By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, January 20, 2001
George Walker Bush became the nation's 43rd president today, taking the 35-word oath of office beneath cold, drizzly skies that thousands of people braved in order to witness the quadrennial celebration of American democracy.
The former Texas governor placed his left hand on the same Bible his father had used when he became president 12 years ago – and the same one George Washington used in 1789. After concluding with "So help me God," Bush kissed his wife Laura and their twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, then shook hands with newly ex-president Bill Clinton and the departing vice president, Al Gore.
The new president appeared momentarily overcome, as a tear rolled down his left cheek. But he quickly composed himself and calmly delivered his 14-minute inaugural address, in which he asked Americans to be "citizens, not spectators."
Referring directly to the closeness and bitterness of his victory over Gore, Bush appealed for national unity and healing. "Our unity, our union, is the serious work of leaders and citizens in every generation," he said. "And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity."
Less than 24 hours after Clinton signed a consent order that will protect him from a possible perjury charge, Bush promised to conduct his presidency on a high plane.
"I will live and lead by these principles: To advance my convictions with civility; to pursue the public interest with courage; to speak for greater justice and compassion; to call for responsibility, and try to live it as well."
He thanked Clinton "for service to our nation," and Gore "for a contest conducted with spirit and ended with grace." Gore – who won more popular votes than Bush did in November but lost the all-important electoral count – nodded his head in thanks.
Near Bush on the podium were two men who helped him, in quite different ways, win the White House. One was his father, the ex-president who bequeathed both his name and a network of experienced GOP operatives. The other was Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who administered today's oath and contributed to last month's crucial court decision that effectively ended Gore's challenge of Florida's presidential vote count.
About 20 minutes after the inaugural address ended, George and Laura Bush, hand in hand, accompanied Bill and Hillary Clinton – also hand in hand – down the east Capitol steps to a waiting car. The two men – clad almost identically in dark topcoats, white shirts and blue ties – exchanged brief words, and the four shook hands all around. The Clintons, joined by daughter Chelsea, then rode to Andrews Air Force Base for their scheduled flight to New York, where Hillary Clinton is the new senator.
At Andrews, the former president spoke to hundreds of supporters, aides and past Cabinet members. In a possible signal that he plans to stay active in public life, Clinton said, "I left the White House, but I'm still here."
Clinton, still making news in his final hours as president, this morning pardoned 140 people, including his half-brother Roger, kidnapped heiress Patty Hearst and Whitewater business partner Susan McDougal. He also designated Governors Island in New York Harbor as a national monument.
Soon after taking office, however, Bush signed an executive order blocking implementation of several of Clinton's 11th hour actions, including the monument designation. It would not affect the pardons. The order calls for a 60-day postponement of proposed regulations that have yet to take effect, so that new Bush appointees can "review any new or pending regulations." The affected regulations include new Medicare guidelines and environmental protections, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile this afternoon, the Senate voted to confirm seven of Bush's least controversial Cabinet nominees: Colin Powell as secretary of state; Paul O'Neill as treasury secretary, Donald Rumsfeld as defense secretary, Rod Paige as education secretary, Spencer Abraham as energy secretary, Donald Evans as commerce secretary and Ann Veneman as agriculture secretary. Votes on the more contentious nominations of John D. Ashcroft for attorney general and Gale A. Norton for interior secretary may take place next week.
The Senate acted by voice vote, meaning Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) would not miss her first recorded vote while accompanying her husband to their New York home.
In cold, rainy downtown Washington, thousands of people gathered to celebrate the new administration. There were also hundreds of protesters who tried to interrupt the inaugural parade, but few were violent. At one point, protesters took over a set of bleachers set aside for ticketed guests, and some slashed tires on parked cars. Police, some wearing riot gear, pushed protesters back and generally maintained order.
In his inaugural address, Bush summarized some of his main campaign issues, which he now will try to enact in a closely divided Congress.
"Together, we will reclaim America's schools, before ignorance and apathy claim more young lives," Bush said. "We will reform Social Security and Medicare, sparing our children from struggles we have the power to prevent."
He has proposed allowing younger workers to invest some of their Social Security taxes in stocks and other securities.
"We will reduce taxes, to recover the momentum of our economy and reward the effort and enterprise of working Americans," Bush said. He pledged to "build our defenses beyond challenge, unless weakness invite challenge. . . . We will confront weapons of mass destruction, so that a new century is spared new horrors."
Referring to the recent economic slowdown, he said, "If we permit our economy to drift and decline, the vulnerable will suffer most."
Bush devoted most of the speech to lofty, patriotic themes. The man who ran as a "compassionate conservative" used the word "compassion" or "compassionate" four times. "Civility" and "character" also got four mentions each.
His flourishes included: "Through much of the last century, America's faith in freedom and democracy was a rock in a raging sea. Now it is a seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations."
Bush was somewhat elliptical at times. For example, he quoted "a saint of our times" without noting it was Mother Theresa. He alluded to the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, but didn't use those words.
At a post-inaugural luncheon with congressional leaders, the new president gave a less formal assessment of his situation.
"People say, 'Well, gosh, the election was so close, nothing will happen, except for finger pointing and name calling and bitterness,' " he said. "I'm here to tell the country that things will get done, that we're going to rise above expectations, that both Republicans and Democrats will come together to do what's right for America."
Following tradition, Bush began the day with a religious ceremony. At 9:20 a.m., his motorcade arrived at St. John's Church on Lafayette Square for a private worship service. The soon-to-be first lady, Laura Bush, wore a bright blue topcoat with a black collar as the entourage entered the front doors of the historic Episcopal church.
About 100 people attended the 40-minute service for Bush, vice president-elect Richard B. Cheney, their families and friends. Journalists were not allowed inside.
The Rev. Luis Leon, rector of the historic Episcopal church, led a service of prayer for the president and "all in civil authority," a program said. The Rev. Mark Craig, pastor of the Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, where the Bushes are members, preached on the importance of ordering one's life and trusting the Lord, said parish secretary Graham Beard after he left the service.
"The choir was beautiful, the music soared, it all went quite well," Beard said enthusiastically. "What more can I say?" He then added with a laugh: "I voted for Gore!"
After the prayer service, the Bushes went to the White House for coffee with the Clintons. At 11:07, Bush and Clinton emerged from the White House and entered the back seat of a black limo that took them to the Capitol.
It marked the last time that Clinton – who defeated the new president's father in 1992 to end 12 consecutive years of GOP administrations – would leave the White House gates as president.
Despite a forecast that called for rain to turn to snow or sleet about the time the inaugural parade kicks off, the swearing-in ceremony was not moved indoors, nor was the parade canceled, as happened in 1985.
Staff writer Bill Broadway contributed to this report.
