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PRESIDENTIAL INAGURATION |
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States Capitol Building
January 20, 2005
11:30 A.M.
United States Capitol Building
January 20, 2005
11:30 A.M.
It was January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day. For most, the political proclivities of Washington leaned towards cynicism, but inauguration day normally was anything but that. This inauguration was particularly special for two groups of Americans: African Americans and Republicans. President-elect LaFleur was set to be the first black president in American history. Just ten years ago, a black man being elected vice president, let alone president, was simply inconceivable. Even before this most recent election, most black Americans would have likely said that they probably would not see a black president during their lifetimes. However, those thoughts and presumptions were not cast aside for what had become reality: a black man from the Deep South would soon be the most powerful person on Earth.
While President Sinclair had invited foreign leaders to his inauguration, LaFleur stuck to the time-honored tradition of focusing his inauguration on the United States and not the outside world. With that being said, foreign ambassadors would be welcomed to attend if they desired. Domestically, there were an exceptional number of guests that would be in attendance, a significant number of which were from LaFleur's home state of Louisiana. The new Governor of Louisiana, who had previously served as lieutenant governor until LaFleur resigned after he was elected president, was in attendance along with Louisiana's congressional representatives, senators, the Mayor of New Orleans, the Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, and the social elite of the state. Also in attendance would be numerous governors of other states, important senators, President Sinclair, First Lady Olympia Snowe Sinclair, and former presidents George H. W. Bush, Jimy Carter, and Al Gore.
Outside of the official guests and representatives, who were many, there was estimated to be some 1.8-million Americans in attendance, most of whom were situated in and around the National Mall. These people, who had travelled from all over the country, were now braving the freezing weather and snowy conditions for America's next peaceful transition of power from one head of state to another. As they waited, President-elect LaFleur and his wife, Evalyn LaFleur, arrived at the White House where they greeted President Sinclair and First Lady Olympia Sinclair. Once they were all ready, they took the presidential motorcade to the Capitol Building where the entire country was waiting for them. Security was top-notch. The Coast Guard was out in the Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic off of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The Secret Service and the FBI coordinated a massive operation for the protection of all VIPs, including the president-elect. Special considerations were taken throughout Washington, and numerous backup plans were made in the event that the inauguration needed to be moved or that anyone needed to be relocated.
It was a brisk 28 degrees outside. Almost two-million Americans had made the pilgrimage to Washington D.C. for the inauguration. While the focus was mostly on the man who would soon be America's first black president, the country was still buzzing about Vice President-elect Kennedy who was a Democrat. Instead of using his platform to make any kind of disparaging remarks about the Republicans or try to take away some of the victory that they now had with winning the White House, Kennedy had remained virtually silent. He did not give any interviews with the press and his campaign declined to comment on what must have been thousands of news articles and programs at this point. Kennedy and his wife were both present on the inaugural platform that had been temporarily constructed on the west side of the Capitol Building. Special guests were introduced, one by one, or sometimes couple by couple, as they walked out and took their seats. Everyone who was seated where the swearing-in ceremony would take place looked dapper in their winter clothing.
LaFleur and his wife Evalyn took their places next to Sinclair and his wife, Olympia.
"Mister President," LaFleur said as he offered his hand to Sinclair.
"Mister President-elect," Sinclair said, shaking his hand firmly as they stood next to each other.
After several speeches and introductions and a prayer from a local Catholic bishop, Vice President-elect Kennedy was sworn in. Then, immediately after, President-elect LaFleur took the Oath of Office. Kennedy was wearing a black suit and white dress shirt. His ultra-luxury designer suit was very expensive but, as much high-society dress clothing was, it just looked like a normal suit. The Kennedy family was from old money and, for the most part, had impeccable class. His hair was styled perfectly, and he seemed perfectly content with where he was. It was announced that it was time for the oath of office for the vice president. Kennedy joined Chief Justice Clarance Thomas in front of the podium and took his oath. Immediately thereafter, it was time for LaFleur to take the presidential oath of office. The image of the highest-ranking judge in all of America, who so happened to be a black man, and the person who was seconds away from being leader of the Free World, who also so happened to be a black man, facing each other for this event was surely one that would be remembered for the rest of American history. LaFleur's wife, Evalyn, was standing beside him and held an old Douay–Rheims Bible.
"Mister LaFleur," Thomas said. "Place your left hand on the bible, raise your right hand to God, and repeat after me..."
"I, Avery Louis LaFleur,
I, Avery Louis LaFleur,
do solemnly swear,
do solemnly swear,
that I will faithfully execute,
that I will faithfully execute,
the Office of President of the United States,
the Office of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my ability,
and will to the best of my ability,
preserve protect and defend,
preserve protect and defend,
the Constitution of the United States,
the Constitution of the United States,
so help me God,
so help me God."
Chief Justice Thomas, with tears swelling in his eyes, shook LaFleur's hand. "Congratulations, Mister President."
The cheers and clapping of some 1.8-million people were deafening. President LaFleur hugged his wife as the cheers, shouts, and cries from the crowd grew substantially louder and reverberated throughout the streets and roundabouts of Washington D.C. He shook the hands of presidents Sinclair, Gore, Bush, and Carter. Finally, LaFleur shook hands with Vice President John F. Kennedy Jr. Sinclair, who felt an instance of overwhelming relief, enveloped his wife Olympia in an unsarcastically affectionate hug. After a few more moments of congratulations on stage, LaFleur took to the presidential podium and waved to the crowd. This did nothing to silence them as their cries echoed afar. "Thank you," LaFleur said, raising his hand for silence, but still, for nearly a minute, the millions assembled cheered.
"Vice President Kennedy, Mister Speaker, Mister Chief Justice, President Carter, Vice President Mondale, President Gore, President Sinclair, reverend clergy, my fellow citizens... The overwhelming tide of progress and our urge, as Americans, to move onward to greatness has brought us to this very moment in time. I stand before you, humbled, by the monumental job that is ahead of us. We now hold in our hands the authority and the mandate to bring forth changes to help our fellow Americans. What we want to do is not to give a handout, but to give a hand up to any American who is willing to put in the time, the work, the blood, the sweat, and the tears that it takes to pursue their own happiness. What we want is to put more money in the pockets of the average American. What we want is to embolden some of America's greatest and most storied industries and trades.
"From farmers in Nebraska and California, to fishermen in Alaska and Louisiana, from roughnecks in Texas to ranchers in Montana, from policemen and musicians in New Orleans to the brightest minds at the greatest universities in the world who call America their home, there are common sense reforms we can take to benefit all of them and make the lives of every citizen just a little better so that they can strive that much further. We can lower taxes for the average American! We can support young men and women who want to go into the trades! We can save our inner cities from the decay and rot that have consumed so many of them!... We can do these things and we will do these things. Our country was built on the backs of men who started from nothing and crafted a nation stretching from one sea to another, made from many people, but united under one flag and in agreement with this statement: 'That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
"The foundational idea of this nation, at its core, is that any person can achieve greatness if they have the will to do it. They don't need to be born with a certain name, or of a certain class, or belong to a certain race - they only need be an American. We owe it to our forefathers and to ourselves to push further and to reach higher. I cannot do it for you, but what I can do is fight - I can fight to protect your rights as citizens, to keep money in your pockets, to keep us safe, and to defend the democratic institutions that safeguard our republic from the evils of corruption which inevitably lead to destitution. We have the will and we have the means to raise men and women out of poverty in this country. We have the will and we have the means to reduce homelessness from a commonplace pestilence to a rare oddity. We have the will and we have the means to end the drug epidemic in the country, and to pulverize the people who are destroying lives, who are destroying families, and who are destroying entire communities with addictive substances. I will not rest until these people are brought to justice, until our people are freed from these chains of addiction, and that we give each and every one of them the opportunity to stand up on their own two feet and redeem themselves.
"This great journey before us will not be without its struggles, but will be the opportunity to renew our country and reach for the stars. I deeply believe that our best days are ahead of us and that this great experiment, forged in the Enlightenment and refined in the annals of history, will endure on as one of mankind's greatest projects. My hope for our country is a renewed sense of equality before the law, an incomprehensible abundance of opportunities, and a stable society protected by law and order. We can achieve these things, and we will. My fellow citizens, with God as my witness, in these next four years I pledge in service to you every iota of my effort, every moment of my time, and every beat of my heart... Onward to equality, onward to prosperity, onward to greatness... May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America."
While President Sinclair had invited foreign leaders to his inauguration, LaFleur stuck to the time-honored tradition of focusing his inauguration on the United States and not the outside world. With that being said, foreign ambassadors would be welcomed to attend if they desired. Domestically, there were an exceptional number of guests that would be in attendance, a significant number of which were from LaFleur's home state of Louisiana. The new Governor of Louisiana, who had previously served as lieutenant governor until LaFleur resigned after he was elected president, was in attendance along with Louisiana's congressional representatives, senators, the Mayor of New Orleans, the Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, and the social elite of the state. Also in attendance would be numerous governors of other states, important senators, President Sinclair, First Lady Olympia Snowe Sinclair, and former presidents George H. W. Bush, Jimy Carter, and Al Gore.
Outside of the official guests and representatives, who were many, there was estimated to be some 1.8-million Americans in attendance, most of whom were situated in and around the National Mall. These people, who had travelled from all over the country, were now braving the freezing weather and snowy conditions for America's next peaceful transition of power from one head of state to another. As they waited, President-elect LaFleur and his wife, Evalyn LaFleur, arrived at the White House where they greeted President Sinclair and First Lady Olympia Sinclair. Once they were all ready, they took the presidential motorcade to the Capitol Building where the entire country was waiting for them. Security was top-notch. The Coast Guard was out in the Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic off of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The Secret Service and the FBI coordinated a massive operation for the protection of all VIPs, including the president-elect. Special considerations were taken throughout Washington, and numerous backup plans were made in the event that the inauguration needed to be moved or that anyone needed to be relocated.
It was a brisk 28 degrees outside. Almost two-million Americans had made the pilgrimage to Washington D.C. for the inauguration. While the focus was mostly on the man who would soon be America's first black president, the country was still buzzing about Vice President-elect Kennedy who was a Democrat. Instead of using his platform to make any kind of disparaging remarks about the Republicans or try to take away some of the victory that they now had with winning the White House, Kennedy had remained virtually silent. He did not give any interviews with the press and his campaign declined to comment on what must have been thousands of news articles and programs at this point. Kennedy and his wife were both present on the inaugural platform that had been temporarily constructed on the west side of the Capitol Building. Special guests were introduced, one by one, or sometimes couple by couple, as they walked out and took their seats. Everyone who was seated where the swearing-in ceremony would take place looked dapper in their winter clothing.
LaFleur and his wife Evalyn took their places next to Sinclair and his wife, Olympia.
"Mister President," LaFleur said as he offered his hand to Sinclair.
"Mister President-elect," Sinclair said, shaking his hand firmly as they stood next to each other.
After several speeches and introductions and a prayer from a local Catholic bishop, Vice President-elect Kennedy was sworn in. Then, immediately after, President-elect LaFleur took the Oath of Office. Kennedy was wearing a black suit and white dress shirt. His ultra-luxury designer suit was very expensive but, as much high-society dress clothing was, it just looked like a normal suit. The Kennedy family was from old money and, for the most part, had impeccable class. His hair was styled perfectly, and he seemed perfectly content with where he was. It was announced that it was time for the oath of office for the vice president. Kennedy joined Chief Justice Clarance Thomas in front of the podium and took his oath. Immediately thereafter, it was time for LaFleur to take the presidential oath of office. The image of the highest-ranking judge in all of America, who so happened to be a black man, and the person who was seconds away from being leader of the Free World, who also so happened to be a black man, facing each other for this event was surely one that would be remembered for the rest of American history. LaFleur's wife, Evalyn, was standing beside him and held an old Douay–Rheims Bible.
"Mister LaFleur," Thomas said. "Place your left hand on the bible, raise your right hand to God, and repeat after me..."
"I, Avery Louis LaFleur,
I, Avery Louis LaFleur,
do solemnly swear,
do solemnly swear,
that I will faithfully execute,
that I will faithfully execute,
the Office of President of the United States,
the Office of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my ability,
and will to the best of my ability,
preserve protect and defend,
preserve protect and defend,
the Constitution of the United States,
the Constitution of the United States,
so help me God,
so help me God."
Chief Justice Thomas, with tears swelling in his eyes, shook LaFleur's hand. "Congratulations, Mister President."
The cheers and clapping of some 1.8-million people were deafening. President LaFleur hugged his wife as the cheers, shouts, and cries from the crowd grew substantially louder and reverberated throughout the streets and roundabouts of Washington D.C. He shook the hands of presidents Sinclair, Gore, Bush, and Carter. Finally, LaFleur shook hands with Vice President John F. Kennedy Jr. Sinclair, who felt an instance of overwhelming relief, enveloped his wife Olympia in an unsarcastically affectionate hug. After a few more moments of congratulations on stage, LaFleur took to the presidential podium and waved to the crowd. This did nothing to silence them as their cries echoed afar. "Thank you," LaFleur said, raising his hand for silence, but still, for nearly a minute, the millions assembled cheered.
"Vice President Kennedy, Mister Speaker, Mister Chief Justice, President Carter, Vice President Mondale, President Gore, President Sinclair, reverend clergy, my fellow citizens... The overwhelming tide of progress and our urge, as Americans, to move onward to greatness has brought us to this very moment in time. I stand before you, humbled, by the monumental job that is ahead of us. We now hold in our hands the authority and the mandate to bring forth changes to help our fellow Americans. What we want to do is not to give a handout, but to give a hand up to any American who is willing to put in the time, the work, the blood, the sweat, and the tears that it takes to pursue their own happiness. What we want is to put more money in the pockets of the average American. What we want is to embolden some of America's greatest and most storied industries and trades.
"From farmers in Nebraska and California, to fishermen in Alaska and Louisiana, from roughnecks in Texas to ranchers in Montana, from policemen and musicians in New Orleans to the brightest minds at the greatest universities in the world who call America their home, there are common sense reforms we can take to benefit all of them and make the lives of every citizen just a little better so that they can strive that much further. We can lower taxes for the average American! We can support young men and women who want to go into the trades! We can save our inner cities from the decay and rot that have consumed so many of them!... We can do these things and we will do these things. Our country was built on the backs of men who started from nothing and crafted a nation stretching from one sea to another, made from many people, but united under one flag and in agreement with this statement: 'That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
"The foundational idea of this nation, at its core, is that any person can achieve greatness if they have the will to do it. They don't need to be born with a certain name, or of a certain class, or belong to a certain race - they only need be an American. We owe it to our forefathers and to ourselves to push further and to reach higher. I cannot do it for you, but what I can do is fight - I can fight to protect your rights as citizens, to keep money in your pockets, to keep us safe, and to defend the democratic institutions that safeguard our republic from the evils of corruption which inevitably lead to destitution. We have the will and we have the means to raise men and women out of poverty in this country. We have the will and we have the means to reduce homelessness from a commonplace pestilence to a rare oddity. We have the will and we have the means to end the drug epidemic in the country, and to pulverize the people who are destroying lives, who are destroying families, and who are destroying entire communities with addictive substances. I will not rest until these people are brought to justice, until our people are freed from these chains of addiction, and that we give each and every one of them the opportunity to stand up on their own two feet and redeem themselves.
"This great journey before us will not be without its struggles, but will be the opportunity to renew our country and reach for the stars. I deeply believe that our best days are ahead of us and that this great experiment, forged in the Enlightenment and refined in the annals of history, will endure on as one of mankind's greatest projects. My hope for our country is a renewed sense of equality before the law, an incomprehensible abundance of opportunities, and a stable society protected by law and order. We can achieve these things, and we will. My fellow citizens, with God as my witness, in these next four years I pledge in service to you every iota of my effort, every moment of my time, and every beat of my heart... Onward to equality, onward to prosperity, onward to greatness... May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America."
