January 20, 2009 12:55 PM

Was Obama The 44th President To Take The Oath?

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(AP Photo)

There is much debate online over whether or not President Obama erred when he said, towards the beginning of his Inaugural Address, "Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath."

Though Hotsheet is still consulting its history books, it appears that the question ultimately rests with former President Grover Cleveland. Cleveland was both the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, from 1885–1889 and 1893–1897; he was the only president to serve two, non-consecutive terms.

President Obama's apparent error, then, is this: While Mr. Obama is the 44th president, he is only the 43rd American to take the oath – since Cleveland took it twice.

Tags:: obama ,; oath ,; 44 ,; 43 ,; grover cleveland

Topics:: Inauguration

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by cary_rich January 23, 2009 4:14 AM EST: No. David Rice Atchison -President Pro Tempore of the 30th Congress never took the Presidential Oath nor was he acting president nor did he ever claim to be. It is true that Zachary Taylor refused to take the oath on a Sunday, however. He and Vice President-Elect Millard Fillmore took their oaths on Monday, March 5th 1849. I am dismayed that neither President Obama nor any of his speech writers caught the faux paus. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms, making him the 22nd & 24th President,which makes President Obama the 43rd American to hold the office of President. That, and Chief Justice Roberts *** up the oath leave me concerned about the future: How can you honor our history when you don''t know what it is? We have to know where we''ve been to know where we''re going.; Reply to this comment


by cary_rich January 23, 2009 4:14 AM EST: No. David Rice Atchison -President Pro Tempore of the 30th Congress never took the Presidential Oath nor was he acting president nor did he ever claim to be. It is true that Zachary Taylor refused to take the oath on a Sunday, however. He and Vice President-Elect Millard Fillmore took their oaths on Monday, March 5th 1849. I am dismayed that neither President Obama nor any of his speech writers caught the faux paus. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms, making him the 22nd & 24th President,which makes President Obama the 43rd American to hold the office of President. That, and Chief Justice Roberts *** up the oath leave me concerned about the future: How can you honor our history when you don''t know what it is? We have to know where we''ve been to know where we''re going.; Reply to this comment


by comrxela January 23, 2009 1:49 AM EST: Yes, I thought it was funny how Obama messed up, but apparently the Chief Justice did. Watch the oath again, with the a copy of the oath in your hand, and listen to Obama and the Chief Justice. Obama apparently knew it so well that he caught the mistake...; Reply to this comment


by pegalys January 20, 2009 9:08 PM EST: Didn''t David Atchinson take the oath for Zachary Talor because Talor didn''t want to be sworn in on Sunday? He was officially President for only one day, that would make what Obama said to be true.; Reply to this comment


by tincup356 January 20, 2009 8:50 PM EST: The clock is ticking Mr. President,,,,,,you promised change to win the election......this change better not be the destruction of the middle class,,,,,,that would by a serious mistake,,,,,just remember ,,,,,there are power in numbers ...and when you break, steal , or destroy things for too many ,,,,,,it will come back to you,,,,,,and I don''t think American soldiers will fire upon their own families in that situation......So for yours and Washingtons sake........Don''t put us in that situation.,,,,,NUFF SAID; Reply to this comment


by tincup356 January 20, 2009 8:45 PM EST: He may be our president,,,but he still comes out of a Congress that is committing TREASON....Both parties have sold out to the lobby dollar,,,,and proof is in the bailouts,,,,,and the fact they have lied about needing the money in the first place to save the home foreclosure problem....and still haven t,,,,,,,since they yelled the first time 240,000 more homes have bee foreclosed on........that is turning their backs on the citizens and paying off bribes with that money....TREASON.; Reply to this comment


by barbaram99 January 20, 2009 8:36 PM EST: He is our 44th President. I ''member as child that blacks and whites did not sit together. i AM 54. He is an American. I am white aand glad We have a new President. His skin colour is meanless to me as a blind person. I am so happy for Mr.President.; Reply to this comment


by ladyraestewa January 20, 2009 7:35 PM EST: Actually if you are an American, President Obama IS your President whether you voted for him or not. If you want to attempt to claim he isn''t then you need to denounce your American citizenship. There''s nothing in the Constitution or any other law that says the person elected as President of the United States is your President but only if you voted for him or her. How stupid are you.

And no, the United States of America did not have any presidents before George Washington. We had elected officials but not a president until we began the United States of America.; Reply to this comment


by karatz January 20, 2009 7:30 PM EST: Obama IS NOT BLACK! HE IS MIXED RACE, THAT''S WHITE AND BLACK AND WAS BORN IN HAWAII! THEREFORE HE IS OUR 1ST HAWAIIAN PRESIDENT!! DUH; Reply to this comment


by karatz January 20, 2009 7:28 PM EST: 44 American Presidents, 1 was elected at 2 different times making only 34 Americans to state the oath; Reply to this comment


by mrahaman-2009 January 20, 2009 6:51 PM EST: Dear TexHill Girl:
This is a site for Americans. We understand that President Barak Hussain Obama is not your President. We are a free country and you are allowed to leave anytime you want. I understand that George Bush just Freed Iraq, so you may want to consider moving there in the land of freedom. They love George Bush there and they would welcome you with flowers and songs. Just ask Rumsey and Cheney.; Reply to this comment


by Jimmy371 January 20, 2009 6:49 PM EST: Gee, can I say that BO is not my president because I didn''t vote for him, just like the libs said of Bush? And as for stealing the election, I haven''t heard anything yet about all those "donations" BO took from those pre-paid debit cards, which are completely untraceable!; Reply to this comment


by keratos-2009 January 20, 2009 6:18 PM EST: Every body makes mistakes in ceremonies - who all here is married? No one flubbed a word at your wedding?
None of that mattered.
To me it isn''t about the mistake it is about the history. Barack doesn''t have to be infallible to be president. I just applaud CBS because as soon as it came out of his mouth I was thinking "that isn''t right - am i misremembering my history?" and now thanks to CBS i know the facts.
and to notfifty - Grover did take the oath twice but he doesnt count as 2 presidents because of it, although he was a lil bit hefty.; Reply to this comment


by abbe91 January 20, 2009 6:10 PM EST: "And until he does, he will never be president of my country.
Posted by TexHillGirl at 03:06 PM : Jan 20, 2009"

With this kind of standard, W has never been president. If it only were true.; Reply to this comment


by not_fifty January 20, 2009 6:02 PM EST: Let''s see..either Grover Cleveland did not take the oath of office each time he became President, or he was not an American during either one or both terms. Which is it?; Reply to this comment


by moetlexus January 20, 2009 5:59 PM EST: OMG give it a rest, half of the people bumpin there gums on these comments are just sore losers!!LOok bottom line, you cant blame Obama for someone else''s mistake! And his fault or not, guess what he''s still the first black president!!! Whether it be 44th or 43rd!!!You Know, whats done is done!!!!!; Reply to this comment


by retusn_medic January 20, 2009 5:40 PM EST: Obama once said that he had visited 57 states and only had one more to go! not including alaska or hawiai
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E
pGH02DtIws
so now who cant count ***?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by MSMabuse
=================================
You all like to use that one don''t you. You always fail to leave out the rest of the statement. It was he was in 57 states in 57days not including alaska and hawaii.
meaning for all you morons that think he didnt know how many states we have. He had visited a total of 57 states in 57 days, not that we had 57 states.; Reply to this comment


by nordeck52 January 20, 2009 5:37 PM EST: Please!!! Our country has far more important things on the agenda then this scrap of technicality...

Posted by boatdocster at 02:21 PM : Jan 20, 2009

Little things like technicalities can mean the difference between success and total failure. They''re literally of extreme importance. Granted, in this instance it''s just an exercise in semantics, but still.; Reply to this comment


by abbe91 January 20, 2009 5:36 PM EST: "so now who cant count ***?
Posted by MSMabuse at 02:33 PM : Jan 20, 2009"

The guy who thinks there is a border between Iraq and Pakistan, I guess.; Reply to this comment


by msmabuse January 20, 2009 5:33 PM EST: I have aquestion...When President Bush was in Office..where di he Fall on the Presidential..numerics...wasent he addressed as the 43rd President???
If so...why didnt someone say then he was actually the 42nd....I think I know why...because he cant count he got away with it ....Correct.....!

Obama once said that he had visited 57 states and only had one more to go! not including alaska or hawiai
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws
so now who cant count ***?; Reply to this comment

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