Oaf Of Office

A reference to Barack Obama’s “flubbed” Oath of Office – and to Chief Justice John Roberts who presided at the swearing-in.

The dialogue between Roberts and Obama was:

Roberts: Are you prepared to take the oath, Senator? Obama: I am. Roberts: I, Barack Hussein Obama… Obama: [interrupting] I, Barrack Roberts: … do solemnly swear Obama: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear Roberts: That I will [hesitation] execute the office of President to the United States faithfully Obama: That I will execute [pause] Roberts: The off… faithfully the Pres … the office of President of the United States Obama: The office of President of the United States faithfully Roberts: And will to the best of my ability Obama: And will to the best of my ability Roberts: Preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States. Obama: Preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States. Roberts: So help you God? Omaba: So help me God.

This minor slip in the 35-word oath caused some to question whether the swearing-in was legally binding. Article II, Section 1, Clause 8, of the United States Constitution gives the oath as:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Exercising what the White House called ”an abundance of caution,” Obama re-took the oath a day later. ”Are you ready to take the oath?” Roberts asked. ”I am, and we’re going to do it very slowly,” Obama replied.

However, the fact that this second oath was not sworn on a Bible led some(erroneously) to question its validity, and others (absurdly) to question Obama’s Christianity.