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Experts: Obama Should Swear Oath Again
NewsMax ^ | 1/21/09

Posted on 01/21/2009 10:23:48 AM PST by Sammy67

The presidential oath of office should be re-administered to Barack Obama because of his flub during Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony, legal experts say.

Because of a mistake by Chief Justice John Roberts, Obama transposed one of the words in the oath. He should have said he will “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States,” but instead repeated Roberts’ cue and said he will “execute the Office of President of the United States faithfully.”

Josh White of the Washington Post noted: “The presidential oath of office is required of a new president before he can execute his power, and the Constitution is clear that its 35 words must be spoken exactly.”

Jonathan Turley, a professor of constitutional law at George Washington University, told the Post: “He should probably go ahead and take the oath again. If he doesn’t, there are going to be people who for the next four years are going to argue that he didn’t meet the constitutional standard.”

And Charles Cooper, head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel under President Ronald Reagan, said an incorrect recitation of

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: abovemypaygrade; barackobama; chiefjustice; congress; constitution; gaffemachine; inaugural; inauguration; law; oath; obamagaffes; obamaoath; obamaswearingin; president; roberts; supremecourt; swearingin; unitedstates; washingtondc
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To: PC99
Constitutional scholars - those guys must get laid a lot.

Constitutional scholars have longer Articles.

21 posted on 01/21/2009 10:32:50 AM PST by andy58-in-nh (Ronald Reagan had a vision of America. Barack Obama has a vision of Barack Obama.)
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To: Sammy67

“Yeah I’d like people to stop eating my house too, but that ain’t gonna happen.”


22 posted on 01/21/2009 10:33:02 AM PST by woollyone ("When the tide is low, even a shrimp has its own puddle." - Vance Havner)
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To: lainie

Just like someone somewhere saw his birth certificate and transcripts...


23 posted on 01/21/2009 10:33:36 AM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: Sammy67

Seriously, as if the Constitution of the United States matters any longer, especially to a politician’s oath of office to defend, protect and abide by it! Although it’s not funny, it is however, laughable.


24 posted on 01/21/2009 10:34:47 AM PST by drypowder
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To: TomGuy

He pledged to uphold the constitution. Just like his role model, Abe Lincoln, did.


25 posted on 01/21/2009 10:35:08 AM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: Sammy67

“faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States,”

“execute the Office of President of the United States faithfully.”

It was kind of a clumsy moment, but can someone explain why these two phrases don’t mean EXACTLY the same thing?

Now, refusing to produce his birth certificate . . . that’s another kettle of fish. Which is why the ComPost doesn’t raise the issue. They know this issue is meaningless. That’s why they raised it.


26 posted on 01/21/2009 10:35:35 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Sammy67
Proof of native born citizenship is also required. The whole thing could be wrapped up for under $10 and 10 minutes work.
27 posted on 01/21/2009 10:35:45 AM PST by Myrddin
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To: Sammy67

While one of the words was out of place, he still recited the oath administered by the Chief Justice. There are other legitimate issues to bring, but I don’t think this is one. He can’t be happy about how it went down though ... the historical moment was mildly marred by the confusion.

I used the incident to make my son feel better today. He was nervous about an oral report he has to give in class today. I told him Obama messed up the oath, but he’s still the President. My kids found this quite funny. They noticed the flub when they watched it at school.


28 posted on 01/21/2009 10:36:50 AM PST by chickpundit (Palin '12)
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To: biss5577

I read somewhere that there was an amendment that basically says, oath or no oath, he became President precisely at Noon. So basically the oath is for show only.


29 posted on 01/21/2009 10:36:55 AM PST by dfwgator (1996 2006 2008 - Good Things Come in Threes)
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To: Names Ash Housewares

How appropriate for you to post it!


30 posted on 01/21/2009 10:36:55 AM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: Sammy67

Cloud over his head.


31 posted on 01/21/2009 10:39:04 AM PST by autumnraine
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To: murron

I agree. I think they corrected it in private, but even if they didn’t it is a mute point. Roberts was the one who flubbed.


32 posted on 01/21/2009 10:39:10 AM PST by EBH ( Directive 10-289)
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To: Cicero
Which is why the ComPost doesn’t raise the issue. They know this issue is meaningless. That’s why they raised it.

The Left is trying to put the Right onto a number of wild goose chases, things that won't grow legs and that will seem to make those who don't like the glow of Obamanation seem crazy.

33 posted on 01/21/2009 10:39:45 AM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: Sammy67

faithfully execute or execute ... faithfully

“Faithfully” is an adverb of manner and as such is usually placed after the verb or entire expression. The meaning of the sentence isn’t changed if the word is before the verb or after the entire expression.

These experts didn’t give a crap whether or not Obama displayed his credentials to qualify for office but they suddenly care where the adverb is placed in the sentence.

Give me a dang break. There are bigger clouds hanging over him than adverb placement.


34 posted on 01/21/2009 10:39:59 AM PST by BuckeyeTexan
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To: JRandomFreeper

I thought about that - but I was afraid that the female Marine Captain that swore me in at MEPS would come and find me.

Actually, I still kinda am...


35 posted on 01/21/2009 10:40:01 AM PST by Doohickey (The more cynical you become, the better off you'll be.)
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To: Sammy67

I don’t see any difference in meaning. Am I missing something?


36 posted on 01/21/2009 10:40:30 AM PST by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: PC99

Good one ...

I went to a wedding where the bride was a law professor. A sister, at the reception, made a point of saying that lawyers finding someone to marry wasn’t easy.


37 posted on 01/21/2009 10:41:00 AM PST by OldNavyVet (Character counts)
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To: Sammy67; The Sons of Liberty; rightwingextremist1776; LucyT; BP2; GreatOne; flattorney; ...
As the people at newsMax should know, the real constituional problem is not a minor change in the verbiage in the oath administered.

The real problem is that Obama almost surely committed perjury in taking the oath: he swore that he would protect the Constitution, whereas his taking the office of the presidency violates the "natural born citizen" clause in all likelihood. He has never presented evidence to substantiate that he is a natural born citizen (nor even presented evidence to substantiate that he is a citizen).

38 posted on 01/21/2009 10:41:19 AM PST by justiceseeker93
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To: Sammy67


39 posted on 01/21/2009 10:41:53 AM PST by vietvet67
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To: chickpundit
Obama messed up the oath

To be nit-picky, it was Roberts who messed up the oath. Obama paused, as if to wait for Roberts to correct himself. Roberts didn't. So Obama repeated the oath as Roberts stated it.


40 posted on 01/21/2009 10:43:22 AM PST by TomGuy
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