Barack Obama will kick off his second term with a scaled-back inauguration with an appeal to America to "seek common ground".
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• Barack Obama to urge America to 'seek common ground'
• 800,000 gather in Washington for swearing-in ceremony
• President's first term in pictures
• Obama to be sworn in using King and Lincoln bibles
• Ceremony a dramatic reduction from 2009 festivities
• Tweet your thoughts to @rafsanchez
• 800,000 gather in Washington for swearing-in ceremony
• President's first term in pictures
• Obama to be sworn in using King and Lincoln bibles
• Ceremony a dramatic reduction from 2009 festivities
• Tweet your thoughts to @rafsanchez
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16.01 (11.01) We're at the formal beginning of ceremonies now. The national colours have just been trooped in front of the platform and now the VIPs are being formally announced, beginning with Jimmy andRosalynn Carter. Carter, of course, never got a second inauguration after losing to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
16.00 (11.00) It's not just political celebrities at the Capitol.
15.55 (10.55) The dais if filling up now with the big beasts of the American government: Eric Holder, the attorney general, Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, Timothy Geithner, the treasury secretary. Clinton is being joined by her successor, Senator John Kerry, and Geither's replacement, Jack Liew, is also onstage.
Interestingly, one unnamed member of the cabinet will not be present. The idea is that in the event of a catastrophic tragedy, one member of the cabinet would be away from the scene and could assume the presidency if all the usual successors (vice president, speaker of the House, president pro-tempore of the Senate etc) were killed.
15.45 (10.45) The President has just left the White House aboard the presidential limo. He's being accompanied by Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat senator from New York and the chair on the Inauguration Committee. Biden is riding a few cars ahead with Lamar Alexander, the Republican vice chair of the committee.
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15.40 (10.40) Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's former running mate, has just arrived on the dais on the western front of the Capitol. The crowd of Obama supporters caught a glimpse of him on the jumbotron television screens and were less than decorous.
15.38 (10.38) There was also a bit of disorder last night in Chinatown, roughly halfway between the White House and Congress. Around 60 protesters smashed some ATMs and the windows of a Hooters restaurant. The group apparently dropped flyers with the slogan: "Against Every Cop. Against Every Boss. Against Every President".
15.30 (10.30) There's a good vibe in the capital city today, like both sides are genuinely prepared to let the partisanship go for a day and embrace the ceremony. But it's not for everyone, as Peter Fosterreports:
Walking up towards the Capitol, it is striking how many African-American and young faces there are in this crowd. These are the people who elected Obama and they have come to celebrate. I did find this clutch of what a Republican consultant friend of mine calls "American Taliban". The police seemed to have coralled them off for the own safety, but apart from the odd abusive call of "shame!" and "Go live in Uganda, they still have the death penalty for gays there", it's mostly bitter mirth being directed at the placard-holders.
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15.22 (10.22) Jimmy Carter just entered the Capitol. The only former other former president to attended today will be Bill Clinton, who can take a lot of credit for Obama's successful re-election effort. Both Bushes are staying away.
Useless trivia: no former vice presidents are in attendance. Dick Cheney, Al Gore and Dan Quayle (Bush Sr's VP) are watching from home if they're watching at all.
15.15 (10.15) So this is awkward: Obama signs tweets that he writes himself with the signature "-bo". He sent this one at 9.25am.
So either the President was tweeting in church or that signed tweet rule is not iron-clad.
15.10 (10.10) Obama is currently inside the White House with Congressional leaders from both parties. Eric Cantor, the Republican majority leader in the House, is one of the President's most intractable opponents on the Hill - fighting against the effort to life the debt ceiling and almost derailing this month's compromise on the fiscal cliff.
But today' it's all sweetness and light:
15.05 (10.05) A cute moment as Obama and the girls arrive back at the North face of the White House. Quote comes the pool report, the account of the White Correspondent assigned to travel with the President for the day and share details with the rest of the press corps.
As the president's limo pulled up, the Obama daughters and Mrs. Robinson got out of the car behind. Malia Obama sneaked up to surprise her dad, shouting, "Boo!" as he got out. "You scared me!" he told her, and then the first family, joined by Mrs. Robinson, followed the Bidens inside.
14.52 (09.52) Here's the First Family arriving at the church earlier.
And the critical details, per a White House official:
The First Lady is wearing a navy Thom Browne coat and dress. The fabric was developed based on the style of a men's silk tie. The belt she is wearing is from J.Crew, the cardigan is designed by Reed Krakoff and her necklace is designed by Cathy Waterman. She is also wearing J.Crew shoes. At the end of the Inaugural festivities, the outfit and accompanying accessories will go to the National Archives.
Malia Obama is wearing a J.Crew ensemble. Sasha Obama is wearing a Kate Spade coat and dress.
14.45 (09.45) Factoid: today will be the fourth time Barack Obama takes the oath of office, a record matched only by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who flaunted tradition by running for four terms.
You might remember that the President's first oath got mangled in the hands of John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States back in 2009. Concerned about leaving any constitutional ambiguity, Obama took the oath a second time in private.
Because the official inauguration day fell on a Sunday this year, the President was sworn in at a private White House ceremony yesterday. Today, he goes through it for the fourth, and presumably last, time.
14.40 (09.40) The Obamas have left the church and are rolling towards the White House before heading to the Capitol in about an hour.
14.30 (09.30) The First Family are currently at St John’s Episcopal Church, known as "the church of the presidents" because of its proximity to the White House. Here's the run down for the rest of the day, with all times EST.
10:35AM THE FIRST FAMILY departs the White House en route Capitol Hill
11:20AM THE PRESIDENT is sworn in at the United States Capitol; THE FIRST FAMILY, THE VICE PRESIDENT and DR. BIDEN
1:05PM THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY and DR. BIDEN attend the inaugural luncheon
2:40PM THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY and DR. BIDEN
3:45PM THE FIRST FAMILY, THE VICE PRESIDENT and DR. BIDEN watch the inaugural parade from the presidential reviewing standing
8:45PM THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY and DR. BIDEN attend the Commander-in-Chief’s Inaugural Ball
9:10PM THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY and DR. BIDEN attend the Inaugural Ball
14.25 (09.25) Raf Sanchez taking over the good ship liveblog now from Washington DC. Good morning from the American capital, where the sun is shining, the air is brisk and the streets are a maze of security checkpoints and confused tourists.
DC and its three electoral college votes are thoroughly ignored during the election (it's probably among the most Democratic cities in America) so the inauguration is a chance for it to return to the spotlight. We have a long day civic pageantry ahead followed by a night of partying.
14.09 (09.09) From Michael Beschloss on Twitter, a image of Lincoln's handwritten second inuagural address, 1865.
13.49 (08.49) The Schedule Times for a few key moments here, GMT (EST): 16.20 (11.20) Obama takes his seat 16.35 (11:35) Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil-rights leader Medgar Evers, gives the invocation 16.55 (11:55) U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts administers the presidential oath of office to President Obama 17.00 (12.00) Obama delivers the inaugural address.
There is also music, poetry, and very specific times for when the important players are due to take their seats (First Lady - 11.14am) here: US Presidential Inauguration: full schedule.
13.40 (08.40) The sun rises behind the Capitol Dome early this morning before the ceremonial swearing-in gets underway.
(Getty Images)
13.34 (08.34) Obama is not expected to outline any new policy today, AP reports, instead sticking with tradition to outline his agenda for the next four years in broad terms. That said, with gun law reform currently the subject of great rancour and other policy battles on the horizon, people will surely have their ears cocked for any hints.
His words come at the start of a second term with no shortage of tough battles. Obama may in some way reference the Connecticut elementary school shooting that pushed gun control to the top of his agenda. He may also speak of a need to tackle comprehensive immigration reform, another second-term priority, and a need to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.
13.14 (08.14) Not everyone is on inauguration message of course. American rapper Lupe Fiasco was thrown off stage last night at a concert in celebration of the event, reportedly for going on a long anti-Obama rant. Fiasco spent more than half an hour performing a song criticising the president and was told by organisers to move on to the next song. When he refused, he was ejected from the stage by security.
One of the concert's organisers, Hypervocal, has issued a statement denying that the rapper was kicked off over the content of the song.
Lupe Fiasco performed at this private event, and as you may have read, he left the stage earlier than we had planned. But Lupe Fiasco was not "kicked off stage" for an "anti-Obama rant." We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech. This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act.
12.48 (07.48) Sixty years ago today, President Eisenhower began his inaugural address with a kind of prayer, calling for "co-operation to be the mutual aim of those who, under the concepts of our constitution, hold to differing political faiths".
With entrenched fiscal cliff negotiations lingering in the near memory and a fierce battle over gun control on the horizon, his address feels particularly apt on its 60th anniversary. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can watch it here:
12.22 (07.22) Ask not what your country can do for you... Today's inaugaural address will be the 57th by an American president. Brennan Murray has taken a look back at some of the most notable. First though, a little test: can guess the president from the line? The first one's a gimme.
"Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
"We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists."
How did you fare? Find out: The best of the US inaugural addresses
12.13 (07.13) Four years ago, almost to the day, Barack Obama checks his appearance before walking out to take the oath of office. See the story of those four years in pictures.
(Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
12.00 (07.00) The president was actually sworn in yesterday, owing to a quirk in the US Constitution. In fact, he joins FDR (who served four terms, now impossible of course) as the only president to have taken the oath four times. Four years ago, Chief Justice John Roberts mixed up the wording of the oath of office, which the newly minted president repeated, and was forced to stage a do-over, as they say over there.
This time around, he will have to do it twice again because of the calendar: The 20th amendment to the US Constitution requires that presidential terms end at noon on January 20 – but according to tradition, when that date falls on a Sunday, the president takes the oath a second time in public the next day.
Only Mr Obama's close family members, including his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha, were present as he took the oath, with Justice Roberts taking the precaution of reading from a cue card, unlike in 2009 when he spoke from memory.
"Good job, dad," said Sasha Obama as she hugged her father, to which he replied "I did it." She then added: "You didn't mess up!"
11.59 (06.59) Beyonce Knowles will sing the National Anthem at today's inauguration. She is just one of multiple stars who are appearing as part of the festivities. Kelly Clarkson will since My County 'Tis of Thee and James Taylor will perform America the Beautiful. For you listening pleasure, a little playlist of some the artists involved:
11.57 (06.57) Four years ago, millions of Americans gathered to watch Barack Obama sworn in as president for the first time. Since then, a lot has happened. Take a look at the key moments of his first term, including the death of Osama bin Laden.
11.55 (06.55) The President will use his inauguration speech to remind a deeply divided America of the need to "seek common ground", Peter Foster reports.
Mr Obama will address a nation whose divisions were clearly exposed during last year's election campaign when Mr Obama defeated Mitt Romney, his Republican opponent, thanks to a progressive coalition of women, minorities and young people...
Even before the speech was delivered however, senior Republicans were warning Mr Obama to "legislate realistically" in his second term, and promising that they would block attempts to force new gun controls measures, including an assault weapons ban, through Congress.
People walk on the National Mall near the Washington Monument (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
11.50 GMT (6.50 EST) Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Barack Obama's inauguration, marking the beginning of his second term in office as President of the United States of America.
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