pop star president

After a day of excitement and a reception that brought out the "stars" of the entertainment world, the newly minted President of the United States went to work yesterday. And guess what he did on the first day on the job? He repeated the swearing in ceremony, which was of course the whole purpose of the inauguration!

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but while I was watching the ceremony I kept thinking they could have rehearsed this before. I'm just saying, seeing as there were millions of people watching someone could have put a little thought into what it's all for ... I hope this is not a sign of things to come!

The explanation was that since both he and the chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, tripped over their words, Mr Obama took the presidential oath for a second time “out of an abundance of caution”. This time around there was no Bible, but then the Bible is just for show and the oath has nothing to do with its presence.

It turns out that Obama isn't the first president to retake the oath. Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge also took the oath of office twice because of unusual circumstances. Arthur, was sworn in at his home in a private ceremony following the assassination of former president James Garfield. He was sworn in a second time two days later at the Capitol. Coolidge took the oath of office at his father's Vermont home following the death of former president Warren Harding. Coolidge's father was a justice of the peace and administered the oath. Concerns about the jurisdiction of Coolidge's father led to Coolidge taking a second oath later in Washington.

Now what do you think history will write down for Obama? His unusual circumstance was that too many people were watching and thus him and Justice Roberts were distracted! Or that he was just giggling to much! Maybe they'll say he was too young and thus too excited, who knows ...

- sources: The Economist, CBC, Getty Images