Obama Will Take Oath on Lincoln Bible

President-elect the first to use volume since Abe himself
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 23, 2008 11:15 AM CST
Obama Will Take Oath on Lincoln Bible
A painting shows the second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as he takes the oath of office, March 4, 1865.

On January 20, Barack Obama will place his hand on the same Bible Abraham Lincoln used during his 1861 swearing-in, Politico reports. Obama will be the first president to use the tome since Lincoln. Though it’s not constitutionally required, “Presidents have traditionally used Bibles for the ceremony, choosing a volume with personal or historical significance,” Obama’s transition team said.

"The president-elect is committed to holding an Inauguration that celebrates America's unity, and the use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage," the team said in a press release.
(More inauguration stories.)

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