Of the 16 previous second inaugurals, only one has definitively become known as “the” Second Inaugural. Delivered weeks before his death, Abraham Lincoln’s masterpiece on the Civil War and slavery set a standard that no subsequent president will ever meet. To set expectations for Monday, it is necessary to look to history’s other examples.
For those fondly hoping Obama’s second inaugural will bring a clean slate—teleprompter, that is—history instructs caution. Many second inaugurals have begun where Obama ended his re-election campaign: by reminding Americans what a dire situation their country faced at the end of the previous president’s term.
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