Obama takes presidential oath of office

US Chief Justice John Roberts has administered the presidential oath of office to President Barack Obama during his second inauguration. Mr Obama took the oath of office for the second time after his intimate swearing-in ceremony at the White House on Sunday. The 20th amendment to the US Constitution requires that presidential terms end at noon on January 20 -- but according to tradition, when that date falls on a Sunday, the president takes the oath a second time in public the next day. A crowd of up to 800000 people is expected to gather on the National Mall to witness the event. After repeating the swearing-in ritual and giving his inaugural speech, he will then make the traditional journey, part of it on foot, down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. While Mr Obama convincingly won a second term, the jubilation that surrounded him four years ago is subdued this time around -- often the case for second-term presidents. He guided the country through many crushing challenges after taking office in 2009: ending the Iraq war, putting the Afghan war on a course toward US withdrawal and saving the collapsing economy. Yet he faces bitter confrontation with opposition Republicans over gun control, avoiding a default on the nation's debts, cutting the spiralling federal deficit and preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon. Joe Biden was sworn in for his second term as vice president earlier on Sunday, taking the oath at his official residence at the US Naval <b>...</b>
Author: telegraphtv
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Obama takes presidential oath of office