... so, when is Inauguration Day in 2013?

[misha]

The 20th Amendment says the term begins at Noon on Jan 20th

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxx.html

Note that it didn't say what time zone - Darn ET-centric politicians!

Even though the actual term begins on Jan 20th, in years when that fell on a Sunday, the Inauguration ceremony was held on Monday Jan 21st.

This will occur in 2013. It only happens every 28 years; the last time was in 1985. Since then, the U.S has added Martin Luther King's Birthday as a federal holiday. This is observed on the 3rd Monday in January, which in 2013 will be on... Jan 21st!

As I said, the President assumes the office on Jan 20th no matter what, so I'm just wondering about the ceremony.

Of course if Obama is re-elected in 2012, the (re-)inauguration in 2013 won't be as big a ceremony. If he is not re-elected, and we get a new president, then 2013 ceremony would be a "bigger" event.

[misha]

For what it's worth, the 20th Amendment took effect in 1933.
In the 2 times since then that Jan 20th has fallen on a Sunday, it marked the beginning of the incumbents' 2nd term - Eisenhower in 1957, and Reagan in 1985 - so it wasn't as big as an event as it would be if a new president was taking office.

From 1789 until 1933, the President took office on March 4th. That fell on a Sunday in:

- 1797: John Adam's 1st - and only - term
- 1821: John Monroe's 2nd term
- 1849: Zachary Taylor's 1st - and only - term (he died in office in 1850)
-1877 - Rutherford Hayes's 1st (and only) term
- 1917: Woodrow Wilson's 2nd term

[Richard Tafoya]

So in 2013, Inauguration Day will also be MLK Day, which is always the 3rd Monday of January.

[misha]

...
From 1789 until 1933, the President took office on March 4th. That fell on a Sunday in:

- 1797: John Adam's 1st - and only - term
- 1821: John Monroe's 2nd term
- 1849: Zachary Taylor's 1st - and only - term (he died in office in 1850)
-1877 - Rutherford Hayes's 1st (and only) term
- 1917: Woodrow Wilson's 2nd term

No info on Wikipedia about John Adams' or Zachary Taylor's inauguration ceremonies.
Rutherford B. Hayes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_B_Hayes#Presidency_1877.E2.80.931881)
Presidency 1877–1881
Because March 4, 1877 was a Sunday, Hayes took the oath of office in the Red Room of the White House on March 3, becoming the first president to take the oath of office in the White House. This ceremony was held in secret, because the previous year's election had been so bitterly divisive that outgoing President Grant feared an insurrection by Tilden's supporters and wanted to ensure that any Democratic attempt to hijack the public inauguration ceremony would fail, Hayes having been sworn in already in private. Hayes took the oath again publicly on March 5 on the East Portico of the United States Capitol, and served until March 4, 1881. Hayes' best known quotation, "He serves his party best who serves his country best," is from his 1877 Inaugural Address.

[misha]

So in 2013, Inauguration Day will also be MLK Day, which is always the 3rd Monday of January.
I'm thinking that because MLK is a federal holiday, Inauguration Day will be held on Tuesday Jan 22nd. It's all ceremonial, so it the US won't be leaderless if the ceremonies are delayed a day or two.

Sort of like if April 15th falls on a weekend, your income taxes are due on the Monday right after, except in New England: it observes Patriot's Day as a local holiday on the 3rd Monday in April, so income taxes are due on the Tuesday right after the weekend of April 15th.

Also, for folks who pay income taxes by installment every quarter, the final quarter's payment is due Jan 15th; when that falls on a weekend the following Monday is (again) MLK day, so the taxes are due on the Tuesday right after the Jan 15th weekend.

*******

Final note for a while: In 2021, Jan 20th will fall on a Monday and will coincide with MLK Day. Last time Jan 20th fell on a Monday was in 1993, before the MLK holiday was adopted.
*edit*
2 mistakes:
1. MLK was first observed earlier than I thought, in 1986
2. I miscalculated, Jan 20th fell on a Monday (and on MLK Day) in 1997, not 1993. Both years were well after the US began observing MLK Day.

See my post below

[misha]

I guess it will be held on Monday, Jan 21st 2013, the same day as the MLK Day holiday.

The federal holiday was first observed in 1986.

I miscounted before: Jan 20th coincided with the MLK holiday in 1997, the beginning of Bill Clinton's 2nd term. The Inauguration ceremony was held on Jan 20, not deferred a day.

http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/Family/html/inauguration1997.html

Inauguration Day, 1997, coincided with the national holiday commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. President Bill Clinton’s second Inaugural Address paid tribute to Dr. King’s legacy by calling on Americans of all races, cultures, religions, and backgrounds to heal divisions and to become one community to face the challenges ahead. He asked his listeners to remember the goals of our nation’s founders, strengthening the American Dream of opportunity for all. After the ceremony’s final blessing, the President and other guests gathered in the Capitol’s Statutory Hall to eat a meal based on recipes from Thomas Jefferson’s era. The President also issued a special Inaugural Proclamation declaring a "National Day of Hope and Renewal."

So I guess ID 2013 will be held on Monday, Jan 21, 2013 - observing the tradition of not being held when Jan 20th falls on a Sunday, but not being pre-empted by the MLK holiday on the 21st.

[pinky]

Unless, of course, the Mayans were right..... ;)

[Dennom]

I had not even given a thought to that but it does make you wonder what exactly they plan on doing as surely they couldn't have both of these on the same day could they??

Can they not just postpone the inaugaration ceremony for 1 day until the tuesday?