Oath

Ronald Brownstein (Washington Outlook, Dec. 28) discusses a "new morality" in America, with absolute standards of behavior, but also forgiveness for those who fail. Yes, we should forgive people who fail, then repent. (Bill Clinton, however, refuses to admit he lied.) But forgiveness should not remove our responsibility under the law for the consequences of our actions. Brownstein states: "Most Americans, while accepting the principle, continue to temper it by looking at the particulars: He lied about sex, not about a fundamental decision of state."

Vice President Joe Biden was sworn in for a second term early this morning in a low-key ceremony at his official residence in Washington. Since inauguration day fell on a Sunday, Biden and President Obama chose to follow tradition and be sworn in privately today. They will reenact their oaths at Monday's public inaugural ceremony at the Capitol. Biden chose to be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and agreed to an early morning ceremony to allow Sotomayor to attend a book signing for her new memoir this afternoon in New York.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee, tasked with planning festivities surrounding the second swearing-in of President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, announced Thursday the preliminary details of what will be a long weekend of events to mark the start of the administration's second term, beginning with a National Day of Service on Jan. 19. The Obamas and Bidens, as well as members of the Cabinet, will participate in community service projects in...

Ronald Reagan lives in a state of delusion. In his speech he never addressed AIDS. He never denounced the racism of Howard Beach in New York or Forsyth County in Georgia. He glossed over the deficit as if he were not its author. He mentioned Canada but not the acid rain that fouls their environment and ours. Worst of all, he fails his oath of office by advocating school prayer, a direct violation of the Constitution that separates church and state. This President--misguided, misinformed, and mistaken for a leader--remains a clear and present danger to our liberty.

Municipal Judge Sidney Maleck will be formally sworn in today at 4 p.m. in Division 9 of West Orange County Municipal Court. Judge Maleck, who was named to the Municipal Court bench by Gov. George Deukmejian last December, will take the oath of office from Judge Charles Wiggins of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. At the time of his appointment, Maleck was serving as city attorney of El Monte, a position he had held for 10 years.

With San Diego Bay and the sparkling city skyline as a background, 560 immigrants raised their right hands Thursday and took the oath of U.S. citizenship in a pre-Fourth of July naturalization ceremony at Cabrillo National Monument. The new Americans came from 52 countries and included several men in the Navy and Marines. Moments before U.S. District Judge Judith N.

WASHINGTON -- With a quick and simple swearing-in ceremony at the White House, President Obama formally ended his first term in office Sunday and embarked on another four years leading a nation hobbled by a weak economy and gripped by political division. Raising his right hand a few minutes before noon, Obama swore to “faithfully execute the office” and “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution in a ceremony that lasted hardly a minute. The president stood next to First Lady Michelle Obama, holding her family Bible, and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia.

Listen to Gerald Uelmen's specious arguments (Commentary, Oct. 10): 1) "What we overlook is that the sequestered jurors saw a different trial than the television viewers." 2) " . . . The jury didn't even share . . . the public exposure of the racist rantings of Detective Mark Fuhrman." 3) " . . . The verdict of public opinion [is not] sanctified by an oath." He makes these arguments knowing that lawyers involved in the O.J. Simpson trial are under investigation by the State Bar of California for their behavior; he knows that his client was not under oath when he was coaxed by a member of the bar to proclaim his innocence; he knows that his team blemished several detectives, as having smeared blood on his client's floors, his car, along his driveway and planted a bloody glove.

Lance Armstrong did little to impress executives at two of the world's largest anti-doping agencies during the first part of his interview with Oprah Winfrey on Thursday night. Armstrong was hardly contrite when giving most of his answers to Winfrey, who opened the interview with a series of yes-or-no questions that led to the disgraced former cycling champion and cancer survivor admitting that he had used performance-enhancing drugs, lied about it when confronted by others and often bullied his accusers.