Instead of the First Family gathering around the Monopoly board after their first dinner at the White House, President Obama was seen hanging out with someone that I would never expect: Chief Justice John Roberts. The two men are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. In fact, President Obama voted against Chief Justice Robert at his confirmation hearings. So, putting the two of them together is a bit of an odd couple, to put it mildly.
You might ask yourself, “what are two grown men, with different political interests going to do to on a Wednesday evening?” Well, I can tell you it’s not a rousing game of cribbage. (Seriously, am I the only person under the age of forty who plays the game?) Unless you have been living under some rock for the past 48 hours, you are aware of the issues that Chief Justice Roberts had while giving President Obama the Oath of Office yesterday. Now, under the Constitution’s 20th Amendment, President Obama became President at noon, which was a few minutes before the Oath was even delivered.
However, having some sort of understanding of the Constitution is not really a strong-point for many Americans. It should be taught more in schools. After all, it is that big document that sort of spells out laws and stuff. Oh, and yes, this brings me to another School House Rock moment:
So, since there isn’t much of an awareness of what’s written in the Constitution, and because there are a lot of ignorant folks who heard about the 20th Amendment… but didn’t believe it (it’s the one between Women’s Suffrage and the Repeal of the 18th Amendment), President Obama and Chief Justice Roberts did a do-over of the Oath of Office. I thought it was very classy of them to do such a thing. I would probably respond to the ignorant nay-sayers with something like, “I am THE MAN. Now come over here and kiss my pinky ring.” Okay, maybe not exactly, something along those lines. I would have to go out and purchase a pinky ring too. Don’t really keep those suckers on hand. Oh, and for those who are curious, here’s the exact wording of the 20th Amendment:
1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.
3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.
4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.
6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.
Filed under: political morsel Tagged: | Chief Justice John Roberts, Constitution, Do-Over, Oath of Office, President Obama, School House Rock
My favorite School House Rock episode! I love that one, I can still sing along. : )
In my fantasy, Shrub has to sit locked in a room and watch every episode of that show.
Classy do-over indeed….just speaks to our president’s ability to relate, respect, communicate with everyone….he’s truly OUR president.
I am actually a Constitutional freak. I keep a pocket copy in my purse, because people like to argue with me. I don’t know the entire thing by heart, so I like to keep it close to double check things.
And this School House allowed me to get an easy A on a test in US History in 11th grade. (83-84 school year). That was the test, “Write the Preamble to the US Constitution”
The entire class hummed our way to an A!
Love it…