WASHINGTON — Will the real president please stand up?
Vice President Joe Biden committed one of his trademark gaffes over the weekend when he said at the Iowa State Society inauguration ball: “I’m proud to be president of the United States.”
The real president, Barack Obama, took his oath of office to a second term as the nation’s 44th commander-in-chief yesterday at a ceremony in the White House that lasted less than a minute.
Chief Justice John Roberts administered the 35-word oath before a small gathering in accordance with the Constitution, which mandates that inductions take place on Jan. 20.
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SAY WHAT? Vice President Joe Biden, wife Jill watching, is sworn in yesterday by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a day after saying he was “president.”
Reuters
TWO PROUD: President Obama gets a hug from daughter Malia and a big smile from wife Michelle yesterday after the White House oath ceremony.
A public audience couldn’t take place this year, however, because the date fell on a Sunday and public institutions are closed.
Obama took the oath with First Lady Michelle holding her grandmother’s Bible and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, looking on. Sasha, 11, congratulated her dad after he took the oath.
“Good job, Daddy,” she said, hugging the president.
“I did it,” Obama replied.
His daughter then said, “You didn’t mess up,” an apparent reference to when Obama took his first oath in 2009 and had to repeat it a day later after Roberts tripped over the wording.
Obama will repeat the oath at a ceremony today at the Capitol, where about 800,000 people are expected to descend on the National Mall for the event, fewer than the 1.8 million four years ago.
The inauguration will be followed by a luncheon, parade and two official inaugural balls.
Biden was also sworn in during a ceremony at his residence at the Naval Observatory. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor administered the oath before about 120 of Biden’s family and friends.
Biden was sworn in at 8:21 a.m. because Sotomayor had to make it back to New York for an afternoon book signing, he said.
Biden’s guest list indicated he might have an eye on the 2016 presidential campaign — with Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, which holds the first presidential primary, in attendance. Iowa holds the first caucuses.
As Obama again takes office, the public’s opinion of the country’s direction is the lowest that a president has seen on his inauguration day to a second term in 40 years.
A small majority, 51 percent, have a negative view about how the country is doing, compared to 49 percent with a favorable view. At least that positive number is six points higher than in November.
gshields@nypost.com
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