The record crowd of 1.8 million people and more than 50 million people watching on television were lulled into a glassy-eyed stupor by the John Williams composition that was performed between the Vice Presidential and Presidential oaths. The composition was performed by famed musicians Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill.
A review of the video of the inauguration shows that the record crowd was strangely silent during Obama's oath of office and did not respond until cannons fired the 21-gun salute.
"We believe that the oath of office was administered effectively and the president was sworn in appropriately yesterday. But the oath appears in the Constitution itself and we believe that it needs to be witnessed. Out of an abundance of concern that no one was paying attention, Chief Justice Roberts administered the oath a second time," said White House Counsel Greg Craig in a statement issued early Wednesday night.
Obama was visibly perturbed that so many millions of people could have missed such a critical event.
"Are you ready to take the Oath?" Roberts asked.
"I was ready yesterday. Are you ready?" Obama replied.
The private swearing-in ceremony took 25 seconds according to White House pool reporters who witnessed the event.
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