WASHINGTON Inauguration Days are the times America pauses to
appreciate and reflect on the orderly transition, or
reaffirmation, of power. The quadrennial ritual that will take
place starting at noon Monday on the Capitol’s West Front
promises to be full of new memories, as President Barack Obama
will remind the nation of its vision and mission, followed by an
afternoon and evening of celebration and reflection. He’ll be
continuing a tradition begun by George Washington on April 30,
1789. "It’s an important ritual as a transition that’s very
different from other countries,” said Jim Bendat, author of
"Democracy’s Big Day," a history of inaugurations. “But we
shouldn’t kid ourselves and think one address will produce a
speech for the ages every time." Chances are the speech won’t
match the longest ever. William Henry Harrison delivered an
8,445-word address during a cold rain in 1841. He died a month
later. John Adams uttered the longest inaugural speech sentence,
737 words. That was far longer than Washington