US President Elect Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony will has started at 8 p.m. EST. It was opened by the chorus of the military navy of the United States and was followed by prayer, after which Joe Biden will swear in as Vice-President. One witness say we need a lot of kleenex tissues as this is going to be a very emotional day as the U.S. is making history. Barack Obama will leave the white house in 15 minutes to start the ceremony which is about to start at 11:30 EST.
With one hand on the bible used at Abraham Lincoln's 1861 inauguration, but not since, Barack Obama will swear to preserve, protect and defend the US Constitution to the best of his ability.
He will deliver one of the most eagerly anticipated inaugural addresses in history.
After the ceremony, the new occupant of the White House will wave goodbye to his predecessor, before joining the new Vice-President and congressional leaders to feast on pheasant and duck at the traditional inaugural lunch. Following that, there will be the inaugural parade and a long, long night of ball-going for the new First Couple.
Before that, on Monday Mr. Obama paid tribute to Dr King and urged Americans to work together in "renewing the promise of this nation." Americans marked the annual public holiday in memory of black civil rights leader Martin Luther King - on the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration.
Obama reflected that Tuesday's inauguration ceremony would take place on the same mall where many thousands gathered in 1963 to hear Martin Luther King's so-called "I Have A Dream" speech - in which he foresaw a day when people would be judged not by the colour of their skin. For many Barack Obama's presidency will be the culmination of Dr King's dream
Crowds are gathering in Washington DC ahead of Barack Obama's swearing in as President of the United States. According to Police data, about 5 million people have arrived in the capital for the inauguration.
Washington is preparing for the ceremony. There have already been painstaking preparations, with rehearsals for security officials - not just for the military precision of the ceremony and the parade. At a US military base in Washington they have been planning for any eventuality for the past six months.
Along Washington's waterways the coast guard will be watching from high speed boats.
Snipers will be positioned on the rooftops near the Capitol building and along the parade route.
Roads and bridges into Washington will be closed to traffic, with sniffer dogs on the subway and thousands of armed police, soldiers and plainclothes agents on the streets.
In total, there will be 4,000 Washington police, reinforced by another 4,000 officers from all over the country. Thousands more National Guard members have been called in.
That is on top of the 5,000 professional soldiers and sailors who will be on the ground.
There are 57 different government agencies involved in what has been declared a "National Special Security Event." And overseeing the entire operation is the US Secret Service.
By Public Radio of Armenia
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