Obama Not First President To Have Oath Do-Over
The White House emphasizes that President Obama took the presidential oath a second time out of "an abundance of caution." In 1923, Calvin Coolidge seems to have really needed his do-over. The then vice president was at his father's farm in Vermont, when President Warren G. Harding suddenly died. Coolidge's father, a notary, quickly swore his son in as president. It turned out, that authority applied only to taking office in Vermont. Chester A. Arthur also had to take the oath again.
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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. The White House emphasized that President Obama took his oath a second time out of an abundance of caution. Back in 1923, Calvin Coolidge seems to have really needed his do-over. The then vice president was at his father's farm in Vermont, when President Warren G. Harding suddenly died. Coolidge's father, a justice of the peace, quickly swore his son in as president. It turned out that authority applied only to taking office in Vermont. It's Morning Edition.
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