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Inauguration of Barack Obama
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The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States was held on January 20, 2009. The inauguration, with a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joseph Biden as Vice President. With his inauguration as President of the United States, Obama became the first African American to hold the office and the first President born in Hawaii.
The 2009 inauguration celebration began with a train ride by the President-elect along with family, colleagues and guests on January 17 from to Washington D.C.
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Encyclopedia
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States was held on January 20, 2009. The inauguration, with a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joseph Biden as Vice President. With his inauguration as President of the United States, Obama became the first African American to hold the office and the first President born in Hawaii.
The 2009 inauguration celebration began with a train ride by the President-elect along with family, colleagues and guests on January 17 from to Washington D.C. Official events were held in Washington, D.C. from January 18 to 21, 2009, including two large concerts, a day of service on the federal observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the inaugural day ceremony, luncheon and parade, 10 official inaugural balls, and an inaugural prayer service. The theme of the 56th inauguration was "A New Birth of Freedom", commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Obama and others paid homage to Lincoln by tributes and references for the inaugural train ride, the bible used for the oath of office, the luncheon plates and painting, and passages of the prayer service.
The oath of office was memorable for its miscues, in which it strayed from the proper oath prescribed in the United States Constitution. Domestically, the inaugural address was received with mixed reviews in which conservatives had reservations about the message of rebuke toward the outgoing administration and liberals had a favorable take. The inaugural luncheon was most memorable for its breaking news of medical complications for two United States Senators, although one story was a false report. The inauguration day event included a host of musical and oratorical celebrants, who were largely well-received. Worldwide audiences were large and in some cases record-setting, with positive international reviews of the entire event.
Fundraising
As of January 30, 2009, Obama's 2009 Presidential Inauguration Committee raised more than $53 million, with at least 458 people giving the committee-imposed maximum amount of $50,000, including George Soros, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ron Howard, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Lisa Henson, daughter of Jim Henson.
Unlike political campaigns, an individual or corporation could contribute to an inaugural celebration without legal restrictions on the amount of the donation. However, Obama's Presidential Inauguration Committee, which included Penny Pritzker, John W. Rogers, Pat Ryan, William Daley and Julianna Smoot as members, set a $50,000 contribution limit. To underscore its commitment to change business as usual, the inauguration committee did not accept donations from PACs, federally registered lobbyists and corporations. In spite of its commitment, the committee did accept donations from individuals who had active lobbying interests but were not classified as registered lobbyists, such as executives from Google and Microsoft executives Eric Schmidt and Steve Ballmer.
In 2005, numerous corporations contributed $250,000 to the second inauguration of George W. Bush, which cost an estimated $42.3 million not including security costs. Obama's inauguration was expected to cost $45 million from Obama's Presidential Inaugural Committee
and "near $50 million" from Washington, D.C. for security costs. Some estimated costs soared to more than $150—170 million for Washington, D.C. and more than $11 million for neighboring states such as Maryland.
Pre-inaugural events
Train ride: Commemorating Lincoln
on January 17, 2009.]]
On January 17, 2009, Obama began a tribute and partial reenactment of Abraham Lincoln's 1861 inaugural train ride by holding a town hall meeting with a few hundred supporters at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia before embarking on his train ride to Washington, D.C. Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States and, like Obama, a former Illinois politician, was the cornerstone for the theme of the 2009 presidential inauguration. After the first phase of his historic train tour from , Lincoln arrived in Philadelphia on February 21, 1861 to begin a chartered train ride to his inauguration in Washington, D.C.
Honoring Lincoln's legacy, Obama departed from Philadelphia, stopping in Wilmington, Delaware, to pick up Vice President-elect Biden. Together they continued in the Georgia 300, a railroad car used by past presidents, to Baltimore, Maryland, where Obama spoke to a crowd of around 40,000 people. Obama and Biden arrived at Union Station in Washington, D.C. at 7:00 p.m. EST. During the tour, Obama recited his trademark rejoinder "I love you back" in response to enthusiastic crowds. Forty-one "everyday" American citizens were selected to participate in the train ride and other inaugural events such as the parade, the swearing in and an inaugural ball. The 41 were composed of 16 invited citizens who had special stories and their families.
Concert at the Lincoln Memorial: "We Are One"
The day after Obama arrived in Washington, D.C., an inaugural concert, "We Are One", took place at the Lincoln Memorial. The concert featured performances and readings of historical passages by more than three dozen celebrities.
Attendance at the concert was free to the public, and HBO broadcasted the concert live on an open feed, enabling anyone with cable television to watch the event. An estimated 400,000 people attended the concert at the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Metro recorded 616,324 passenger trips during the day, breaking the old Sunday ridership record of 540,945 passenger trips set on July 4, 1999.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: National day of service
The eve of the inauguration day, January 19, 2009, fell on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a federal holiday recognizing King's birthday, and was a national day of service. Obama, who declared the national service day, said of the combined MLK observance and day of service: "it's not a day just to pause and reflect—it's a day to act."
Obama and Biden participated in community service activities for the national day of service, and the Presidential Inauguration Committee also provided information through its website about how to host community service projects, along with information about a broad range of national service organizations. More than 11,000 community service events took place across the nation on the national day of service.
On January 19, the president-elect's motorcade departed from Blair House and headed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Obama spent a little more than an hour meeting privately with the families of troops who were recovering from wounds sustained in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan.
After the visit at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Obama and Martin Luther King, III headed to the Sasha Bruce House homeless shelter for teens in Washington, D.C., while Jill and Ashley Biden, Michelle Obama, and Obama's daughters Malia and Sasha, along with hundreds of volunteers, spent the morning at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium where they helped fill 60,000–85,000 care packages destined for U.S. troops overseas. After a morning of service activities, the Obamas and Bidens met for lunch at Coolidge High School, a public high school in N.W. Washington, D.C. Joe Biden spent part of his day hanging drywall at a Habitat for Humanity home in N.E. Washington, D.C., as others continued to perform numerous service activities throughout Washington, D.C. on that day. During the evening that day, Obama hosted three separate bipartisan dinners to honor the service of John McCain, Colin Powell and Joe Biden.
Kids' inaugural: "We Are the Future"
On the evening of January 19, 2009, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden hosted the "Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future" event at the Verizon Center. Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers honored military families in concert. The show was broadcasted live on the Disney Channel and on Radio Disney. Other celebrity participants included Demi Lovato, Bow Wow, Corbin Bleu, Queen Latifah, Billy Ray Cyrus, Shaquille O'Neal and Jamie Foxx. In keeping with the service theme of the day, Michelle Obama issued a call for children to become engaged in public service by volunteering in homeless shelters, visiting elderly people or writing letters to U.S. troops.
Unofficial events
In addition to the official events, an array of notable gatherings and celebrations were held throughout Washington, D.C. and the surrounding region in the days leading up to the inauguration, including:
- African-American Church Inaugural Ball, held on January 18, 2009 at the Grand Hyatt Washington.
- Aloha Inaugural Ball, held on January 18, 2009 by former Obama campaign workers at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel.
- Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, held on January 19, 2009 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, was sponsored by the Texas State Society.
- The Dreams of My Father American Scholars Inaugural Ball, held on January 18, 2009 at the Four Seasons, featured Alicia Keys, Macy Gray and LL Cool J as performers.
- The Green Inaugural Ball, held on January 19, 2009, was hosted by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at the National Portrait Gallery.
- EMILY's List Inaugural Luncheon, held on January 18, 2009, with appearances by Cabinet appointees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano, Senators Kay Hagan and Jeanne Shaheen and North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue.
- Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball, held on January 19, 2009 at the Harman Center for the Arts, was hosted by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Russell Simmons and LL Cool J, among others.
- Huffington Post Preinaugural Ball, held on January 19, 2009 at the Newseum, was hosted by Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post. Performances at the event featured Sting and Will.I.Am, with appearances by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Denzel Washington, Shakira, Jon Bon Jovi, Halle Berry and Ashton Kutcher.
- The People's Inaugural Ball, also held on January 19, 2009, was hosted by Earl W. Stafford, a businessman from Fairfax County, Virginia. Stafford envisioned and created the ball as a celebration for economically and physically disadvantaged people from across the United States who would be otherwise unable to afford to attend the inaugural festivities. Stafford, through his family's Stafford Foundation, spent an estimated $1.6 million dollars to bring to his guests to Washington, D.C., footing hotel expenses and throwing the actual ball. About 450 people were invited as guests for the gala, including 300 guests from around the United States and 150 from the local Washington, D.C. area. Invited guests included homeless individuals, people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, and others who were nominated as worthy by relatives or organizations. Clothing, shoes, tuxedos and hotel rooms for attendees were provided as part of the invitation. The ball was held at the JW Marriott Hotel, located two blocks from the White House.
- Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show, held on January 18, 2009 at the Ritz-Carlton.
- The Voto Latino Inaugural Party, held on January 18, 2009 at Union Station in Washington, D.C., featured appearances by Marc Anthony, Rosario Dawson, Tony Plana and Wilmer Valderrama.
Events
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Summary
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies released the full schedule of the January 20 swearing in ceremonies on December 17, 2008. The inauguration schedule referred to the president-elect as "Barack H. Obama", even though Obama had specified previously that he wanted to be referred to by his full name, "Barack Hussein Obama".
Gates to the inaugural ceremony opened at 8:00 a.m. EST (13:00 UTC) on January 20, 2009, and the inaugural program started at 10:00 a.m. EST (15:00 UTC). The scheduled inaugural events included:
After the inaugural ceremony, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden escorted former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush to a departure ceremony on the east side of the U.S. Capitol. The Obamas and Bidens then attended an inaugural luncheon in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol before traveling from there to the presidential reviewing stand at the White House to watch the parade.
Ceremony: "A New Birth of Freedom"
The inaugural ceremony took place at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2009. The inaugural program started at 8:00 a.m. EST (13:00 UTC) with the playing of two hours of pre-recorded music of the "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, followed by the playing of live music by the United States Marine Band starting at 10:00 a.m. EST (15:00 UTC). The National Mall, stretching to the Lincoln Memorial, served as the public observation area to witness the inaugural ceremony, and a section of the Mall between 3rd and 4th Streets, N.W. was reserved for ticket holders. The event was planned by the United States Congress Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, and its chair, Senator Dianne Feinstein, acted as the day's emcee.
, Gabriela Montero, Yo-Yo Ma and Anthony McGill performing "Air and Simple Gifts" at the inauguration]]
The theme of the inauguration was the phrase "A New Birth of Freedom". Obama is from Illinois as was Lincoln and the phrase is associated with Lincoln. It comes from the last of the ten sentences in the commonly accepted version of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. February 2009 marked Lincoln's 200th birthday.
The program by the congressional leaders included vocalist Aretha Franklin singing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" and a performance of John Williams' composition "Air and Simple Gifts", which was both pre-recorded and performed live synched with the recording by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill. Despite the fact that the performance was described as "classical-music equivalent of lip-syncing", NPR described it as "a transporting moment that moved many with its beauty and calm." Aretha Franklin's performance was notable both for the fact that she had previously sung at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral and for the fact that she made a fashion statement with a Swarovski crystal studded bow on her hat.
Other participants included the "The President's Own", the United States Marine Band, and the United States Navy Band. The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus also performed at the ceremony. Evangelical pastor Rick Warren delivered the invocation, while civil rights activist Joseph Lowery, minister of the United Methodist Church, delivered the benediction.
Vice President-elect Biden took his oath first from Associate Justice John Paul Stevens. The oath was followed by the first playing of four ruffles and flourishes and the anthem "Hail, Columbia".
After the performance of "Air and Simple Gifts", Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to President Obama shortly after noon. Although the inaugural ceremony ran longer than scheduled, which also delayed the administering of the oath that finished around 12:05 p.m. EST (17:05 UTC), under the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution Obama assumed the presidency at the expiration of President Bush's term at noon.
The oath was followed by a 21-gun salute to the new President by members of the armed forces, followed by the first playing of four ruffles and flourishes and "Hail to the Chief". Obama delivered his inaugural address as the President of the United States following his swearing-in. Poet Elizabeth Alexander then delivered the inaugural poem, "Praise Song for the Day".
Oath of office
Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to Obama, while Michelle Obama held the Bible that was used in 1861 by Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration. Obama mentioned several weeks earlier that he intended to use his full name for his swearing-in ceremony, including his middle name Hussein, in "follow[ing] the tradition, not trying to make a statement one way or the other". His middle name had caused some controversy during the election campaign when detractors tried to imply falsely that he was a Muslim.
Roberts ended the presidential oath with the phrase "so help you God", and Obama responded "so help me God". Obama had previously asked to include "so help me God" after the oath. Roberts congratulated Obama as the new President at the end of the oath.
Missteps in administering the oath
Obama and the administering official, Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, did not execute the 35-word oath of office as prescribed by the United States Constitution. After the completion of the first phrase of the presidential oath, Roberts recited the next part of the oath incorrectly by saying "that I will execute the Office of President to the United States faithfully" (rather than "that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States"). Obama recited the words "I will execute", and then paused. Roberts then tried to correct his mistake in administering the oath by reciting "faithfully the Office of President of the United States". However, Obama repeated Roberts' first incorrect phrase. The flaw is recorded in the transcript of the oath as follows:
- Roberts: I, Barack Hussein Obama …
- Obama: I, Barack …
- Roberts: … do solemnly swear …
- Obama: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear …
- Roberts: … that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully …
- Obama: … that I will execute …
- Roberts: … the off — faithfully the pres — the office of president of the United States …
- Obama (at the same time): … the office of president of the United States faithfully …
Retaking the oath
on January 21, 2009.]]
Although White House press secretary Robert Gibbs indicated at first that President Obama did not plan to retake the oath of office, Chief Justice Roberts agreed to re-administer the oath to Obama at the request of White House counsel. The second oath ceremony took place on the evening of January 21, 2009 in the Map Room of the White House before a small audience of presidential aides, several reporters and a White House photographer. When Roberts asked Obama whether he was ready, Obama quipped, "I am, and we're going to do it very slowly."
According to a statement issued by White House counsel Greg Craig, the oath was re-administered out of an abundance of caution. Referring to the oath as administered originally on Inauguration Day, Craig added that "the oath of office was administered effectively and ... the President was sworn in appropriately ... But the oath appears in the Constitution itself."
Inaugural address
A central theme of President Barack Obama's inaugural address was a call to restore responsibility — both in terms of accountability in Washington and the responsibility of ordinary people to get involved. Obama's address did not have memorable sound bite phrases. Instead, he used traditional references to connect his new administration with the nation's history in a speech that was understated deliberately, according to rhetoric expert James Mackin.
Obama concluded the second paragraph of his address by saying, "we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents". The speech reinforced words such as "legacy" and "heritage", as well as values such as "honesty", "courage" and "patriotism", which "are old" values. Near the end of the speech, Obama referred to words written by Thomas Paine in The American Crisis, which were ordered by George Washington to be read to his troops: "Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]". Because Obama's campaign message focused on the need for change, Mackin noted that Obama sought to reassure Americans that he would operate as President within the margins of the nation's traditions.
As part of Obama's call for responsibility, he said "what is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American" and "those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account". Obama also quoted the lyrics of the Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields song "Pick Yourself Up" from the musical comedy Swing Time, saying that "starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America". In an article for the The New York Times, columnist and former drama critic Frank Rich noted the link to the lyric in Field's song from the movie, writing that Obama offered in his address "one subtle whiff of the Great Depression".
Obama's inaugural address received mixed reviews, with some describing the tone of the speech a praiseworthy one of restraint and plain speaking, while others described the speech as low-brow and cliched. Despite his optimism, Obama was critical of former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. David E. Sanger of The New York Times described the speech as the harshest rebuke of an outgoing President during an inaugural address since Franklin Roosevelt's call for restoration of American values. The Bush administration was upset about the tone of the speech, which they said proceeded directly from that of a ritualistic but respectful thanks to that of a public diatribe. Republican voices viewed the speech as a missed opportunity to seek unity. However, Rahm Emanuel described the speech as a reflection of the mandate of the people. An ABC News reporter described the address as speech as emphasizing the burdens of the moment and the cloudy future whose challenges may be met with the resolve that is part of our American heritage.
Spiritual observances
Obama's selections of Warren and Lowery were controversial. Warren had a history of vocal opposition to gay marriage, and Lowery had a background as a civil rights activist. Conservatives, including Rush Limbaugh decried Lowery's benediction as racist, while democrats disagreed. Neither Obama nor Warren mentioned gays, and Warren’s invocation asked for forgiveness for Americans "when we fight each other" and "civility in our attitudes even when we differ."
Luncheon
Before the luncheon and in keeping with tradition, President Obama entered the President's Room in the Capitol building, where he signed his first Presidential orders. The first order signed by President Obama was a proclamation "declaring a day of national renewal and reconciliation". During the historic signing, Obama joked about his left-handedness and also quipped, "I was told not to swipe the pen." He also signed orders officially presenting his Cabinet and several sub-Cabinet officials to Congress for their approval.
Obama then joined several congressional guests for the inaugural luncheon in National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Guests, who included top Washington lawmakers as well as former Presidents and Vice Presidents, were served duck and pheasant with Pinot Noir. The theme of the luncheon was based on Obama's 2009 inaugural theme, "A New Birth of Freedom", which commemorated the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The red and white china were copies of those used in the Lincoln White House.
A luncheon at the Capitol has been part of the inaugural program since 1953 (before that, the luncheon was usually held at the White House and hosted by the outgoing President and First Lady). The menu for the inaugural luncheon often featured dishes that were representative of the home states of the new President and Vice President, with the 2009 menu including seafood stew, a pheasant and duck dish and apple cinnamon sponge cake with sweet cream glacé for dessert. Since 1985, a painting has been chosen to serve as a backdrop for the head table. In 2009, the featured painting was Thomas Hill's 1865 View of the Yosemite Valley, a painting that commemorated Abraham Lincoln's 1864 signing of the Yosemite Grant, which was the first time the federal government protected park lands for public use.
During the luncheon, Senator Ted Kennedy collapsed after he suffered a seizure, and he was transported to a hospital for medical treatment and recovery. Early reports about the medical emergency suggested erroneously that Senator Robert Byrd also fell ill during the luncheon. These reports were later denied, and Byrd eventually explained that the Kennedy incident disturbed him and caused him to leave.
Parade
The inaugural parade traveled along Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. from the U.S. Capitol, ending at the north face of the White House. During the parade, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama twice exited their limousine on Pennsylvania Avenue and walked a portion of the parade route to the cheers of the crowds in attendance, and their second walk ended just before the gate to the White House. During the parade, the President and First Lady traveled in the new armored limousine for most of the parade route because of potential security threats.
Vice President Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, also walked the parade route at several points with their children Beau, Hunter, and Ashley. Beau Biden, Attorney General for the state of Delaware and a JAG officer in the Delaware Army National Guard, received a special furlough from serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom to participate in the ceremonies.
The parade lasted more than two hours during the afternoon and early evening following the inaugural ceremony. Parade participants included 15,000 people, 240 horses, dozens of marching bands, two drum and bugle corps and a mariachi band. President Obama invited the Drum Corps International, nine-time world champion Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps and eight-time finalist Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from , as well as the VMI corps of cadets and the high school marching band from Punahou School, Obama's high school in Hawaii, to perform in the inaugural parade.
Vice President Joe Biden also invited several groups from Delaware to march in the parade. The Delaware section was led by the Delaware Volunteer Firemen's Association of which Biden is an honorary member, followed by the marching band of Biden's alma mater, the University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens, known as The Pride of Delaware, and the Delaware State University Hornets marching band, known as The Approaching Storm.
Post-inaugural events
Inaugural balls
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attended 10 official inaugural balls during the evening of January 20, 2009 and one inaugural ball during the evening of January 21, 2009. For the inaugural balls held on January 20, 2009, Barack Obama wore a new tuxedo, the first one that he purchased in 15 years.
The tuxedo was made by Hart Schaffner Marx, a Chicago-based menswear firm that uses union labor. During that evening, Michelle Obama wore a white, one-shouldered, sleeveless gown designed by 26-year-old New York designer Jason Wu, breaking with tradition set by former first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton who showcased designers from their hometowns.
The official inaugural balls where President Obama spoke to attending guests to honor the occasion include:
- The Commander-in-Chief's Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the National Building Museum. Invited guests included active and reserve duty members of the U.S. military, the families of American service members currently deployed overseas, the families of military personnel killed in action and recipients of the Purple Heart.
- The Eastern Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at Union Station for guests from the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont and the Atlantic territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. James Taylor performed for guests attending the ball.
- The Mid-Atlantic Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for guests from the District of Columbia and the Mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia.
- The Midwestern Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for guests from the midwestern states of Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
- The Neighborhood Inaugural Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Walter Washington Convention Center, the first stop of the night for both President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. At the Neighborhood Ball, Michelle Obama revealed her inaugural ball gown for the first time. The Obamas later danced their first song as Beyoncé serenaded them with her rendition of the Etta James classic, At Last.
- The President Obama Home States Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Walter Washington Convention Center for guests from Barack Obama's home states of Hawaii and Illinois.
- The Southern Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the D.C. Armory for guests from the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
- The Vice President Biden Home States Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Washington Convention Center for guests from Joe Biden's home states of Delaware and Pennsylvania.
- The Western Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Walter Washington Convention Center for guests from the western states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, and the Pacific territories of American Samoa and Guam.
- The Youth Ball, held on January 20, 2009 at the Washington Hilton and Towers, was an event specifically for people between the ages of 18 and 35 years old.
- The Obama for America Staff Ball, held on January 21, 2009 at the D.C. Armory for staff members of President Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. The ball featured speeches by David Plouffe, Joe Biden and Barack Obama, as well as a performance by Jay-Z.
Unofficial balls
In addition to the official inaugural balls visited by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to celebrate the inauguration, various other notable balls and gatherings were held on January 20, 2009 throughout Washington, D.C. and the surrounding region that featured an array of themes, including:
- Africa on the Potomac Inaugural Celebration held at Crystal Gateway Marriott in .
- American Music Inaugural Ball held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
- BET Inaugural Ball held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
- Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball held at the Capitol Hilton.
- Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball held at the Harman Center for the Arts.
- Human Rights Campaign's Equality Ball held at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.
- Impact Film Fund Ball.
- Inaugural Peace Ball held at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
- Inaugural Purple Ball held at the Fairmont Hotel.
- Recording Industry Association of America's Ball for Feeding America
- Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball, sponsored by the American Legion to recognize recipients of the Medal of Honor. The ball was started as an inaugural event during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first inauguration in 1953. Obama was unable to attend this ball, making him the first president since Eisenhower to not attend. Biden, however, did attend the ball, and was warmly received by the guests.
Celebration at the White House
After they made their rounds at the inaugural balls, the Obamas hosted an after-midnight gathering at the White House for 70 of their earliest supporters, close friends and family, including Oprah Winfrey, Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Representatives Artur Davis of the state of Alabama and Neil Abercrombie of the state of Hawaii, in addition to Michelle Obama's brother Craig Robinson. Members of the Illinois congressional delegation also attended the after hours White House celebration, including Senator Dick Durbin and Representatives Melissa Bean, Jan Schakowsky, Luis Gutierrez and Jerry Costello.
Inaugural prayer service
On January 21, 2009 at 10:00 a.m., President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden attended an inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral. The Obamas and Bidens were joined by the former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, in the front pew. The service also was attended by about 3,200 other invited guests, including members of the U.S. Congress, diplomats and other leaders.
The interfaith service featured performances by choirs and an array of scripture readings and prayers by various faiths. The worship service reflected inclusiveness and religious diversity, with a mix of Protestant pastors, female Hindu and Muslim religious leaders, rabbis and Catholic bishops who delivered inspirational scripture readings and prayers throughout the service. Prayers for the interfaith service also drew in part passages from the 1789 inauguration prayer service of George Washington and the 1865 inaugural address of Abraham Lincoln, including phrases such as "with malice toward none, with charity for all".
The featured sermon for the inaugural prayer service was delivered by Rev. Sharon E. Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the first woman to deliver the featured sermon for the interfaith inaugural event. In her own sermon, Rev. Watkins integrated passages from a variety of interfaith sources, such as passages summoned from Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Cherokee sources.
Attendance
Guests
Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and former Vice Presidents Walter Mondale, Dan Quayle, Al Gore and Dick Cheney, along with their wives, attended the inauguration. Cheney was wheelchair-bound because of an injury that he suffered while moving boxes. Invitations were also sent to the chiefs of diplomatic missions to the United States and their spouses, but not to any other representatives of foreign countries. As a result, North Korea's offer to send a senior envoy was rejected.
John Lewis, the only living speaker from the historic 1963 rally at the March on Washington, was present on the stage during the inauguration. Obama signed a commemorative photograph for Lewis with the words, “Because of you, John. Barack Obama.” More than 180 of the Tuskegee Airmen attended as invited guests for the inauguration. The five-person crew of US Airways Flight 1549, including pilot Chesley Sullenberger, that survived a crash landing five days earlier also was invited to the inaugural ceremony.
Eighty-seven year old Sarah Obama led a group of Obama's Kenyan relatives from his father's home village of Kogelo. Other relatives traveling to Washington from Kenya as guests included Obama's aunt, Maggie Obama, his uncle, Said Obama, as well as his half-brother Malik Obama. The Kenyan relatives were expected to present Barack Obama with traditional Kenyan gifts, including a three-legged stool usually given to Luo tribal elders, a fly whisk crafted from goat hair and a warrior shield. Sarah Obama previously attended Obama's swearing-in ceremony as U.S. Senator in 2005.
For the swearing-in ceremony, members of the 111th U.S. Congress also distributed 240,000 color-coded tickets with yellow, orange, blue, purple and silver borders to guests and constituents to view the inaugural ceremony from reserved sections at or near the U.S. Capitol. House and Senate congressional members distributed tickets with silver borders to the public by lottery or on a first-come, first served basis because of the overwhelming requests from constituents to attend the inaugural ceremony.
Amid the massive crowds who arrived at the U.S. Capitol to attend the inaugural ceremony, approximately 4,000 ticket holders were unable to gain attendance to their designated areas because the security gates were closed at the start of the ceremony, leaving many of them outside of the U.S. Capitol grounds. Some were stuck in underground tunnels where pedestrian traffic was directed to and from the National Mall.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, launched an investigation to address complaints by the ticket holders who were prevented from gaining entry to view the inaugural ceremony.
On January 22, 2009, a spokesperson for the Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies also announced that holders of blue, purple and silver tickets who were unable to enter the U.S. Capitol grounds to view the inaugural ceremony would receive commemorative items. The commemorative items included a copy of the swearing-in invitation and program, photos of President Obama and Vice President Biden and a color print of the inaugural ceremony.
Crowd estimates
No official count was taken of the number of people attending the inauguration ceremony, although multiple sources concluded it was the highest attended event ever held in Washington, D.C. Government agencies and federal officials that coordinated security and traffic management determined the attendance count to be 1.8 million people, based on information collected by several cameras and individuals on the ground. The Washington Post reported the number and the National Park Service said it did "not contest" the estimate.
Satellite analyst Allison Puccioni of IHS Jane's estimated a crowd size of between 1.031 and 1.411 million people, using an image acquired by the GeoEye-1 satellite at 11:19 a.m. EST (16:19 UTC). This estimate did not include an estimated 240,000 people in designated ticket holder areas or in federal buildings open to the public. However, Arizona State University professor Stephen Doig estimated that 800,000 people attended the inauguration ceremony using the same satellite image. Although the image was taken a little less than 45 minutes before Obama’s swearing-in, Doig adjusted his estimate to include people who were still arriving in the area before the swearing-in ceremony. In spite of his crowd estimate, Doig stated that "if I had to bet, I would say the [Barack] Obama crowd is in fact bigger than those that showed up for [Johnson] or any of the other things" ... "I'm wholly prepared to think it was the largest crowd." Approximately 1.2 million people had attended the Lyndon B. Johnson 1965 presidential inauguration.
Security
The District of Columbia police force temporarily doubled in size with the addition of 8,000 police officers from around the United States. The police force was assisted by 1,000 FBI agents to provide security for the event, and the Secret Service Countersniper team was assigned to hidden locations throughout the area. Ten thousand National Guard troops were also on site, including the 153rd Military Police Company of the Delaware National Guard with 5,000 troops providing security duty in a ceremonial capacity and 1,300 unarmed troops aiding Park Police in crowd control at the National Mall. C Company of the 1-175 Infantry provided security between the first and second public viewing areas of the National Mall at the 7th Street intersection, while the remaining members performed other security functions. The FAA maintained airspace restrictions over Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was chosen as the designated survivor to ensure continuity of government in case of catastrophe, and he spent inauguration day at a U.S. military installation outside of the Washington, D.C. area.
No one from the crowds at the inaugural ceremony and parade was arrested as of 6:00 p.m. EST on Inauguration Day, which a federal agent said was unusual for a crowd of that size.
Security concerns were also an issue about extending the closing time beyond the normal 2:00 a.m. weekday and 3:00 a.m. EST Friday and Saturday closing times for bars and restaurants that served alcoholic beverages. In response to the concerns of Senators Dianne Feinstein and Robert Bennett, the D.C. City Council approved legislation signed by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty that adopted 4:00 a.m. EST as the closing time.
Viewership
Television viewership
Nielson television ratings indicated that 29.2% of televisions in the 56 largest media markets in the United States were tuned to the inauguration, the largest audience since Ronald Reagan's first inauguration in 1981 and nearly double the viewership of the 2005 inauguration of George W. Bush. The Raleigh-Durham market had the largest TV audience with more than 51% of households tuned in to the day's events, a number that was attributed in part to a snowstorm that kept people inside and in part to the African American population. Of the top 10 media markets in terms of viewership, four were in North Carolina, two were in Virginia and one was in Maryland, with the Washington D.C. market ranking second highest in viewership.
As measured between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST, U.S. television viewership for the Obama inaugural events achieved an average of 37.8 million viewers (not including online viewers who watched live streaming video of the events) across the 17 broadcast and cable channels. Television viewership was lower than that of the 1981 Reagan inaugural festivities, however, which averaged 41.8 million viewers.
According to the BBC, 5.1 million British viewers watched the inauguration while 6.5 million watched the highlights on the BBC's 6 p.m. evening news. A program director at German regional broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk, televised an inauguration program for pubcaster ARD that drew a 24% share, with more than 5 million viewers.
Internet traffic
Obama's inauguration also resulted in a surge of Internet traffic to news and social networking websites and a record number of video streams. The technology company Akamai reported that 5,401,250 web users logged on news sites in less than one minute, the fifth highest peak among news websites since the company started tracking data in 2005. During at-peak usage, news websites served seven million simultaneous video streams, which was the highest number of simultaneous video streams in Akamai's history.
The BBC reported downtime during its own live video feed of the inaugural event because of heavy traffic at its website. At one point, the heavy website traffic caused the BBC video feed to cut out for 30 minutes, with web visitors seeing the message "Please come back later" instead of the live video footage. CNN reported that it generated more than 21 million video streams by 3:30 p.m. EST that day — an all-time record, in addition to receiving 136 million page views that day.
International attention
The international community paid unprecedented attention to the inauguration of Barack Obama. Millions of people, including citizens of the respective countries and American expatriates living in those countries, watched the Obama inauguration live on television and the on Internet. In some countries, the Obama inauguration garnered as much viewership as the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. BBC World Service released the results of an opinion poll of more than 17,000 people in 17 countries on the day of the inauguration which showed that 67% anticipated that Obama would strengthen U.S. relations abroad. The most optimistic respondents were Italians and Germans, 80% of whom thought U.S. relations with the rest of the world would improve under Obama.
Africa
, Kenya]]
Moses Wetang'ula, Minister for Foreign Affairs for Kenya, commented that the inauguration marked "a moment of great pride for Kenya". Obama's father, Barack Obama, Sr., was born in Kenya and lived there for all but six years of his life. Obama still has relatives living in the country. Many celebrations occurred across Kenya, and in some areas, streets were even deserted during the inauguration.
Americas
Barbados offered free public viewings of the Obama inauguration on large screens in at least three locations throughout the country, including the Kensington Oval sports stadium, the George Washington House and the Bridgetown Hilton Hotel. Americans in Antigua Guatemala held a party featuring Obama's favorite music.
In Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada released a statement: "On behalf of all Canadians, I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Barack Obama as he assumes office as President of the United States of America and wish him and his administration well as they begin their new term in office. We also send our warmest wishes to our American neighbours as they celebrate this historic day with their friends around the world. I am delighted that the President has accepted our invitation to make Canada the destination of his first international visit. The United States remains Canada’s most important ally, closest friend and largest trading partner and I look forward to working with President Obama and his administration as we build on this special relationship." Governor General Michaëlle Jean also gave a speech to mark the Obama inauguration during a Youth Dialogue held at Rideau Hall, the governor general's official residence.
Asia
Millions of readers and viewers in the People's Republic of China followed the inauguration, which was broadcast live by state-controlled China Central Television, with simultaneous translation into Mandarin Chinese, but with enough of a delay to allow for censoring by briefly silencing the translation. When President Obama mentioned that "earlier generations faced down fascism and communism", Chinese state television officials cut away abruptly and switched to a discussion in the studio . Chinese websites also censored President Obama's references to communism and dissent. The Xinhua News Agency website provided the full, uncensored text in the English language, along with a censored translation that lacked the reference to communism, as well as Obama's remarks about "leaders ... who ... blame their society's ills on the West" and "cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent".
Indonesians and Americans in Jakarta watched the inauguration at a free midnight ball, featuring performances by students from State Elementary School Menteng 01, which Obama attended as a child.
In Japan, the city of Obama, Fukui, celebrated the inauguration with fireworks, bell-ringing and hula-dancing at the Hagaji Temple. The mayor of Obama expressed interest in having President Obama visit the city.
Elsewhere in Japan, the Associated Press reported that Okinawans were hopeful that the new President would take actions on issues associated with U.S. military bases in Okinawa, and several news organizations reported that Japanese citizens were hopeful that Obama might make significant steps towards eliminating nuclear weapons.
Europe
Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë and United States Ambassador to France, Craig Roberts Stapleton, hosted a viewing party for approximately 1,000 people at the landmark Hôtel de Ville.
In Berlin, Germany, about 1,500 guests attended an inaugural ball held at the Goya club, possibly the largest outside of the United States.
Obama's distant relatives gathered in Moneygall, County Offaly in Ireland, where some of his ancestors lived during the 1800s. Meanwhile, American Democrats living in Ireland threw a party in Dublin. Brian Cowen, head of the government of Ireland, welcomed "a day of joy and celebration in Washington, across the United States and across the world".
Pope Benedict XVI sent President Obama a telegram for his presidential inauguration day.
British coverage was extensive. BBC One broadcast two hours of live coverage of the inauguration; BBC News covered the inaugural parade to the White House, and the current affairs show, Newsnight, presented by Jeremy Paxman, broadcast an extended show live from Washington. The Times hosted a live blog with 10,000 participants starting an hour before the Inaugural address. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown heralded the inauguration saying, "The whole world is watching the inauguration of President Obama, witnessing a new chapter in both American history and the world's history. He's not only the first black American president but he sets out with the determination to solve the world's problems." In the United Kingdom, the inauguration was also shown to housemates competing in this years' Celebrity Big Brother, breaking the rules of isolation from the outside world. London held an inauguration ball for an estimated 1,300 attendees. Other viewing parties, including a luau in Cambridge, were held across the United Kingdom, which is home to 300,000 Americans.
Oceania
Derek Sikua, the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, congratulated Barack Obama after his inauguration on behalf of the government and people of the Solomon Islands. Sikua noted that Americans originate in all corners of the world, including the Solomon Islands, and noted that Solomon Islanders will pray that God will continue to give Obama strength, wisdom and good people to support him in endeavours for his country and for the world.
See also
External links
Speeches
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