Football: Platini disagrees with Blatter over Boateng






PARIS: UEFA president Michel Platini differed with his FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter on Monday in applauding Kevin-Prince Boateng leading his AC Milan team-mates off the pitch after receiving a torrent of racial abuse in a friendly earlier this month.

Blatter had said players should not take matters into their own hands although he has since said that clubs whose fans are guilty of racial abuse could end up facing either points deductions or even demotion.

However, Platini told French radio station RTL on Monday he had been delighted by Ghanaian international midfielder Boateng's gesture in walking off after some fans of Italian fourth division side Pro Patria showered him with racial abuse.

"It is wonderful, I appreciated it enormously," said the 57-year-old former French playing great.

"It was excellent, in fact I later called Milan to congratulate them."

Platini, though, said that UEFA already had regulations in place should racial abuse take place during matches.

"We implemented rules for Champions League and Europa League matches for the referees to follow," he said.

"If they hear racist chants, there is an appeal for them to desist over the public address system and the match is stopped for a minute. After that if the chanting resumes there is a stoppage of two minutes and a new appeal for them to stop.

"A third time and the referee can call the match off. It is the referee who is the boss in the stadium."

- AFP/ac



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Bhagat Singh Koshyari likely to be next Uttarakhand BJP chief

DEHRADUN: BJP national vice-president Bhagat Singh Koshyari is all set to be unanimously nominated as the next BJP chief in Uttarakhand with Tirath Singh Rawat and Trivendra Singh Rawat, two of the top contenders, withdrawing their nomination papers on Monday.

Both the Rawats withdrew their nomination papers a day after they filed it for the poll for the post of state BJP chief.

A source in BJP said as there will be no elections now and Koshyari may be nominated as chief on Tuesday.

Tirath is a BJP legislator from Chobbathakhal in Uttarakhand's Pauri district and Trivendra was a minister in previous BJP government. Tirath was backed by former CMs B C Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank while Trivendra was Koshyari's candidate.

BJP state Spokesperson Satish Lakhera said that Rawats withdrew their nomination papers after an order from BJP's central leadership saying that in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2014, only a leader with mass support will be nominated as next state chief.

While former BJP state chief B S Chufal's term in the second week of December, he has been officiating as the acting state chief.

Lakhera said Koshyari is most likely to be nominated as next BJP state chief. He served as the Uttarakhand CM from 2001 to 2002. Koshyari is widely known as a leader of masses inside the Uttarakhand BJP.

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Attack at Algeria Gas Plant Heralds New Risks for Energy Development



The siege by Islamic militants at a remote Sahara desert natural gas plant in Algeria this week signaled heightened dangers in the region for international oil companies, at a time when they have been expanding operations in Africa as one of the world's last energy frontiers. (See related story: "Pictures: Four New Offshore Drilling Frontiers.")


As BP, Norway's Statoil, Italy's Eni, and other companies evacuated personnel from Algeria, it was not immediately clear how widely the peril would spread in the wake of the hostage-taking at the sprawling In Amenas gas complex near the Libyan border.



A map of disputed islands in the East and South China Seas.

Map by National Geographic



Algeria, the fourth-largest crude oil producer on the continent and a major exporter of natural gas and refined fuels, may not have been viewed as the most hospitable climate for foreign energy companies, but that was due to unfavorable financial terms, bureaucracy, and corruption. The energy facilities themselves appeared to be safe, with multiple layers of security provided both by the companies and by government forces, several experts said. (See related photos: "Oil States: Are They Stable? Why It Matters.")


"It is particularly striking not only because it hasn't happened before, but because it happened in Algeria, one of the stronger states in the region," says Hanan Amin-Salem, a senior manager at the industry consulting firm PFC Energy, who specializes in country risk. She noted that in the long civil war that gripped the country throughout the 1990s, there had never been an attack on Algeria's energy complex. But now, hazard has spread from weak surrounding states, as the assault on In Amenas was carried out in an apparent retaliation for a move by French forces against the Islamists who had taken over Timbuktu and other towns in neighboring Mali. (See related story: "Timbuktu Falls.")


"What you're really seeing is an intensification of the fundamental problem of weak states, and empowerment of heavily armed groups that are really well motivated and want to pursue a set of aims," said Amin-Salem. In PFC Energy's view, she says, risk has increased in Mauritania, Chad, and Niger—indeed, throughout Sahel, the belt that bisects North Africa, separating the Sahara in the north from the tropical forests further south.


On Thursday, the London-based corporate consulting firm Exclusive Analysis, which was recently acquired by the global consultancy IHS, sent an alert to clients warning that oil and gas facilities near the Libyan and Mauritanian borders and in Mauritania's Hodh Ech Chargui province were at "high risk" of attack by jihadis.


"A Hot Place to Drill"


The attack at In Amenas comes at a time of unprecedented growth for the oil industry in Africa. (See related gallery: "Pictures: The Year's Most Overlooked Energy Stories.") Forecasters expect that oil output throughout Africa will double by 2025, says Amy Myers Jaffe, executive director of the energy and sustainability program at the University of California, Davis, who has counted 20 rounds of bidding for new exploration at sites in Africa's six largest oil-producing states.


Oil and natural gas are a large part of the Algerian economy, accounting for 60 percent of government budget revenues, more than a third of GDP and more than 97 percent of its export earnings. But the nation's resources are seen as largely undeveloped, and Algeria has tried to attract new investment. Over the past year, the government has sought to reform the law to boost foreign companies' interests in their investments, although those efforts have foundered.


Technology has been one of the factors driving the opening up of Africa to deeper energy exploration. Offshore and deepwater drilling success in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil led to prospecting now under way offshore in Ghana, Mozambique, and elsewhere. (See related story: "New Oil—And a Huge Challenge—for Ghana.") Jaffe says the Houston-based company Anadarko Petroleum has sought to transfer its success in "subsalt seismic" exploration technology, surveying reserves hidden beneath the hard salt layer at the bottom of the sea, to the equally challenging seismic exploration beneath the sands of the Sahara in Algeria, where it now has three oil and gas operations.


Africa also is seen as one of the few remaining oil-rich regions of the world where foreign oil companies can obtain production-sharing agreements with governments, contracts that allow them a share of the revenue from the barrels they produce, instead of more limited service contracts for work performed.


"You now have the technology to tap the resources more effectively, and the fiscal terms are going to be more attractive than elsewhere—you put these things together and it's been a hot place to drill," says Jaffe, who doesn't see the energy industry's interest in Africa waning, despite the increased terrorism risk. "What I think will happen in some of these countries is that the companies are going to reveal new securities systems and procedures they have to keep workers safe," she says. "I don't think they will abandon these countries."


This story is part of a special series that explores energy issues. For more, visit The Great Energy Challenge.


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Live Updates: Obamas Watch Inaugural Parade


Four years and one day after President Obama first took his first oath of office, America is once again celebrating his Inauguration. This time the schedule includes performances by Beyonce and Katy Perry, a parade with more than 2,000 members of the military and two Inaugural balls.


Refresh here for updates throughout the day.


Tune in to the ABC News.com Live page on Monday morning starting at 9:30 a.m. EST for all-day live streaming video coverage of Inauguration 2013: Barack Obama. Live coverage will also be available on the ABC News iPad App and mobile devices.


Read Obama’s second Inaugural address here.


All times are in Eastern Standard Time.



5:42 p.m. – The Cheese Stands Alone


The ladies of the Obama clan have left the Presidential Reviewing Stand. The president remains there to watch the rest of the parade, including a group of uni-cyclists from Maine called the “Gym Dandies.”



5:28 p.m. – Obama Inauguration: Who’s Who?


Who were those people sitting behind the president this morning anyway? Click the photo below to see an infographic with a guide to Obama’s family, colleagues and dignitaries.


ap inauguration ip 005 130121 wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

(Image Credit: Scott Andrews/AP Photo)



5:22 p.m. – Biden 2016?


Vice President Joe Biden got very friendly with members of the crowd watching the inaugural parade, prompting some to wonder if this isn’t a prelude to his own presidential run.





4:55 p.m. – POTUS on His Blackberry Before the Parade


ap inauguration ip 014 130121 wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

(Image Credit: Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)


It may be a day-long celebration for President Obama, but that doesn’t mean he has left work at the office.


Just before members of the military began streaming by the Presidential Reviewing Stand as part of the inaugural parade, Obama could be seen working on what looks like his specially-secured Blackberry.


Beside him, Sasha and Malia whipped out their iPhones, taking photos of their mother and interrupting their father to make him pose with the first lady. The first family had removed their coats, thanks to heat inside the reviewing stand.


And it was also clear President Obama was chewing gum as he head-bobbed along to the marching bands. Today more than ever he looked like Obama: the gum-chewing, Blackberry-checking president of the people.


What’s not clear – who emails the president on inauguration day? And was it Nicorette gum?



4:30 p.m. – Wrapping Up the Route


ap inauguration ip 013 130121 wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

(Image Credit: Charles Dharapak/AP Photo)


ABC’s Devin Dwyer reports the President, the first lady, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will soon make their way to the reviewing stand on Pennsylvania Ave. where they will be joined by Congressional leaders, Supreme Court Justices, governors, the Joint Chiefs and White House staff as well as area elementary school students and some of the Tuskegee Airmen and their families, according to the White House.



4:00 p.m. – Obama, Roberts Sign King Bible


ABC’s Avery Miller reports President Obama and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts signed Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Bible today, at the request of the family.


In his life time, it was King’s “traveling Bible,” according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee.


“An avid reader who was constantly on the road, Dr. King typically traveled with a selection of books that included this Bible,” the PIC wrote in a statement about the Bible written when they announced Obama would use it in his ceremony. “It was used for inspiration and preparing sermons and speeches, including during Dr. King’s time as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.”


Read more about President Obama’s choice of Bibles here.



3:56 p.m. – Justice Scalia and the Mystery of the Funny Hat


Michelle Obama wasn’t the only one drawing eyes with her fashion choices at the inaugural ceremonies today. Many on Twitter – including Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., – remarked on Associate Justice Antonin Scalia’s choice of headgear during President Obama’s swearing-in.


Some compared it to Aretha Franklin’s extravagant hat at the 2009 inauguration. Others simply wondered where it came from.


To find that answer, ABC’s Sarah Parnass spoke with Scalia’s former clerk, Kevin Walsh.


Walsh, who now teaches at University of Richmond School of Law, said the association of Catholic lawyers to which he belongs, St. Thomas More Society of Richmond Va., presented Scalia with the hat in 2010.


The hat is a replica of one worn by St. Thomas More in his most iconic portrait, done by Hans Holbein, according to Walsh.


When giving Justice Scalia the hat, the members of the St. Thomas More Society thought it would be a nice memento. “If nothing else it would be suitable for university functions,” Scalia said.


Walsh said the significance of Scalia’s wearing the hat likely doesn’t go beyond function. In the past, Scalia has worn a skull cap, much like the one Justice Breyer sported today. But the skull cap doesn’t have earflaps – the More hat does.


“That one’s warmer,” Walsh said, comparing the hat Scalia wore today with the one he wore to the 2009 inauguration. “I’d say it’s more functional.”


ABC’s Bob Murphy adds this historical background:


Thomas More was the Lord Chancellor or Chief Legal Officer of England when Henry VIII was King. He famously lost his head (the one the hat was made for) rather than reinterpret the laws of divorce and allow the King to dispatch his Queen. He is a hero to the Catholic legal community for his commitment to moral and legal authority over the whim of the chief temporal power.


The ultraconservative Catholic jurist may or may not be making a statement but the significance is interesting.





3:39 p.m. – Inauguration Day in Pictures


Click the picture below for a slideshow of some of the 2013 inauguration’s most memorable moments so far.


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(Image Credit: Jonathan Ernst-Pool/AP Photo)



3:33 p.m. – Obama Pauses for Final Glimpse of Fans


ABC’s Devin Dwyer reports:


After a bruising campaign, and unusually contentious post-election period, President Obama savored his second and final Inauguration Day as a brief respite from political storms and celebratory moment for his hundreds of thousands of adoring supporters.


As he walked off the inaugural platform on the west front of the U.S. Capitol, Obama turned and paused to look out at the crowd on the National Mall, even as his family and other guests continued ahead without him.


“I want to take a look one more time,” Obama was heard saying. “I’m not going to see this again.”


Read more on that poignant moment with the president here.



3:22 p.m. – Obama Makes History Citing Gay Rights in Inaugural Address


ABC’s Shushannah Walshe reports:


President Obama made history in his inaugural address today mentioning the word “gay” and the issue of gay rights for the first time in a speech at the presidential swearing in.


“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” Obama said in his address on the Capitol steps after his swearing in.


Obama also mentioned the word Stonewall when citing milestones of the civil right struggle. It was a reference to a riot and subsequent protests over a police raid in June 1969 of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The president mentioned it along with the first women’s rights convention held in Seneca Falls, N.Y., in 1848 and the civil rights march in Selma, Ala., in 1965.


“We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall,” Obama said.


Brian Ellner who led the successful campaign to make same sex marriage legal in New York state called the speech “historic.”


Read more from Walshe here.


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3:12 p.m. –  Obama Sticks to His Script in Second Inaugural Address


ABC News’ Michael Falcone reports:


By their very nature, the texts of presidential inaugural addresses become historical documents as soon as they are delivered. Obama’s speech, like all the others before, will be scrutinized for years to come.


So, how closely did President Obama, who is known for his oratorical prowess, hew to the prepared text of his remarks? With the exception of a few minor words,


It turns out he stuck almost exactly to the script.


“We must harness new ideas and technology” became “So we must harness…” and “Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright” ended up as “Let us, each of us, now embrace…” He sprinkled in an extra “and” at the beginning of one paragraph and turned a “that is” into “that’s.”


Otherwise, the president delivered the speech he had in front of him with almost no changes.


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2:26 p.m. – Tell the President What You Want


Whether you voted for him or not, tell President Obama what you’d most like to see him tackle in his second term and why.


Upload a video or photo, or send your comments telling the president what is most important to you in the next four years.


The best submissions may be featured today on ABCNews.com.


Click the photo below to see how you can participate.


abc tell the president ll 130116 wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

(Image Credit: ABC News Photo Illustration)


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2:11 p.m. – Obama Address References Civil Rights, Gay Marriage, Immigration


Univision’s Jordan Fabian reports:


Obama, the nation’s first black president, delivered his address on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and drew strong parallels between the civil rights battles of King’s generation to the social issues facing today. Perhaps most notable was Obama’s reference to gay rights, believed to be a first for a presidential inaugural address.


“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,” he said. “For if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.”


The president also made a forceful statement in support of comprehensive immigration reform, a campaign pledge from 2008 that remains unfulfilled. Obama has repeatedly pledged to make it one of his top legislative priorities this year.


“Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country,” he said.


Read more from Fabian here.




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2:05 p.m. – Obama’s Inaugural Declaration: ‘Our Time’ for Changing Nation


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(Image Credit: Win McNamee/AP Photo)


Analysis by ABC’s Rick Klein:


President Obama used a brief pause in the partisan warfare that’s scarred his time in office to return to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, with his own declaration of urgency and a call to action that reflects shared sacrifice and responsibility.


This was no centrist conciliator. It was the speech of a committed, unapologetic progressive, an Obama doctrine for domestic policy that included concrete commitments in areas he made little progress on over his first four years. Above all, he was speaking to a changing America – the nation that propelled him to a second term, and whose voices he will need to channel to be effective over the next four years.


“My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together,” the president declared.


Read more on what Obama meant and what opportunities he sees going forward here.



1:30 p.m. – More on Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco


Univision’s Jordan Fabian reports:


There has not been another inaugural poet like Richard Blanco.


Out of the five people selected to read an original poem at a presidential inauguration, the 44-year-old Blanco is the first Latino, first gay man, and youngest person to serve the role. The presidential inaugural committee officially announced the choice of Blanco, the son of Cuban exiles, last Wednesday.


Read more from Fabian here.


Blanco wrote the poem he read, called “One Today,” in the past 11 days. It included several references to America’s workers, including the following:


One sky: since the Appalachians and Sierras claimed
their majesty, and the Mississippi and Colorado worked
their way to the sea. Thank the work of our hands:
weaving steel into bridges, finishing one more report
for the boss on time, stitching another wound
or uniform, the first brush stroke on a portrait,
or the last floor on the Freedom Tower
jutting into a sky that yields to our resilience.


Read the full poem here.


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1:24 p.m. – Sen. McCaskill Calls Out SCOTUS Hats





1:24 p.m. – Terry Moran: Inauguration Fits ‘Next America’


In response to remarks about Obama’s reference to gay marriage, Nightline’s Terry Moran analyzes the firsts of this inauguration:


Has Spanish been spoken before? Has there ever been a bigger crowd for a second inaugural?


To me, Obama’s speech, this crowd, the whole program, seemed deliberately designed to confirm the “next America”–younger, more diverse, more non-native, socially liberal–as the source of authority, even legitimacy in the nation going forward.


That’s what the election was really about, deep down. And the feeling out here seems more than the usual inaugural victory lap of the party in power. It seems cultural–and historic. It’s their moment. And so is tomorrow–not in a partisan sense. In a factual one.


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1:14 p.m. – Inaugural Performances


Kelly Clarkson, James Taylor and Beyonce sang during the inaugural ceremonies this year.




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1:09 p.m. – What’s On the Menu?


President Obama now joins members of Congress and the Supreme Court for the inaugural luncheon.


ABC’s Devin Dwyer reports the inaugural luncheon menu from the JCC:


First Course: Steamed lobster with New England chowder


Wine: Anthony Road Winery, Fox Run Vineyards & Newt Red Cellars, Tierce 2010 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, N.Y.


Second Course: Hickory grilled bison with wild huckleberry reduction and red potato horseradish cake


Wine: Bedell Cellars, 2009 Merlot, North Fork, Long Island, N.Y.


Third Course: Hudson Valley apple pie, sour cream ice cream, aged cheese and honey


Wine: Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvée Champagne, Calif.


NOTE the New York food/wine: Water in the holding rooms is to be Saratoga Springs (a NY label), per a PIC official. And the wines to be served at the inaugural luncheon are from New York vineyards —- all thanks to NY Sen. Chuck Schumer, who chairs the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies


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12:46 p.m. – Timing Is Everything: Chris Christie Makes Announcements Minutes Before Obama’s Speech


ABC News’ Michael Falcone reports:


During the very same hour of President Obama’s second inauguration, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is often mentioned as a potential 2016 Republican presidential contender, sent out two separate announcements.


The first from his gubernatorial campaign: “Governor Chris Christie will be visiting the Hilton Newark Airport on Tuesday morning to accept the second major endorsement of his campaign.” (The campaign did not provide information about who will be endorsing him). And the second, a statement commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. (Christie, who praised President Obama’s efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which devastated portions of coastal New Jersey, did not mention the president’s inauguration):


“Dr. King was the paradigm of strength in triumphing over adversity and racial injustice to achieve what seemed impossible to so many for so long. His legacy stands as an eternal reminder of his sacrifice and the progress he achieved and which we are obliged to protect for every citizen of our state and nation. I join New Jerseyans in honoring Dr. King’s life and work and his uncompromising commitment to peacefully working toward freedom and equality for all Americans,” Christie said in the statement.


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12:16 p.m. – Richard Blanco Delivers Inauguration Poem


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12:09 p.m. – Obama Gives Shout Out to Same-Sex Couples in Inaugural Address


In his inaugural address today, President Obama called for treating same-sex couples equal under the law. ABC News’ Arlette Saenz reports:


Of the group of 215 members in the Lesbian and Gay Band Association marching in the inaugural parade, four couples are legally married.


Leslie Becker and Lindsay Famula of Hackensack, N.J., met when Famula joined the band in 2006, and the two women, who are both percussionists, were married in May.


“It’s validation. The fact that we have been denied this right for so long when really all we want to do is be seen in the government as a couple means a lot,” Becker said. “‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ was repealed. We’re making big advancements in civil rights for gay couples, and it means a big deal to be one of the few married couples to march in this parade.”


New Jersey has allowed civil unions since 2006, but New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a same-sex marriage bill in February.


Becker played at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1997, but the LGBA only played on the side of the parade. During President Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, the LGBA, including Becker, marched in the actual parade.


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11:56 a.m. – Hundreds of Thousands Turn Out for Inauguration


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(Image Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)


As of 11:00 a.m., Washington Metro Area Transit Authority reported 308,000 people used their rail service this morning. Metro was preparing last week for an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 people to come to D.C. for the events.


In 2009, 1.8 million people gathered to welcome in Obama’s first term.


Around 11:30 a.m., the U.S. Park Police released a statement about the crowding: “The National Mall is now full and closed. All visitors not on the Mall should proceed to the overflow area at the Washington Monument.”



11:50 a.m. – Obama Takes Oath for Fourth Time


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(Image Credit: ABC NEWS)


With his hand on two Bibles held by his two daughters, President Barack Obama took the inaugural oath for a fourth time. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath.



11:38 a.m. – Evers-Williams Delivers Invocation





11:33 a.m. – ABC Correspondent Tweets from Pakistan




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11:30 a.m. – Ryan Congratulates Obama


ABC’s Elizabeth Hartfield reports:


No word from Mitt Romney, but his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan sent out a congrats to President Obama.




Ryan posted a longer congratulations on his Facebook page.


I congratulate President Obama on his inauguration, and I join the country in celebrating this American tradition.


The president and I were political opponents. We had strong disagreements over the direction of the country—as we still do now. But today, we put those disagreements aside. Today, we remember what we share in common.


We serve the same country, one that is still in need of repair—and is still the freest on earth. We serve alongside men and women from both parties, who govern in good faith and good will. Finally, we serve the same people, who have honored us with their charge.


We may disagree on matters of policy. But today we remember why we take those matters so seriously—because we seek the public good. It’s our highest duty—one that we share—and one for which we’re grateful.


I’m happy to mark this historic occasion—for the president and for the country. And I look forward to tackling the big challenges ahead.


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11:20 a.m. – A Look Back at Obama’s First Inaugural Address


ABC’s Elizabeth Hartfield reports:


As Obama’s prepares to give his second inaugural address, a look back at the first: Obama’s speech in 2009 ran 2,395 words.


According to a handy word count breakdown from the Wall Street Journal, Obama used the word “people” eight times, the word “God” five times, and the word “government” four times. We can expect that those words will pop up again in today’s speech, as the president is expected to talk about unity and finding common ground among our nation’s leaders.


A word he only uttered once in 2009, that we might expect him to bring up again more this time- “war” – as the president looks back on the drawdown of America’s military presence in Iraq, and ahead to the drawdown in Afghanistan.


Today’s speech is expected to be shorter than his speech four years ago – but by how much will remain to be seen. The high bar of second inauguration speeches is Abraham Lincoln’s address in 1965- where he managed to say a lot, in just a few words- 698 to be exact.


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11:16 a.m. – Obama Enters Arena


President Obama has entered the Capitol. Vice President Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi are close behind.


ABC’s Michael Falcone points out President Obama will be getting down to business shortly after he delivers his second inaugural address, officially submitting the names of his nominees for the posts of CIA Director, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury, according to a White House official.


Today, at the Capitol the President will be signing:


1. A Proclamation to commemorate the inauguration titled, “National Day of Hope and Resolve, 2013.”
2. Four Nominations:
a. John Owen Brennan to be Director of the CIA
b. Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense
c. John Forbes Kerry to be Secretary of State
d. Jacob J. Lew to be Secretary of the Treasury


ABC’s Devin Dwyer notes that four years ago, Obama signed a similar proclamation and nominations to the Senate. This occurs in the President’s Room, just off the Senate chamber, immediately following the address.


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11:15 a.m. –




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11:08 a.m. – The Biden Family Bible


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(Image Credit: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)


A large Bible being carried in is attracting some attention for its size. The Bible belongs to the Biden family, and it’s the one Vice President Joe Biden will use to swear his oath of office, as he did four years ago.


The 120-year-old book has a Celtic cross on the front and has been passed down through the Biden clan. It is 5 inches thick, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee.


Biden also used it Sunday in his private swearing-in ceremony at the Naval Observatory.


ap inaugural joe biden jt 130120 wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo


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11:04 a.m. – Powell Slams GOP’s ‘Idiot Presentations’


ABC’s Michael Falcone reports:


In an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos during ABC’s special inauguration day coverage this morning, former Secretary of State Colin Powell lashed out at people in the Republican Party who spent the last four years spreading “birther nonsense” and other “things that demonize the president,” calling on GOP leaders to denounce such talk — publicly.


“Republicans have to stop buying into things that demonize the president. I mean, why aren’t Republican leaders shouting out about all this birther nonsense and all these other things? They should speak out. This is the kind of intolerance that I’ve been talking about where these idiot presentations continue to be made and you don’t see the senior leadership of the party say, ‘No, that’s wrong.’ In fact, sometimes by not speaking out, they’re encouraging it. And the base keeps buying the stuff.


“And it’s killing the base of the party. I mean, 26 percent favorability rating for the party right now. It ought to be telling them something. So, instead of attacking me or whoever speaks like I do, look in the mirror and realize, ‘How are we going to win the next election?”


Read more from Falcone here.


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10:59 a.m. – Former President Carter Enters


Thirty-ninth President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, entered the Capitol to applause from the crowd. The former president shook hands and exchanged greetings with others awaiting President Obama. Carter is 88 years old and one of two former presidents expected at today’s ceremony.


The second, former President Bill Clinton, entered moments later with Sec. of State Hillary Clinton by his side.


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10:56 a.m. – How to Crash a Party


Not invited to any of the official inaugural shindigs? No sweat.


ABC’s Chris Good got the scoop on how to sneak into the festivities from Fred Karger, former 2012 Republican presidential candidate and self-proclaimed party-crasher extraordinaire.


“Karger says he has crashed an inauguration party before, plus the Oscars and Fashion Week. He has fooled rope-line workers, he says, and even the Secret Service,” Good reports.


“He twice found himself onstage at the Oscars, he says, once singing the final number alongside Liza Minnelli.”


A few of Karger’s tips: call ahead under a fake name, blend in with the entourage and don’t look back. Find all of Karger’s tips and more reporting from Chris Good here.


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10:52 a.m. – Presidential Limo: Belly of the Beast


President Obama got an upgraded presidential limo when he took office four years ago.


Pierre Thomas got an exclusive look at the unveiling back then. Take a look:


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10:41 a.m. – POTUS Departs


ht dc vote license plate ll 130115 wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

(Image Credit: DC Vote)


President Obama has left the White House and entered his motorcade, on the way to the Capitol.


The president’s limo is sporting special plates today, in support of the D.C. statehood movement. Read more about those plates here.


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10:39 a.m. – First Lady and Vice President on Their Way


First lady Michelle Obama left the White House, followed shortly by Vice President Joe Biden.


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10:34 a.m. – Obamas Leave White House


President Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, left the White House in their pink and purple coats just a moment ago. They’re headed for the Capitol, where they will watch their father take the presidential oath for the fourth time.


They were followed minutes later by a band of Marines, then by Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Joe Biden’s wife.


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10:31 a.m. – Events Heating Up


Members of Congress can be seen streaming into the Capitol. The inaugural pre-show began at 9:30 a.m., but Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., won’t begin introducing the president for another hour.


Across the National Mall, attendees are waving American flags, in a sea of red, white and blue.


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10:17 a.m. – Presidential Imperfections


It’s a not-so-secret understanding that even the most well-respected president’s weren’t perfect. Turns out neither were their inaugural ceremonies.


Find the funniest and quirkiest inaugural slip ups here.


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9:58 a.m. – How Do You Spell the Event of the Day?


js inauguration  spelling wblog LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013

(Image Credit: Joanna Stern / ABC News)


ABC’s Joanna Stern reports:


Nope, it’s not inaugration. Not inaguration either. Inaugiration? Not correct. And it’s definitely not innoguration or anauguration.


Inauguration. That’s the correct spelling of the word for that big event today, at which, you know, the president officially becomes the president again.


But don’t be embarrassed if you spelled it incorrectly. It turns out it’s a pretty popular thing to do.


Over 2,500 people have tweeted about the “inaguration,” according to Topsy, which tracks tweets on Twitter. Topsy says 866 of those tweets have been in the last 30 days. “Inaugration” has been used in over 700 tweets.


Read more from Stern on the many misspellings of this historic event here.


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9:42 a.m. – Obamas on the Move


The Obama family has left church services at St. John’s Episcopal Church and headed back to the White House.


To see where the president will go next, check out ABC’s interactive map here.


Pastor Andy Stanley from the North Point Community Church in Alpharetta Georgia delivered the sermon, according to pool reports, calling the president “pastor in chief.”




This tweet from the president posted while the Obama family was still in church.




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9:15 a.m. – Obama’s View


ABC’s Jonathan Karl is on the platform at the West Front of the Capitol Building where Obama will give his inaugural address later today. He’s got the best view of the crowds, which won’t come close to the 1.8 million of four years ago, but which already number hundreds of thousands.




9:11 a.m. – Members of Congress Honor MLK on Twitter


Today America remembers the legacy of another great leader: Martin Luther King, Jr. Members of the House and Senate are taking to Twitter to express their admiration for King this morning.








9:04 a.m. – On the Ground with Good Morning America.




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9:03 a.m. – Best and Worst Inaugural Addresses


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(Image Credit: Getty Images)


ABC’s Chris Good reports on the best and worst inaugural speeches of all time:


Inaugural addresses, it is said, are usually not very good. Most have been long forgotten, and historians themselves point to few as memorable.


It’s not entirely clear why, but the moment might have something to do with it. Book-ending divisive national campaigns, inaugural addresses offer token unity sentiments, hopefulness but not always specific hopes, and even some good ones sound myopic.


“Most inaugural addresses are not remembered,” said Princeton University professor and noted presidential historian Eric Foner. “Grover Cleveland? I have no idea what he said in his.”


“I have actually read every single inaugural, and it was a really boring experience,” said Robert Lehrman, a former speechwriter for vice president Al Gore, who now teaches the craft at American University in Washington. “Most of the speeches are terrible. Even the ones we remember, I don’t think there is any reporter working anywhere that couldn’t write language as crisp or concrete as the majority of them.”


Read the rest of the worst and the best here.


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8:56 a.m. – Outfits of the Inauguration: Obama Style


ABC’s Mary Bruce reports:


The President, First Lady, in a dark blue jacket, and daughters Malia, in a pink overcoat, and Sasha, in dark purple, arrived just after 8:40 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church for morning services.


The First Lady is wearing a navy Thom Browne coat and dress. The fabric was developed based on the style of a man’s silk tie. The belt she is wearing is from J.Crew and her earrings are designed by Cathy Waterman. She is also wearing J.Crew shoes. At the end of the Inaugural festivities, the outfit and accompanying accessories will go to the National Archives.


Malia Obama is wearing a J.Crew ensemble. Sasha Obama is wearing a Kate Spade coat and dress.


The Bidens arrived moments later.


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8:47 a.m. – Tailor to the Presidents: Republicans Dress Better




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8:45 a.m. – Great American Quotes


Inaugural addresses are an opportunity for presidents on the nation’s front lawn – a place that Americans come to in turns inaugurate their leaders, protest their government and mourn their dead – to place a marker for their legacy.


There have been some weighty and remarkable things said as presidents took the oath of office looking down on the Mall and also, from nearby, as other Americans have looked up and let their voices be heard at gatherings as varied as the March on Washington and the Promise Keepers.


What can Barack Obama say, come Monday, as he begins a second term with lower expectations and less inspiration, to place himself on this list of great American words?


Click below for an interactive look at the competition:


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(Image Credit: ABC News: Ma'ayan Rosenzweig)


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8:38 a.m. – Aretha Franklin’s Hat Makes a Comeback




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8:22 a.m. – Martha Raddatz: Women Rule




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8:08 a.m. – Eva Longoria Wakes Up to with the White House




F schedule of events REV 20130117 update 2 LIVE UPDATES: Inauguration Day 2013


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Curated by ABC’s Z. Byron Wolf and Sarah Parnass

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Senate Democrats’ budget plan will reopen battle over taxes



For nearly four years, Senate leaders have ducked their legal duty to craft a comprehensive budget framework. Now, however, Democrats see the budget process as “a great opportunity” to pursue additional tax increases — and to create a fast-track process to push them through the Senate, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”


“There’s going to have to be some spending cuts, and those will be negotiated,” Schumer, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate, said in an interview after the show. “But doing a budget is the best way for us to get revenues.”

The announcement comes days after House Republicans offered to forgo a potentially damaging clash over the federal debt limit, saying they would vote this week to permit the government to continue borrowing through mid-April. In return, House leaders demanded that the Senate revive the traditional budget process, by which the two chambers adopt their own blueprints and work out differences in conference committee.

With the offer, the GOP backed off its hard-line stance that any increase in the debt limit be paired with spending cuts of equal size — “a major victory for the president,” Schumer said.

The move also suggests a desire by Republican leaders to create a more orderly forum for the partisan clash over record budget deficits. White House political adviser David Plouffe welcomed that move Sunday in an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“I think it’s a significant moment that the Republican Party now has moved off their position that the only way they’re going to pay their bills is if they get the correct kind of concessions,” Plouffe said. “I think we’d all be better served to go back to a little bit more regular order in Congress so we’re not careening crisis-to-crisis.”

Fresh deadlines loom in March: Sharp automatic spending cuts are due to hit the Pentagon and other federal agencies at the beginning of the month. And a temporary funding measure will expire at the end of the month, shutting down the government unless Congress acts.

But the developments of the past few days suggest that both parties are looking to continue the argument without sparking panic in financial markets and causing unnecessary harm to the broader economy.

Reviving the budget process is critical to that effort.

Because they are fraught with political pitfalls, budgets are protected from filibuster in the Senate, so Democrats could pass a budget without Republican votes. A budget blueprint is also the only way to create a fast-track process for deficit reduction, known as reconciliation, which is also protected from filibuster.

House Republicans are eager to draft a reconciliation bill to cut spending on federal health programs and to overhaul the tax code, in part by cutting rates. And Democrats are eager to draft a reconciliation bill that would raise additional revenue, in part by limiting tax breaks for wealthy individuals, oil and gas companies and multinational corporations.

During the fight over the “fiscal cliff,” Congress voted this month to raise rates on income over $450,000 a year. Republican leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), argued that should end the fight over taxes.

But the “fiscal cliff” measure is projected to generate only about $600 billion over the next decade, well short of President Obama’s goal of $1.6 trillion. On Sunday, Schumer said Democrats plan to fight on.

“We’ll have tax reform . . . but’s it’s going to include revenue,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to get us some more revenue to help” replace the automatic spending cuts, which are scheduled to slice nearly $1 trillion out of agency budgets over the next decade.

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Football: Madrid hand Valencia five-goal thrashing






MADRID: Real Madrid put their dismal first half of the season behind them as they tore Valencia apart for the first 45 minutes to win 5-0 and ease the pressure on coach Jose Mourinho.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria both hit braces and Gonzalo Higuain was also on target in a first-half goal romp.

But there is still little hope of them retaining their title as they trail Barcelona by 15 points despite the Catalan side losing 3-2 against Real Sociedad on Saturday, their bitter rivals' first league defeat of the season.

They are also seven points off neighbours Atletico Madrid who beat Levante 2-0 earlier Sunday.

Madrid arrived at the Mestalla having beaten Valencia 2-0 in a stormy Spanish Cup quarter-final first leg tie in mid-week and Mourinho decided against resting players ahead of the second leg on Wednesday.

There has been plenty of tension in the Madrid camp following their poor form but there were no repercussions from an argument between Mourinho and Ronaldo after the first leg of the cup.

Furthermore, Iker Casillas was preferred in goal to Adan Garrido who had controversially replaced the Spain international before being suspended.

Still they had important absentees at the back with Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo all missing and they faced a rejuvenated Valencia side under Ernesto Valverde who had won their previous three league games.

After a cagey opening spell Madrid were suddenly presented with a gift for Higuain which he failed to take advantage of in front of goal.

He was left unmarked but side-footed an Alvaro Arbeloa cross wide from six yards.

Higuain was given the chance to make amends a minute later and this time made no mistake. Again it was a case of poor defending as Di Maria scampered clear and set up Higuain who slotted into the corner.

Valencia attempted to respond but they fell apart midway through the first half as their defence was once again exposed.

Keeper Diego Alves twice denied Sami Khedira and Raphael Varane headed wide from a corner before Di Maria got the second.

Ronaldo teased makeshift right-back Ricardo Costa, standing in for Joao Pereira, and crossed for the Argentine to tuck the ball home from close range.

Valencia were in disarray at the back and Ronaldo split them open again as he burst into the left of the area and beat Alves at his near post.

Ronaldo got his second after 41 minutes when he cracked in an Ozil pass from 12 yard and then Ozil was again the provider as he put Di Maria clear for the fifth still before half-time.

Valencia showed character to come back at Madrid after the restart with Pablo Piatti hitting the crossbar and Adil Rami had a header cleared off the line by Fabio Coentrao but Madrid remained organised and managed to keep a clean sheet.

Atletico Madrid equalled their best ever winning streak at home in La Liga in a memorable season for the club with their win over Levante.

Goals from Adrian Lopez and Jorge Resurrecion 'Koke' saw Atletico win their 12th straight league game at the Calderon and match the club record dating back to a run between the 1939-40 and 1940-41 seasons.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Osasuna beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 and Valladolid won 2-0 against Zaragoza.

-AFP/ac



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Siddis celebrate as Obama formally becomes US President

GOLEHALLI, HALIYAL TALUK: Golehalli, a sleepy village tucked in the forested Haliyal taluk of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, wore a festive look on Sunday to mark Barack Obama's swearing-in as US president for the second time. The Siddi community, which believes that Obama shares their genetic roots, came together to celebrate this achievement in full force.

Golehalli was decked with vibrant festoons and buntings. The nearly 1,000-strong community, including women and children from different parts of Uttara Kannada district, participated with zeal and vigour to mark the event.

The celebration began with a colourful procession in which men, women and children participated. Throughout their procession, they were singing their traditional song, 'Oho Ranga Rangami' while performing Pugadi, Siddi's traditional dance form on the streets. The procession that passed through every street in the village culminated at the main venue. The whole village was in an upbeat mood and charged with festive spirit.

A huge cake was cut on the dais by a few children of Siddi community in the presence of guests.

Diog Siddi, president of Siddi Welfare Committee and Backward Development Forum, Haliyal, MLA Sunil Hegde, and others also released a letter addressed to the US President on the occasion. The letter will be sent to Obama through the American embassy at Chennai.

The letter details the history of the Siddi community, and urges improvement in the bilateral relation between India and US. The letter also wished Obama success in his second tenure as president and in his fight against global terrorism.

Diog Siddi said, "Government of India should make arrangements to enable the Siddi community members to meet US President Obama when he visits India in future." He also requested Obama to meet the Siddis to understand their socio-economic status in India.

After Obama's formal inauguration, beats of traditional dhamaal (drum) Pugadi, Dolki, Singmo and other traditional dance forms of Siddi community reverberated in the village. Siddis, attired in their traditional clothes, entertained people with various cultural programmes.

To mark the occasion, Siddi people were also taught about their legal rights and the importance of education to join the mainstream of society. They were advised to send their wards to schools and to take Barack Obama as their role model in life.

The Siddis mostly work as daily wage labourers in construction or in agricultural fields. Each family contributed Rs 80-Rs 100 to celebrate the victory of Obama.

Honey and herbs for Obama

Golehalli, Haliyal taluk: Natural honey and rare herbs. This is what the Siddis hope to send to Barack Obama as gift on being sworn in US president. And they hope it reaches his hands this time. For, they plan to send them through proper government channels. Last time their hope of sending natural honey from the forests of Uttara Kannada didn't materialize due to technical reasons when Obama was sworn in as US president for the first time in 2008.

Speaking to TOI, the Siddis said they will approach American embassy in Chennai and the state government. "We are now exploring right channels to send honey and herbs. We are also planning to put pressure on the government to clear hurdles," said Imamhusain Siddi and Mingel Francis Siddi.

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Attack at Algeria Gas Plant Heralds New Risks for Energy Development



The siege by Islamic militants at a remote Sahara desert natural gas plant in Algeria this week signaled heightened dangers in the region for international oil companies, at a time when they have been expanding operations in Africa as one of the world's last energy frontiers. (See related story: "Pictures: Four New Offshore Drilling Frontiers.")


As BP, Norway's Statoil, Italy's Eni, and other companies evacuated personnel from Algeria, it was not immediately clear how widely the peril would spread in the wake of the hostage-taking at the sprawling In Amenas gas complex near the Libyan border.



A map of disputed islands in the East and South China Seas.

Map by National Geographic



Algeria, the fourth-largest crude oil producer on the continent and a major exporter of natural gas and refined fuels, may not have been viewed as the most hospitable climate for foreign energy companies, but that was due to unfavorable financial terms, bureaucracy, and corruption. The energy facilities themselves appeared to be safe, with multiple layers of security provided both by the companies and by government forces, several experts said. (See related photos: "Oil States: Are They Stable? Why It Matters.")


"It is particularly striking not only because it hasn't happened before, but because it happened in Algeria, one of the stronger states in the region," says Hanan Amin-Salem, a senior manager at the industry consulting firm PFC Energy, who specializes in country risk. She noted that in the long civil war that gripped the country throughout the 1990s, there had never been an attack on Algeria's energy complex. But now, hazard has spread from weak surrounding states, as the assault on In Amenas was carried out in an apparent retaliation for a move by French forces against the Islamists who had taken over Timbuktu and other towns in neighboring Mali. (See related story: "Timbuktu Falls.")


"What you're really seeing is an intensification of the fundamental problem of weak states, and empowerment of heavily armed groups that are really well motivated and want to pursue a set of aims," said Amin-Salem. In PFC Energy's view, she says, risk has increased in Mauritania, Chad, and Niger—indeed, throughout Sahel, the belt that bisects North Africa, separating the Sahara in the north from the tropical forests further south.


On Thursday, the London-based corporate consulting firm Exclusive Analysis, which was recently acquired by the global consultancy IHS, sent an alert to clients warning that oil and gas facilities near the Libyan and Mauritanian borders and in Mauritania's Hodh Ech Chargui province were at "high risk" of attack by jihadis.


"A Hot Place to Drill"


The attack at In Amenas comes at a time of unprecedented growth for the oil industry in Africa. (See related gallery: "Pictures: The Year's Most Overlooked Energy Stories.") Forecasters expect that oil output throughout Africa will double by 2025, says Amy Myers Jaffe, executive director of the energy and sustainability program at the University of California, Davis, who has counted 20 rounds of bidding for new exploration at sites in Africa's six largest oil-producing states.


Oil and natural gas are a large part of the Algerian economy, accounting for 60 percent of government budget revenues, more than a third of GDP and more than 97 percent of its export earnings. But the nation's resources are seen as largely undeveloped, and Algeria has tried to attract new investment. Over the past year, the government has sought to reform the law to boost foreign companies' interests in their investments, although those efforts have foundered.


Technology has been one of the factors driving the opening up of Africa to deeper energy exploration. Offshore and deepwater drilling success in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil led to prospecting now under way offshore in Ghana, Mozambique, and elsewhere. (See related story: "New Oil—And a Huge Challenge—for Ghana.") Jaffe says the Houston-based company Anadarko Petroleum has sought to transfer its success in "subsalt seismic" exploration technology, surveying reserves hidden beneath the hard salt layer at the bottom of the sea, to the equally challenging seismic exploration beneath the sands of the Sahara in Algeria, where it now has three oil and gas operations.


Africa also is seen as one of the few remaining oil-rich regions of the world where foreign oil companies can obtain production-sharing agreements with governments, contracts that allow them a share of the revenue from the barrels they produce, instead of more limited service contracts for work performed.


"You now have the technology to tap the resources more effectively, and the fiscal terms are going to be more attractive than elsewhere—you put these things together and it's been a hot place to drill," says Jaffe, who doesn't see the energy industry's interest in Africa waning, despite the increased terrorism risk. "What I think will happen in some of these countries is that the companies are going to reveal new securities systems and procedures they have to keep workers safe," she says. "I don't think they will abandon these countries."


This story is part of a special series that explores energy issues. For more, visit The Great Energy Challenge.


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Sasha's View: 'Good Job, Daddy. You Didn't Mess Up'













President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden today officially embarked on their second term, taking the Constitutionally mandated oath of office in two separate private ceremonies inside their homes.


Shortly before noon in the Blue Room of the White House, Obama raised his right hand, with his left on a family Bible, reciting the oath administrated by Chief Justice John Roberts. He was surrounded by immediate family members, including first lady Michelle Obama and daughters, Malia and Sasha.


As he hugged his wife and daughters, Sasha said, "Good job, Daddy."


"I did it," he said.


"You didn't mess up," she answered.


Biden was sworn in earlier today by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic to administer a presidential oath, in a ceremony at his official residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. He was joined by more than 120 guests, including cabinet members, extended family and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden.


Because Jan. 20 -- the official date for a new presidential term -- falls on a Sunday this year, organizers delayed by one day the traditional public inauguration ceremony and parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.








Vice President Joe Biden Sworn in for 2nd Term Watch Video











President Obama's 2nd Inauguration: Hundreds of Thousands to Attend Watch Video





Obama and Biden will each repeat the oath on Monday on the west front of the Capitol, surrounded by hundreds of dignitaries and members of Congress. An estimated 800,000 people are expected to gather on the National Mall to witness the moment and inaugural parade to follow.


The dual ceremonies in 2013 means Obama will become the second president in U.S. history to take the presidential oath four times. He was sworn in twice in 2008 out of an abundance of caution after Roberts flubbed the oath of office during the public administration. This year Roberts read from a script.


Franklin Roosevelt was also sworn in four times but, unlike Obama, he was elected four times.


This year will mark the seventh time a president has taken the oath on a Sunday and then again on Monday for ceremonial purposes. Reagan last took the oath on a Sunday in 1985.


Both Obama and Biden took the oath using a special family Bible. Obama used a text that belonged to Michelle Obama's grandmother LaVaughn Delores Robinson. Biden placed his hand on a 120-year-old book with a Celtic cross on the cover that has been passed down through Biden clan.


The official inaugural activities today also included moments of prayer and remembrance that marked the solemnity of the day.


Obama and Biden met at Arlington National Cemetery for a brief morning ceremony to place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns, honoring military service members who served and sacrificed. The men stood shoulder to shoulder, bowing their heads as a bugler played "Taps."


Biden, who is Catholic, began the day with a private family mass at his residence. The president and first family attended church services at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, a historically black church and site of two pre-inaugural prayer services for former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore and their families.


The Obamas and Bidens plan to participate in a church service on Monday morning at St. John's Episcopal, across Lafayette Park from the White House. They will also attend a National Prayer Service on Tuesday at the National Cathedral.


Later on Sunday evening, the newly-inaugurated leaders will attend a candlelight reception at the National Building Museum. The president and vice president are expected to deliver brief remarks to their supporters.






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For top donors, inauguration means access, influence and angling for next big job



For the thousands of high-end donors who pay for the whole thing, the inauguration is about exclusive access to the president and vice president, as well as what insiders call “placement.” (Jobs, they mean.) Goodness knows it’s not the big public balls that lure the visitors; by universal accord, those mega-parties are mostly letdowns — people you don’t know and don’t like, bars you’d need a crowbar to reach, bad food and not enough of it.


“They’ve already written their checks and now they come for the celebration,” said David Rosen, a Chicago Democratic fundraiser who serves as a fixer for wealthy donors on their inauguration trips, making certain their schedule is properly packed with the right parties and the most intimate VIP gatherings. “This weekend is a marker in their lives, so they want to be invited to the White House or the small gathering at the vice president’s house.”



President Obama’s second inauguration is smaller, less emotionally powerful and less transparent than the first. There are fewer balls, fewer tourists and fewer details about the money being raised. Four years ago, promising a new openness, the president banned corporate giving to the inauguration, limited gifts from individuals to $50,000 and released a full accounting of donations.

This year, the sky’s the limit on gifts, corporations are good people and the official roster of donors won’t include addresses or amounts for up to 90 days. The list includes companies such as AT&T, Microsoft and Southern Co., a utility that says it gave $100,000. Individual supporters include donors such as Irwin Jacobs, founder of the tech company Qualcomm, who had already given more than $2 million to groups supporting Obama.

Administration officials have said the loosened donation rules were designed to reach out to businesses whose executives felt spurned in the first term and to ease pressure on Democratic donors who feel squeezed dry after the campaign. After the inaugural celebration’s expenses are paid, the remaining money could be used for an Obama foundation that would support his presidential library and other projects after he leaves office.

“It is just the wrong thing to do,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a nonprofit group that pushes for transparency in government and campaign finance reform. “This is symbolic of doing business as usual in Washington, from an administration that has said it did not want to follow that path. It doesn’t make sense.”

Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesman Cameron French says that although it is taking corporate donations “to make sure we are able to meet our fundraising obligations” without burdening the public, it is not accepting gifts from political-action committees, lobbyists or firms that aren’t current on federal bailout loans from 2009. A committee statement says its “guidelines aren’t just consistent with the law — they are consistent with the president’s commitment to transparency and to reducing the influence of PACs and lobbyists in Washington.”

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