Barack Obama is to be publicly sworn in for his second term as US president today.Obama’s public inauguration ceremony is expected to begin at  11.55am local time (4.55pm Irish time).

Mr Obama was officially sworn in on Sunday  at a private ceremony at the White House to meet the 20 January date set out in the American Constitution.

Today Monday January 21, he will take the oath of office again at today’s public ceremony and deliver his inaugural address from the Capitol’s west front overlooking the National Mall, where a crowd of up to 700,000 is expected to watch.

Vice-President Joe Biden, who was also sworn in on Sunday – will repeat his oath publicly as well.

Thousands of workers and volunteers have been working to finish construction for Monday’s celebrations, with white tents, trailers and generators being set up along the Washington Mall’s parade route as nearby buildings were adorned with red, white and blue bunting.

In 2009, nearly two million people crammed into Washington to witness President Obama’s first inauguration.
By UP