White House press secretary Sean Spicer turned heads on Saturday evening when he called reporters to the briefing room and read from a written statement: "This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration—period—both in person and around the globe." Spicer drew intense criticism because…
Ronald Reagan loved Washington but disliked the government. George W. Bush hated Washington but liked the government. Donald Trump loathes both Washington and the government.
The first official White House press conference is on Monday, but Sean Spicer called a Very Special Presser Saturday evening. Why? He had something he wanted to get off his chest. "[P]hotographs of the inaugural proceedings were intentionally framed in a way, in one particular tweet, to minimize…
That Donald Trump's inaugural speech was patriotic, nationalistic and populist – that was no surprise. What was unexpected, at least by me, was his call for government action. And not just what government can do to unleash the economy and incentivize Americans to work, save, and invest
Donald Trump has said repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act should be done "very quickly"—but the issue was nowhere to be found in the president's inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol Friday. Trump's speech, which struck populist themes on trade, immigration, foreign policy, and…
Months after Labor Day, three of the inauguration's top billing women came out in white suits. Hillary Clinton and the Trump sisters Tiffany and Ivanka were all wearing the color of sisterhood, according to CNN's Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash who noted the significane of Clinton's styling.
Today is Inauguration Day, so it seems fitting to kick things off with the inaugural edition of this new feature here at THE WEEKLY STANDARD. For the first 100 (or so) days of the Donald J. Trump administration, look to this space for inside coverage of our 45th president, his White House, and his…
Ronald Reagan loved Washington but disliked the government. George W. Bush hated Washington but liked the government. Donald Trump loathes both Washington and the government.
Gee, I'm having a tough time deciding which exciting anti-Trump demonstration to attend this weekend. Fortunately the Huffington Post published a helpful list:
The WEEKLY STANDARD Podcast with senior editor Andrew Ferguson on the Hollywood snubbing of Trump's inauguration and the future of democracy.
Neil S. Rodgers, a former D.C. government official, was sentenced Tuesday for his role in the misappropriation of $110,000 earmarked for D.C.'s Children at Risk and Drug Prevention Fund to cover a deficit for the 51st State Inaugural Ball for President Obama's inauguration in 2009. Rodgers, found…
A 2008 documentary reveals that Terry McAuliffe, who is being sworn in today as governor of Virginia, thinks that members of the Bush family “should all have been put away in jail.”
Barack Obama's speechwriter, John Favreau, takes credit for the president's Second Inaugural Address in an interview with the Huffington Post.
In his second inaugural address, President Obama made every effort to tie his political philosophy to the ideals and principles of the American Founding, even as he made clear how little he understands those ideals and principles. The gist of Obama’s speech was that only government can grant…
THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with Bill Kristol, hosted by Michael Graham:
Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan knocked President Barack Obama for "shadowbox[ing] a straw man" in his inaugural address. Speaking Tuesday morning on the Laura Ingraham Radio Show to guest host Raymond Arroyo, Ryan responded to Obama's statement that Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security "do not…
At 10:12 p.m. last night, President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle returned to the White House after a long day of inaugural festivities. Twenty minutes later, aides to the president relieved the on-duty pool reporter, who was sent home as the president would no longer be leaving the White…
Fred Barnes writes:
President Barack Obama gave a shout out last night at an Inaugural ball to our "comrades in arms" in Afghanistan. After hearing from troops in Afghanistan through a video a satellite, the commander in chief said, "I can tell you that you've got a room full of patriots here. And although I've got…
President Barack Obama used his second inaugural address Monday to offer an aggressive, unapologetic defense of activist government and to call for a new spirit of unity even as he seeks to move the country even further left.
In an otherwise unmemorable second inaugural speech, I was struck by one sentence: "But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well."
The New York Times, which endorsed President Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, offers "condensed" Inaugural Address on its website. Titled, "The Eight-Minute Inaugural Address," the "condensed" version whacks off 60 percent of the speech, which the Times suggests is not…
THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with Jim Swift, hosted by Michael Graham:
The speech has been subjected to instant analysis and placed in proper historical context by, among others, Andrea Mitchell who thought it recalled Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" masterpiece. Others saw it as a call to arms for the progressive agenda. And so forth.
The vice president stole NBC's show of the Inaugural parade when he ran over to shake weatherman Al Roker's hand:
Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee in the last election, was booed at President Barack Obama's Second Inauguration today in Washington, D.C.
MSNBC host Chuck Todd says President Obama's Second Inaugural Address is about moving the country toward liberalism:
Barack Obama, fewer than 2 hours after his second inauguration, signed an email to supporters encouraging them to stay involved in Organizing for Action, the non-profit organization spun off from Obama's presidential campaign. Read the email below:
President Barack Obama proclaims today, the day of his Second Inaugural, "National Day of Hope and Resolve."
The menu for today's Inaugural lunch, with President Obama and members of Congress, has been posted:
With a few, conspicuous exceptions – Lincoln, FDR – second inaugural addresses have been largely forgettable. And, for that matter, so have most first term inaugural addresses.
Fox News reports that the price for Inaugural ball tickets have been "slashed" by 50 percent:
Fox News reports that a significantly smaller Inaugural crowd is expected today:
Barack Obama was sworn in today as president for the second time. The small ceremony took place in the White House's Blue Room:
Later today, President Barack Obama will be officially sworn in for his second term. But first, Obama and his family attended church, where the reverend's sermon used the president's reelection campaign slogan "Forward" as a theme. From the pool report:
Bill Kristol gives some advice to President Barack Obama and his Inaugural Address speech writers:
Since becoming the president of the United States of America, Barack Obama has delivered 699 speeches using a Teleprompter, according to statistics compiled by CBS reporter Mark Knoller. That number includes campaign speeches, State of the Union addresses, and everything in between.
Visitors to the nation's capital for the upcoming inauguration have the chance to see a unique exhibit outside the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue. Until Saturday night, the Newseum's large First Amendment tablet will feature a projection of the work of dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who was…
Senator Chuck Schumer is not down with the idea of people selling their tickets to the presidential inauguration next week. And he has "asked" Craigslist and eBay to cease and desist offering them. It is a matter of civic hygiene, don't you know. As the senator helpfully explained, "Having a…
The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced today that "it will use Amalgamated Bank’s cash management services to handle most of its day-to-day banking needs for the 2013 Inaugural activities," according to a press release.
The Obama campaign, months after the November presidential election, is continuing its quest for ... cash. The latest plea comes in an email from campaign manager Jim Messina, who also announces a "Obama Campaign Legacy Conference, where we'll firm up the structure and leadership of the new…
Two days after reports that hotels in Washington are not filling up ahead of Barack Obama's second inauguration, the president emailed supporters to encourage them to come to the festivities scheduled for next month in Washington, D.C.
A "Green Inaugural Ball" has been scheduled to celebrate President Barack Obama's second inauguration, according to an invitation of the event. The ball will be held January 20, the day of Obama's second inauguration, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C.
The White House wouldn't answer a question on why President Barack Obama reversed his decision to allow corporate donations for the inaugural today at the daily press conference:
Politico reports that "President Barack Obama will accept unlimited corporate donations for his Inauguration in January." Last go around, for the 2009 inauguration, Obama banned these very donations.
Stephen Dinan reports that "Because next year's inauguration falls on a Sunday, President Obama will hold only a small, private swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20, and will hold a big public redo the next day. The Inaugural Committee announced Thursday that activities will last three days: a day of…
President Barack Obama is reportedly considering the use of the corporate cash to help pay for inauguration. The thinking is, after a long and very expensive presidential campaign, donors might be too spent to pick up the tab.
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, stop whatever irrelevant busywork you're engaged in and take a moment -- well, half an hour -- to read one of the greatest of presidential utterances. If your busywork won't wait half an hour, skip to the last paragraph. It's…