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The conspiracy theorists will have a field day. Barack Obama is the first president in US history to take the oath of office from a Supreme Court Chief Justice he voted against. I'm sure that doesn't explain why Chief Justice John Roberts .

It's easily done, especially in an event of this enormity. Because of an interruption by Mr Obama, the Chief Justice stumbled over the next phrase of the oath. Instead of saying, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States ...", he in fact said, "that I will execute the office of President to the United States faithfully". Then the two of them got into a little scuffle, whereupon the Chief Justice tried to give the line again more accurately, but managed only to offer an incoherent recollection of the line: "the off-, faithfully the Pres-, office of resident of the United States." Thankfully, they pulled it together for the concluding phrase: "and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Those wags who are already arguing that Obama was not legally sworn in because the precise wording of the oath was not delivered have not a legal foot to stand on. There's a reason why the oath is administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.