US to get its 44th and first black president on Tuesday

Barack Obama is set to create history on Tuesday by being sworn in as America's first black president to bring hopes of change to a nation battered by recession and weary of wars.

The 47-year-old first African-American to enter to the White House as the 44th president, Obama would be sworn in by the US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at 11:30 am (2200 IST) at the Capitol Hill.

Tens of thousands of people, braving severe cold, have started flocking to Washington from all over the country to be witness to the historic occasion, when a black will become the president of the United States. Estimate say that by the time Obama takes his oath the figure would swell to well over 2 million people.

His inauguration would take place outside the US Capitol.

"Tomorrow we will come together as one people on the same wall where Dr Martin Luther King dreams echo still," the president-elect said on Monday night.

US Secret service and thousands of police personnel have thrown an unprecedented security ring in a three square kilometer area where the event would take place. Sharp shooters in plain clothes have also been deployed in the area.

The actual inaugural ceremony itself would begin at 11 am (2130 IST) on the West Front of the US Capitol with musical selections by the US States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Body Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

The Democratic senator from California Dianne Feinstein, in the capacity as the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, would deliver the welcome address and call the function to order. This would be followed by an invocation by Dr Rick Warren. 

After thia Joe Biden will be administered the oath of office and be sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court associate justice John Paul Stevens. Following a musical selection by composer John Williams, the US Supreme Court chief justice would administer the oath of office of US Presidency to Obama.

The incoming First Lady will carry the Lincoln Bible to the platform and hold it while the oath of office is administered.

Obama is expected to deliver the inaugural address at approximately 12 noon (2230 IST), which will set out the agenda of his government both within and outside the US.

The new president will then proceed to the Capitol where he will sign cabinet secretary nomination certificates.  

The day for the incoming president and vice president would begin with a church service in the morning at St John's Episcopal Church. From here they would head to towards the White House.

Earlier in the morning, the outgoing president George W Bush will welcome his successor Obama and his wife Michelle Obama at the North Portico of the White House some two hours before the swearing in ceremony.

Bush along with his wife Laura will have coffee with the incoming first family along with the vice president- elect Biden and members of the Joint Congressional Committee.

It is at 10-45 am (2115 IST) that Bush will leave the White House en route to the Capitol to participate in the swearing in ceremony.

In television interviews over the weekend and at his last press conference, Bush said he is looking forward to have Obama as the president.

Obama, who was a bitter critic of Bush during the election campaign days, now believes that his predecessor is a "good man". Obama told this to CNN in an interview. 

Soon after the inaugural ceremony is over, Obama will host a departure ceremony for Bush, who would leave for his new home in Midland Texas from the Andrews Air Force Base.

Obama and his deputy Biden would proceed towards the historic Statuary Hall at US Capitol for a luncheon hosted by Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The inaugural parade would start at 2-30 pm (0100 IST Wednesday)
from the US Capitol to White House.

The president and first lady will travel with the Presidential Escort to the Presidential Reviewing Stand where they will meet up with their daughters and the Biden family to watch the rest of the parade.

Later, several dozen inaugural balls are scheduled for Obama with the Presidential Inaugural Committee itself hosting as many as ten inaugural balls including the Commander-in- Chief's Ball, the Youth Ball and the president Obama Home State Ball. Obama is expected to appear in the Commander-in- Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.