George W. Bush Sworn In for Second Term as US President

Strategic Insights -

George W. Bush began his second term as the 43rd President of the United States, outlining a vision for spreading liberty worldwide and emphasizing individual responsibility and character in his inaugural address. The ceremony was held on a Thursday, with over 100 blocks of downtown Washington closed to traffic and an additional security perimeter set up around the White House and inaugural parade route. More than 10,000 law enforcement officers were stationed around the Capitol, the White House, and Pennsylvania Avenue, and at some points, they stood four deep along the route for the parade.

Key Takeaways:

  • George W. Bush was sworn in for his second term as the 43rd President of the United States, with an inaugural address emphasizing idealism and the spread of liberty worldwide.
  • The ceremony was held under broken clouds, with an ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist administering the oath of office and speaking in a hoarse voice.
  • Bush's speech was infused with a deliberate sense of timelessness, often seeming to address the crowd as much as history, and he referred to the events of September 11, 2001, as a "day of fire."
  • The president was surrounded by a defensive phalanx of trucks, cars, and dozens of Secret Service agents as he rolled slowly along the parade route in his armor-plated limousine.
  • Bush's address emphasized individual responsibility and character, stating, "Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self."
  • The president linked individual freedom to personal responsibility and an "ownership society," where "every citizen is an agent of his or her own destiny."
  • Bush's inaugural address avoided mention of the two wars he waged in response to the September 11 attacks, and instead focused on spreading liberty worldwide.
  • Condoleezza Rice, Bush's nominee for secretary of state, was seated in the audience, having just gone through contentious Senate hearings earlier in the week.
  • Democrats were fuming over the decision to delay her confirmation, and protesters along the parade route jeered and waved signs criticizing Bush's policies.

Statistics:

  • 11:56 a.m. - The time at which George W. Bush took the oath of office.
  • 21-minute - The length of Bush's inaugural address.
  • 100 blocks - The number of downtown Washington blocks closed to traffic for security purposes.
  • 10,000 law enforcement officers - The number of officers stationed around the Capitol, the White House, and Pennsylvania Avenue.
  • 146 - The number of members of the Bush clan in attendance at the celebration.
  • 9 inaugural balls - The number of balls hosted by Bush and his wife, Laura, on Thursday evening.
  • 10 days - The time frame within which an election is to be held in Iraq.

Sources:

  • The New York Times
  • Associated Press
  • (pg. A1)
  • (pg. A14)