George Washington gave the shortest inaugural address on March 4, 1793, a mere 135 words. William H. Harrison has the distinction of giving the longest inaugural address on record – 10,000 words spoken on March 4, 1841.
These are just two of the many inaugural facts and figures that have been compiled by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, to whom full credit is given for the following article.
George Washington set the precedent of kissing the Bible after the oath on April 30, 1789, but that precedent was broken by Franklin Pierce, who on March 4, 1853, merely placed his left hand on it.
On the same day, Pierce was the first president to deliver an inaugural address without referring to notes. Four years later, the inauguration of James Buchanan was the first on record to be photographed.
Ulysses S. Grant’s guests had the distinction of being involved in the first food fight at an inaugural ball.
The first newspaper extra of an inaugural address was printed by the National Intelligence in 1801. In 1845, James Polk’s inauguration was covered by the telegraph, and in 1897, William McKinley’s inauguration was recorded by a movie camera.
Calvin Coolidge became the first president to have an inauguration broadcast by radio, while Herbert Hoover, in 1924, had his inauguration covered by the talking newsreel. Harry S. Truman’s was the first to be televised, and Lyndon B. Johnson had the first press gallery installed on the Capitol grounds.
Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1981 had the first closed captioning of a television broadcast for the hearing impaired, the first post-inaugural luncheon to be partially televised, and the inaugural balls, nine of them were transmitted by satellite to 32 ballroom sites across the United States.
During his second inauguration, Reagan had the first television camera installed in the presidential limousine, and in 1997, the inauguration of William Clinton was broadcast live over the Internet.
Some of the more sobering facts in the history of the inauguration include John Tyler, the first vice president to assume the presidency due to the death of the president (William Harrison).
Lyndon B. Johnson, following the death of John F. Kennedy, had the oath of office administered for the first time by a woman – Sarah T. Hughes, U. S. District Judge of the Northern District of Texas. This was also the first time the oath had been administered on Air Force One.
And finally, an unprecedented fact that will be engrained in the history of the country forever: On Jan. 20, 1965, the first bullet-proofed, closed presidential limousine was put into service.
Today also marks the 196th year in a row that the Marine Corps Band has performed at an inaugural function, and it has been 216 years since George Washington took the oath of office.
George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, will receive the oath of office during the 55th inauguration of a president at noon today. The event is scheduled to be televised world-wide, and over the Internet.

Author