Question re: Presidential Oath of Office.

elperromagico

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Sat Mar-13-04 12:59 PM
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Question re: Presidential Oath of Office.

I was watching a video the other night about the Great Depression, and it showed FDR taking the oath of office in 1933. I noticed that he was saying the oath in its entirety, and not repeating after the Chief Justice. In every Inauguration I've seen live on TV ('89, '93, '97, and '01), the President has repeated the oath in parts after the Chief Justice.

When did this tradition of repeating after the Chief Justice begin? And why did it begin? It's not a particularly difficult oath to memorize; I knew it by heart when I was five.

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bryant69

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Sat Mar-13-04 01:18 PM
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1. I don't know--Presidents even "dumb ones"

Are usually pretty sharp (current occupant excepted). Maybe they just are more aware of being on tv and don't want any slip ups.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

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DAWUSS

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Sat Mar-13-04 01:19 PM
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2. Maybe he wanted to make an impression

Who knows

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elperromagico

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Sat Mar-13-04 01:45 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. FDR made a lot of impressions, certainly.

After all, he managed to convince the majority of the country for 12 years that he wasn't handicapped. Then, in 1944, he managed to convince them that he was healthy enough to serve another term as President.

Perhaps FDR was the only President to recite the oath rather than repeat it... I'm not at all sure.

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