The only no-frills event amid all the ceremonial extravagance of President-elect Barack Obama's historic inauguration will be the final exit of President George W. Bush.
President-elect Barack Obama's historic inauguration as America's first black president is expected to be a day full of lavish celebrations and solemn moments of import. The one exception will the moment President George W. Bush's final exit from the nation's capital as the nation's chief executive.
In keeping with tradition, Bush will ride with Obama in an armored presidential limousine from the White House on one end of Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol building.
There, atop a towering, bunting-covered scaffold packed with Obama's family, friends and future cabinet members, the 43rd President of the United States will look on as the 44th President of the United States takes the official oath of office.
When Obama Takes the Oath
Obama's inaugural planners are expecting a record crowd and authorities are considering opening areas of the National Mall to accommodate the overflow of well-wishers not lucky enough to have gotten the tickets necessary to sit immediately in front of the platform.
But once Obama removes his hand from the Bible on which he took his oath, and most likely with cheers from the crowd echoing upward toward the platform, Bush and then Obama will walk back through the door that leads to the marbled halls of the Capitol.
Obama, Biden Usher Out Bush, Cheney
If tradition holds, Obama's vice president, Joe Biden, will escort Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, down the hall, though a military cordon, and out of the Capitol. Obama will follow with President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, down that same passage.
A helicopter from the presidential fleet will be awaiting Bush, the stairs down, a Marine in full dress uniform standing along side the helicopter's entrance. Bush will salute the Marine, wave back at the crowd and then disappear inside and be flown from the scene.
"His departure from the Capital is attended with no ceremony, other than the presence of the members of his late Cabinet and a few officials and personal friends," according to the 1889 Handbook of Official and Social Etiquette and Public Ceremonies at Washington. "The president leaves the Capital as soon as practicable after the inauguration of his successor. "
George Washington Set Tradition
The tradition of an outgoing president attending the inauguration began with the very first such transition of power. President George Washington attened the inaugural of the second president of the United States, John Adams, in 1798, according to Inauguration Committee's official website.
President Andrew Jackson began the tradition of the outgoing president accompanying his incoming successor on the ride to the inauguration in 1837, when he joined President -elect Martin Van Buren on the short trip to the Capitol, according to the committee.
Outgoing President's Stay Cut Short
Outgoing presidents once stuck around much longer than Bush will. Outgoing 19th Century presidents used to ride back to the White House with their successor, even stay to review the parade in front of the White House.
The notion of a quick, no-frills exit began with President Theodore Roosevelt, who left the Capitol after congratulating his successor, President Howard Taft, and went directly to Union Station where he caught the train to New York.
Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Johnson left the Capitol in a car, according to the committee. Johnson and his family drove all the way to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland where they boarded for the flight home to Texas.
The copyright of the article How President George W. Bush Will Leave Office in US President is owned by Bob Kemper. Permission to republish How President George W. Bush Will Leave Office in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
I can't believe this is finally happening...God bless America!!! We are
back as a super power!!!!!
Jan 15, 2009 7:39 AM
Guest
:
We are back as a super power? Do you know what a "super power"
is? I suggest you educate yourself then explain when we weren't considered
a "super power" and why the election of Obama returns us to
"super power" status.
Jan 19, 2009 1:21 AM
Guest
:
I cannot wait to see the moment when that man gets on that helicopter, and
is finally removed from any position of control or power. It cannot come
soon enough! 8 years of immeasurable damage! Good riddance!
Jan 19, 2009 9:01 AM
Guest
:
Get with it people President Bush did alot of bad but he also did alot of
good for this country. And for whoever said we were a "super
power" you really need to educate yourself on what it really means!!!
And trust with Obama in office we are not a super power.i wish bush had
another 4 years
Jan 19, 2009 2:31 PM
Guest
:
"Super Power?" Wishful thinking, alas. No, the twentieth
century was the American Century, certainly. But George W. Bush has done
his utmost to ensure that America will no longer be a super power of any
kind. What does being a superpower mean, others above me ask. It
means having the moral authority to challenge brutal regimes to change
their ways. By using Guantanamo and waterboarding, Bush has caused any
moral authority our country may have had to fly out the window. Being
a superpower means being able to engage in multiple, simultaneous
conflicts, and, with simultaneous combat operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan, it appears, at least at first blush, that we are doing just
that. But we're not winning, are we? And we're resorting to forcing our
troops to do multiple tours of 15 months each, rather than 12, because we
don't have enough soliders on hand. And the soldiers that are lucky enough
to not get killed overseas are coming back without limbs, or with brain
trauma from head shots, and our veterans' hospitals don't know how to take
care of them properly. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers with PTSD come
back to find no counseling, no jobs, and nothing to do but take their
frustrations out on their spouses. Is this how a superpower's military is
supposed to function? Lastly, being a superpower entails having a
robust, well managed economy that is the envy of the world. Well, look
around you: chances are at least one of your immediate neighbors lost his
job, or can't afford his mortgage and is facing foreclosure. How could
this have happened? Through the lack of regulatory oversight more
consistent with the behavior of a government of some third-world
dictatorship than that of a superpower. No, George Bush has most
definitely NOT done anything good for this country. He's just destroyed it
with his misjudgment, ineptitude, and cock-sure stupidity, that's all. I'm hopeful Obama will begin the process of rebuilding what his imbecile
predecessor destroyed. But I doubt we'll ever be a superpower again. And
that's just fine, as long as we all have jobs, affordable healthcare, and
the chance to live our lives without being afraid of the future.
Jan 19, 2009 3:28 PM
Guest
:
I have been waiting for this day for a long eight years. I don't believe
there was anybody in the history of mankind so incensitive to others and so
heartless to the less furtunate. He let manipulator to hijack the Stock
Market so he and his body Channey benefit from the sky rocketting oil
prices. He destroyed the world without any blink. He desimated a
civilization so can earn the cover of the Zionist movement to carry out his
crusading mission. They say "you to see evil to appriciate
goodness". Finally I know what do they mean. I hope he and his family
will disappear from the news forever. I believe he and his father must be
brought to Geneva as criminial of wars. God never forget to punish bad
people, Sharon is a good example to that
Jan 19, 2009 10:45 PM
Guest
:
let's be thankful for who we are, what we are, where we are, and thankful
for the work done by many prior US governments, including that of George W.
Bush, and wish our new president and the nation the best of luck.
Jan 20, 2009 9:28 AM
Guest
:
I have a family emergency on hand. I can't leave the house, however, until
I see George Bush on that helicopter. I need to know he is really
gone.
Nov 22, 2008
