Second inauguration of George W. Bush
The second inauguration of George W. Bush as the 43rd president of the United States took place on Thursday, January 20, 2005, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the 55th inauguration and marked the beginning of the second and final term of George W. Bush as president and Dick Cheney as vice president.[1] The ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist administered the presidential oath of office for the last time before his death on September 3 that year. Attendance at the inauguration has been reported as being around 100,000,[2] 300,000,[3] or 400,000.[4]
Date
January 20, 2005
George W. Bush
43rd president of the United States
— Assuming office
William Rehnquist
Chief Justice of the United States
— Administering oath
Dick Cheney
46th vice president of the United States
— Assuming office
Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
— Administering oath
Inaugural parade[edit]
During the parade there were some protests along the route, but these followed the speech and supporters far outnumbered the protesters. President Bush and the First Lady, Laura Bush, left their bullet-proof limousine and walked some of the route. Besides the usual parade formations from the United States Armed Forces, the parade also featured bands such as the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band and units such as the Governor's Guards.
Security[edit]
As the first presidential inauguration after the September 11 attacks, security was tighter than previous ceremonies. The inaugural parade route as well as other related sites were guarded by 13,000 police and soldiers, in addition to aerial patrols by helicopter and fighter aircraft and rooftop sharpshooters. In downtown Washington, a 100 square block area was closed to traffic.[5]
The Handshake Man was also intercepted for the first time and was arrested on an outstanding warrant related to his prior presidential photo stunts.[7]