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January 20, 2009

The anomalous Oath

By Thomas Lifson

As everyone noticed, President Obama flubbed his oath of office. Twice. And he used his middle name Hussein. But one other circumstance was more fascinating.

He took the oath as "Barack Hussein Obama" not as "Barack Hussein Obama, Junior." Why? He bears the same name as his father.

What's this all about?

Vice President Biden took his oath of office as Joseph Robinette Biden, Junior."

Why did President Obama not recognize his status as the second in line to take his father's name? After all, he wrote his first autobiography about Dreams from Obama, Sr.

I am truly puzzled.

Update: An answer from reader Chilynne:

It's a fine point, but one ceases to be Joe Blow, Jr on the death of one's father, Joe Blow.  Obama was correct with respect to that.

If Biden’s father is deceased, he’s no longer Jr. 

I suppose that, where father and son are both public figures, retaining the Jr. after the father’s death is helpful to prevent confusion. 

Thomas Lifson notes: Biden's father is also dead. An anomaly remains. Biden's father was not a public figure - remember all the nonsense about his "working class" origins?
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