We are three days until President Obama makes history once again and is publicly sworn in as the president of the United States. Since President Obama had to take the oath of office twice in 2008 due to Chief Justice Roberts botching his name the first time, he will take it once on Sunday during a private ceremony to observe the day the Constitution requires him to take it, and publicly on Monday, President Obama will be the second president ever to take the oath of office four times, matching FDR.
As President Obama gears up for his second term a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that his job approval rating is at 52%. However, the same poll shows that fewer Americans like the president and his policies. Only 43% of those polled are optimistic about the next four years, compared to the 35% that are pessimistic and 22% have a mixed opinion. First Read points out how the facts are that Americans want the economy turned around and that has to be the presidents main focus come his second term. And thus far President Obama has not accomplished this and the country is worried he won’t be able to.
Joining the conversation at 3 p.m. today is Michael Beschloss, NBC News Presidential Historian, on what we can expect from this inauguration and how it will measure up to years past.