Sunday January 20, 2013

The blogs of the next two days will be a special inauguration issue.

January 20 events;

Wednesday January 20, 1937 - This was the first time that the Presidential Inauguration was held on January 20. Previously it had been held on March 4. It was Franklin D. Roosevelt's second inauguration of four.

Thursday January 20, 1949 - The first inauguration that was televised. It was Harry Truman's inauguration to his full term. He had become president on April 12, 1945 when Roosevelt died in office.

Tuesday January 20, 1953 - Eisenhower replaced Truman. There is a tradition where the outgoing president has breakfast with the incoming president. However, at this inauguration Eisenhower refused to get out of the car as he was angry with Truman for firing Douglas MacArthur in the Korean War two year previous.

Friday January 20, 1961 - Kennedy was sworn in with almost a foot of snow on the ground that had fallen overnight.

Thursday January 20, 1977 - Jimmy Carter repeated a Jeffersonian tradition of walking to his inauguration to prove he was one of the people. One of the floats in the parade was a giant peanut as he had been a peanut farmer.

Tuesday January 20, 1981 - As Reagan replaced Carter the hostages were on the verge of being released. Carter had been awake for more than 50 hours working on the release. Reagan's inauguration was in 55 degree weather. The festivities were so extravagant that Johnny Carson commented "This is the first administration with a premiere".

Monday January 20, 1997 - Clinton's second inauguration was the first to be broadcast on the Internet. It was also the first inauguration on Martin Luther King Day. Tomorrow's will be the second Martin Luther King Day Inauguration as today is Sunday so it will be held tomorrow.

Tomorrow there will be more inauguration trivia.