interestingly, despite Obama's typically stately manner, it comes off as the least polished of the lot thanks to Chief Justice Roberts, who apparently got his mords wixed.



The text of the speech can be found at UnionLeader.com. Some of my favorite portions are excerpted below.

"Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint."

"We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

"For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate."

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

"America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."