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The United States’ new president, Barack Obama, has taken the oath of office a second time after he and Chief Justice John Roberts recited the text incorrectly at Tuesday’s inauguration.
The event marks only the second time in US history that an African American has taken the presidential oath of office.
Both Mr Obama and Justice Roberts memorised the oath beforehand, but after the senior jurist misplaced the word “faithfully”, so did the president-elect. Washington observers were shocked that both could duff a short oath when they’re quite capable of reciting entire Monty Python sketches, word for word, in any social situation.
The two days between the inauguration and today’s do-over represent the longest period the word “faithfully” has gone missing in the White House since the years 1993-2000.
Tuesday’s inauguration was a lavish affair, with the new first couple dancing at ten separate inauguration balls in the evening. The heavy schedule vindicates a 2006 decision to eliminate traditional primary elections in favour of all-new episodes of So You Think You Can Dance.
