Barack Obama to be Sworn In Using Lincoln Bible

by Rob Walker | December 23, 2008 at 11:49 am

968 views | 25 Recommendations | 10 comments

President-elect Barack Obama has chosen to be sworn in as United States President using the same bible that Abraham Lincoln used for the same purpose.

It is the first time that particular bible has been used for the purpose since Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861. Presidents are not required to swear on a bible, but traditionally have used one that holds either personal or historical significance.

According to a press release by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, President-Elect Barack Obama will be sworn in using the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used for that purpose:(via email)

Obama has also invited poet Elizabeth Alexander to read at his inauguration, who will recite a specially composed work on January 20th.

"My joy at being selected to compose and deliver a poem on the occasion of Obama's presidential inaugural emanates from my deep respect for him as a person of meaningful, powerful words that move us forward," Alexander wrote on her website (www.elizabethalexander.net).

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Karenke4

at 12:30 on December 23rd, 2008

How cool.

I think Elizabeth Alexander was a great choice, too.

Ars Poetica #100: I Believe

Poetry, I tell my students,
is idiosyncratic. Poetry

is where we are ourselves,
(though Sterling Brown said

“Every ‘I’ is a dramatic ‘I’”)
digging in the clam flats

for the shell that snaps,
emptying the proverbial pocketbook.

Poetry is what you find
in the dirt in the corner,

overhear on the bus, God
in the details, the only way

to get from here to there.
Poetry (and now my voice is rising)

is not all love, love, love,
and I’m sorry the dog died.

Poetry (here I hear myself loudest)
is the human voice,

and are we not of interest to each other?

dunkelberg

at 20:40 on December 23rd, 2008

Cool!

[much finger snapping]

Seriously, I do like it.

dunkelberg

at 12:33 on December 23rd, 2008

How fitting and an interesting way of tying together past, present and future.

phoenixesrose

at 23:15 on December 23rd, 2008

I'm glad of his choice. I also read that the bible will be a part of an exhibition at the Library of Congress starting in Feb, called "with malice toward no one".

There is so much symbolism here - from the man (Lincoln) who freed the slaves - to the first president to have been born after the civil rights movement (Obama). It's really fulfilling that dream so many fought and died for. Whether descended from slaves or immigrants, there is a lesson here - that we all must learn - true equality must come from both actions and deeds.

Kevin DocHoliday

at 09:27 on December 25th, 2008

to pheonixrose: couldn't have said it better - kevin

denvermanolo

at 12:01 on December 24th, 2008

great article

jessica.lam

at 13:51 on December 24th, 2008

Learn something new every day. Thanks Rob!

Kevin DocHoliday

at 09:24 on December 25th, 2008

Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address 100 years before Martin Luther King Jr gave his "i have a dream" speech. MLK'S speech was 45 years to the day before Barack gave his Presidential nomination acceptence speech in Denver, Colorado. I was fortunate enough to watch that history being made. I have always suspected there was a link between Barack and Lincoln. If there is such a thing as the resurrection of the body ie reincarnation, then i think Barack probably is Lincoln embodied in physical form once again. i took the picture that was recently added to this story on sept 16th, 2008 at the colorado school of mines in golden, colorado. i blew it up to 24by36 and while volunteering for an event in westminster, colorado i got this picture signed by Barack. He wrote: To Kevin, Nice Photo - Barack Obama. God bless you, President Obama sincerely, Kevin 'Doc' Holiday [kdocholiday@yahoo.com]