On this day in 1953, President Eisenhower delivers the first live coast-to-coast inauguration address. The temperature was 49 degrees with cloudy skies. Eisenhower entered the 1952 presidential race as a Republican to counter the non-interventionism of Senator Robert A. Taft and to crusade against Communism, Korea and corruption. He won by a landslide, defeating Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson and ending two decades of the New Deal Coalition. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Dwight D. Eisenhower as President and Richard Nixon as Vice President. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice Frederick Vinson on two Bibles—the one used by George Washington at the first inauguration, and the one General Eisenhower received from his mother upon his graduation from the Military Academy at West Point. Nixon was sworn in as Vice President by Senator William Knowland of California minutes earlier. This marks the first occasion in which a President-elect who did not already hold the office, became President under the terms of the 20th amendment. Before delivering his inaugural address, the President offered a prayer, the text of which follows: My friends, before I begin the expression of those thoughts that I deem appropriate to this moment, would you permit me the privilege of uttering a little private prayer of my own. And I ask that you bow your heads. Almighty God, as we stand here at this moment my future associates in the Executive branch of Government join me in beseeching that Thou will make full and complete our dedication to the service of the people in this throng, and their fellow citizens everywhere. Give us, we pray, the power to discern clearly right from wrong, and allow all our words and actions to be governed thereby, and by the laws of this land. Especially we pray that our concern shall be for all the people regardless of station, race or calling. May cooperation be permitted and be the mutual aim of those who, under the concepts of our Constitution, hold to differing political faiths; so that all may work for the good of our beloved country and Thy glory. Amen. Eisenhower broke with custom by reciting his own improvised prayer instead of kissing the Bible. The two and one-half hour inaugural parade was witnessed by an estimated 1 million persons, of whom 60,000 were in the grandstand in seats ranging in price from $3 to $15, according to location. About 22,000 service men and women and 5,000 civilians were in the parade, which included 50 state and organization floats. There were also 65 musical units, 350 horses, 3 elephants, an Alaskan dog team, and the 280-millimeter atomic cannon. It was the most elaborate inaugural pageant ever held. https://youtube/watch?v=SwenOlpbvTA
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:31:39 +0000