THE WIDER VIEW SPECIAL: The Inauguration of Barack Obama

Byline: CAROLINE GRAHAM

THE WIDER VIEW SPECIAL: The Inauguration of Barack Obama

WHEN Barack Obama is officially sworn in asAmerica's 44th President on Tuesday, anestimated 1.5billion people around the globeare expected to tune in to watch.

Obama, a huge admirer of Abraham Lincoln, has modelled his own inauguration heavily on that of 'Honest Abe', who led America from 1861 un tilhis assassination in 1865 and is regularly votedthe most popular President ever.

The official theme of Obama 's inauguration is A New Birth Of Freedom, a phrase taken fromLincolns famous Gettysburg Address madeduring the American Civil War.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. As the Washington bumperstickers declare: It's Time To Party Like It's 1861!

Here CAROLINE GRAHAM provides The Mail on Sunday's complete guide to the big day.

THE BUILD-UP

THE Obamas will wake in the bedroom, below, of the President's official guest house, Blair House, which is opposite the White House.

President Bush will remain in the White House until Tuesday morning, when the Obama family will be driven across the road a few hundred yards in a heavily-armoured limousine, above.

Secret Service snipers, trained to hit a target the size of a 50p piece from 1,000 yards, will occupy nearby rooftops.

The family already have their Secret Service nicknames to be used when on the move: Barack is Renegade, Michelle is Renaissance, Malia is Radiance and Sasha is Rosebud.

Laura Bush will show Michelle into the private living quarters and escort Sasha and Malia to their new rooms.

President Bush will make a formal, but token, presentation of the White House keys to his successor. The White House is guarded round the clock but the front door is never locked.

The two families will enjoy a private breakfast together until 10.30am, when they will leave, in separate bulletproof limos, for the 1.7-mile drive along Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol building.

THE SETTING

OBAMA will assume power on a raised wooden dais at the front of a semi-circle of chairs on …

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Publication information: Article title: THE WIDER VIEW SPECIAL: The Inauguration of Barack Obama. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Mail on Sunday (London, England). Publication date: January 18, 2009. Page number: 44. © 2009 Solo Syndication Limited. COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale Group.

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