BREAKING NEWS: Obama will take the oath of office using the same Bible...

[Hope And Change]

The transition announces: On January 20th, President-elect Barack Obama will take the oath of office using the same Bible upon which President Lincoln was sworn in at his first inauguration. The Bible is currently part of the collections of the Library of Congress.

"Though there is no constitutional requirement for the use of a Bible during the swearing-in, presidents have traditionally used Bibles for the ceremony, choosing a volume with personal or historical significance. President-elect Obama will be the first President sworn in using the Lincoln Bible since its initial use in 1861."

http://www.politico.com/politico44/

[WeDidIt]

1. Good choice

Life is a series of choices, some good and some bad.

this was a good choice.

[gblady]

47. here are some pics....

The Bible upon which President Abraham Lincoln was sworn in for his first inauguration is displayed at the Library of Congress in Washington December 23, 2008. On January 20, 2009, President-elect Obama will take the oath of office using the same Bible Lincoln used.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

[RC]

2. I don't see what is wrong with using a certified copy of the Constitution.

That has more relevance than using a religious book to swear in the head of state of a country that supposedly has a separation of religion and state in its highest law.

[rfranklin]

3. Good point...the Constitution is more important than...

a stack of bibles.

[knitter4democracy]

14. I was hoping for that, too.

Although, I think for him isn't about the Bible as much as it is about Lincoln.

[IsItJustMe]

39. Bingo! The symbolism here is of great importance. I think Obama understands public relations.

I know a staunch Republican who told me that Obama reminded her of Lincoln. I thought to myself, "Well, that can't be all that bad."

[Freddie Stubbs]

34. He is smart enough not to give ammunition to his critics that he is not a Christian

[MrSlayer]

4. We would be well off if he turns out to be half as good as Lincoln.

I like that he is aiming as high as possible, it's totally in his character. I'm very eager to see how he directs his cabinet.

[Thothmes]

22. Abe's foot prints were all over the Constitution of the United States.

[PerpetuallyDazed]

45. Do you think Obama would do the same?

To circumvent the anti-gay marriage legislation? :shrug:

[Thothmes]

50. I do not think he would'

But than again had Lincoln not been faced with Civil War, I suspect he would have been a pretty strict follower of Constitutional government.

[Orsino]

25. ...as long as he's also less than half as supportive of discrimination.

I see a lot of reason for hope.

[and-justice-for-all]

5. They really should use the Constitution...nt

[cali]

6. They should use whatever they wish

[jefferson_dem]

9. For real. I've never seen so many malcontents.

Our newly elected Democratic president decides to get sworn into office using Lincoln's Bible.

How does DU respond? He should have chosen this...he should have chosen that.

Ugh... Lighten up people... Seriously.

[Ozma]

15. Isn't it amazing? Some people are never happy!

Life must be a real drag for them!

[No Elephants]

20. Questioning Obama, even on a MB, means you;re unhappy now? Huh.

[IsItJustMe]

40. You must have forgotten that you have entered into an alternate universe.

[No Elephants]

18. Between this and Warren, Log Cabin Republicans may be quite amused.

[and-justice-for-all]

53. They should use what they are in office to uphold and it is not the bible..nt

[No Elephants]

16. I think Franklin Pierce did and Obama should. After all, in his flow chart, it was the

Constitution that was above all three branches of government, not the Bible.

[Bad Thoughts]

38. Maybe he should just recite the oath

Why substitute a secular doc for a religious doc in what is, at its core, a religiously inspired ceremony?

[AwakeAtLast]

7. 5th K & R

Very fitting and good to know!

[Wilms]

8. I got an email that said it's going to be a Koran.

:sarcasm:

[progressoid]

10. The same Koran Lincoln used.

(they were bost sleeper Mooslims ya know)

[Kolesar]

12. But I thought Abraham was before the start of Christianity or Muslim

And the founding fathers were all disciples of Jesus. /satire

[No Elephants]

21. Never been to Freeper in my life, but I would spend all of Inauguration Day there if

Obama takes the oath on a Koran and laugh myself silly.

[pipi_k]

33. What do you wanna bet

that a whole passel of Freepers start a rumor saying that the bible wasn't really the bible at all, but a cleverly disguised Koran.

It's so easy to do, after all, with a brown paper grocery bag...

voila...a book cover that would fool anybody.




:7

[alwysdrunk]

11. What page do they open it to?

Or is it closed? I think it's open though.

[Clio the Leo]

23. I think Reagan had it opened to a specific verse...

.... but I dont recall what it was.

[AllentownJake]

29. Actually It appears using verses isn't that common

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_Day#Inaugural_ceremonies

[Recursion]

46. Carter and Clinton chose nice verses

Carter:
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Clinton '92:
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Clinton '96:
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

* had his bible closed when he took the oath both times. Maybe that says something.

[bunnies]

13. wow. I cant believe no one has used it before now.

Thats some pretty incredible symbolism. Nice choice.

[TuxedoKat]

24. Yes, good choice.

I read that Obama's entire inauguration is to have an Abraham Lincoln theme, so the choice of a Lincoln bible isn't a surprise. It seems Obama has some affinity with Lincoln, coming from the same state and for other reasons as well.

[bunnies]

28. Well...

I'm sure the fact that Lincoln freed the slaves has quite a large part to do with it. :) Jan 20 cant come soon enough for me.

[depakid]

31. Seeing as how Lincoln's presidency ended...

I can.

[bunnies]

32. ugh. Good point. I hadn't thought of that. nt

[sundog]

17. i wonder which bible gwb used

[progressoid]

19. Image if he had use a Jefferson Bible

Now THAT would be a statement.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/05/local/me-beliefs5

[CTyankee]

26. I like that better. If he has to use a bible, use that one and get rid of the fantasy.

n/t

[AllentownJake]

27. Good Pick

I think I mentioned that a while back as a good pick but who knows.

[Odin2005]

30. Funny, I've read that in private Lincoln admitted that he was a non-beleiver. n/t

[Jennicut]

36. Well, here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_and_religion

Hard to tell if he was or was not, competing views on the subject.

[Odin2005]

37. Thanks.

[Jennicut]

35. Whatever makes him happy. He should choose whatever he wants.

I like the idea of Lincoln's bible. I would be afraid to touch it though, what if I disintegrated it with just one touch?

[NorthCarolina]

41. What?? No Koran?? The GOP assured us it would be a Koran if he were elected...

did Obama double cross them?

[Ioo]

42. After he is done, he can hand it to Rick to beat the uppity gays into submission.

I am sure old Ab (who may have been gay by some accounts) would love that!

[dancingme]

43. Why is Lincoln's bible palling around with terrorists?

[Veruca Salt]

44. Awesome choice!

And it's very interesting that this will be the first time it's used since Lincoln himself. Learn something new every day! :)

[AtomicKitten]

48. I didn't know Lincoln was sworn in on the Koran.

:rofl:

[Ganja Ninja]

49. He really needs to get himself a huge stack of bibles ...

maybe back up a truck load to be sworn in on just to make a point to all the dumb ass rednecks that said he was a Muslim.

[Number23]

51. I love it!

Thanks for posting.

[Egnever]

52. WTF now he endorses slavery!

What a dick!


:sarcasm: