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George Bush sworn in
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IT was a day of celebration, parties and protest.
George Walker Bush, swearing the same oath as his father before him, became America's 43rd president Saturday, pledging to "build a single nation of justice and opportunity'' after one of the most turbulent elections in history.
The inauguration, witnessed by a crowd stretching out from the West Front of the Capitol, marked the opening of the first Republican-controlled White House and Congress since the Eisenhower era. Spectators were bundled in heavy coats and ponchos on a cold, raw day.
An egg was tossed from the crowd as Bush's motorcade led the inaugural parade. Police in riot gear stood five deep between Bush and protesters.
The new president delighted onlookers when he got out of his limousine and walked the last block of the parade, holding hands with his wife.
At 11.57am, Dick Cheney raised his hand and took the oath as vice-president. Bush followed at 12.02pm. Bush's wife Laura held the Bible, a wide smile on her face. Twin daughters, 19-year-olds Jenna and Barbara, watched expectantly and broke into grins as their dad finished. A smile kept crossing as he recited the oath. He breathed a deep sigh at the end.
Bush's father, the nation's 41st president but vanquished by Clinton in 1992, watched with pride as his son swore his oath, his left hand resting on the same Bible that George Washington used. Former First Lady Barbara Bush watched with a smile, wearing a transparent rain poncho.
Bush was sworn in by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who voted with the majority in the 5-4 decision that handed him the presidency.
Bush offered a special message to Americans who "doubt the promise, even the justice, of our own country", promising that he would strive to ensure opportunity and equality for all.
After reciting his oath, Bush reached for his father's right hand and hugged him, putting his left hand around his dad's head. The senior Bush wiped away a tear and the new president's eyes welled up, too.
A 21-gun salute marked the change of command as Bush fought back tears again -- and snapped a salute to the crowd -- after the National Anthem was played.
It was a pomp-filled end to a campaign which saw Bush finish second in the popular vote but a narrow winner in the all-important electoral competition. Departing Vice-President Al Gore, Bush's defeated rival, watched the proceedings stoically, a silent reminder of the five-week post-election battle that was stopped by the Supreme Court.
In one of his first acts, Bush formally submitted the names of his Cabinet nominations to the Senate. In a rare Saturday session, the Senate confirmed seven Cabinet secretaries, including Bush's senior national security and economic advisers: Colin Powell as secretary of state, Donald Rumsfeld as defence secretary and Paul O'Neill as treasury secretary.
Bush signed an executive order establishing ethical standards for his new administration, and moved to halt Clinton's blizzard of executive orders and rules. Among the targets were new health care for the elderly guidelines and environmental protections.
In a 15-minute inaugural address, Bush thanked Gore for "a contest conducted with spirit and ended with grace". Pledging to work for reconciliation, Bush said: "Sometimes our differences run so deep it seems we share a continent but not a country."
A black limousine, its flags snapping in the wind, carried Bush and Clinton to the Capitol after a traditional meeting at the White House.
How they started inaugural speeches
George Washington
April 30, 1789
Among the vicissitudes incident to life no event could have filled me with greater anxieties than that of which the notification was transmitted by your order, and received on the 14th day of the present month.
Abraham Lincoln
March 4, 1865
At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented.
Franklin D Roosevelt
1941
On each national day of inauguration since 1789, the people have renewed their sense of dedication to the United States. In Washington's day the task of the people was to create and weld together a nation. In Lincoln's day the task of the people was to preserve that Nation from disruption from within. In this day the task of the people is to save that Nation and its institutions from disruption from without.
John F Kennedy
1961
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.
Ronald Reagan
1981
To a few of us here today, this is a solemn and most momentous occasion; and yet, in the history of our Nation, it is a commonplace occurrence.
William Clinton1993
My fellow citizens, today we celebrate the mystery of American renewal.
This ceremony is held in the depth of winter. But, by the words we speak and the faces we show the world, we force the spring. A spring reborn in the world's oldest democracy, that brings forth the vision and courage to reinvent America.
George Bush
This peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history, yet common in our country.With a simple oath, we affirm old traditions, and make new beginnings. As I begin, I thank President Clinton for his service to our nation. And I thank Vice President Gore for a contest conducted with spirit, and ended with grace.
Americans unsure about Bush
AS George Bush assumed the presidency, the public was generally upbeat about his transition efforts, uncertain about his chances of success over the next four years and increasingly nervous about the American economy.
A steady stream of polls in the past week offered a detailed glimpse of public opinion about the new president. The polls were taken by ABC News-The Washington Post, CBS News, CNN-USA Today-Gallup and NBC News-Wall Street Journal.
Future
Almost two-thirds say they are generally optimistic about the next four years; almost three in 10 say they are pessimistic. At the start of the presidencies for Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, about seven in 10 were optimistic, while about one in five were pessimistic. Four in 10 generally say they expect Bush to be a good president, while the remainder say average, poor or they don't know. People were divided on whether the country would be better off in four years.
Economy
Concern about the economy is higher than it has been in several years - not surprising, given the economic boom of recent years and the current signs that the economy is slowing. More people think the economy will be worse by the end of Bush's term than think it will be better, and about half think it will be the same. When Bill Clinton was elected, more than half said they thought the economy would be better after Clinton's term in office.
Foreign affairs
People are divided about how well Bush will handle international crises, about evenly split between feeling confident or uneasy about his abilities. People are very convinced by more than a 4-to-1 margin that Bush will improve military security for the country.
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