George Walker Bush of Texas has taken the oath of office to become the 43rd President of the United States of America.
On a cold Saturday in winter in the capital named after the nation’s first President, George Washington, Bush placed his hand on the same King James bible used by the revolutionary general when he was sworn in 212 years ago.
As required by the United States Constitution, Bush swore this oath:
I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Bush takes office as the second son to follow his father into the White House. On the podium as Chief Justice William Rehnquist administered the oath, Bush stood in the presence of the man who defeated his father in 1992 and the vice-president Bush in turn defeated in a still-disputed election that ended only when Rehnquist voted with four other Supreme Court justices to end the Florida recounts.