Clinton Sworn in as 42nd U.S. President

WASHINGTON--Four months after his election-day victory, Bill Clinton yesterday took the presidential oath of office, delivered a poetic inaugural address and paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue to his new residence at the White House.

After Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist administered the oath, President Clinton spoke for slightly more than 10 minutes in what proved mostly to be a confident repetition of the themes which drove his fall campaign.

Clinton stressed ideas of renewal and the emergence of a new generation of Americans, using the word "change" nine times in his remarks.

"I Challenge a new generation of young Americans to a season of service--to act on your idealism by helping troubled children, keepng company with those in need, reconnecting our torn communities," Clinton said.

While he called for new sacrifices, he also offered a message of hope for the country. "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be fixed by what is right with America," he said.

Clinton avoided explicit reference to John F. Kennedy '40, his oft-cited role-model, but he did cite another popular Democratic president.

"Let us resolve to make our government a place for what Franklin Roosevelt called 'bold, persistent experimentation,' a government for our tomorrows, not our yesterdays," Clinton said. "Let's give this capital back to the people to whom it belongs."

Clinton tempered his neo-liberal rhetoric with outsider-style critiques of the Washington establishment.

"Powerful people maneuver for position and worry endlessly about who is in and who is out, who is up who is down, forgetting the people whose toil and sweat sends them here and pays there way," Clinton said.

The president has been known for his long-windedness--he was booed off the stage at the 1988 Democratic convention--but was surprisingly concise yesterday. Inaugural addresses in the past have averaged 20 minutes.

At the start of his address, Clinton paid tribute to George Bush for "a half-century of service to America," while the largely Democratic crowd clapped polietly.

Bush left the inaugural ceremonies and, afterbidding Dan Qualye goodbye, boarded an Air ForcePlane for the return flight to Houston. Thepresidential plane returned immediately afterwardsto wait for the new commander-in-chief.

The inauguration, which Clinton cited as aprime example of today's advanced technology--"thesights and sounds of this ceremony are broadcastinstantaneously to billions around the world"--wasindeed on air from Moscow to the Ivory Coast.

Congratulations poured in from the likes ofPope John Paul II, Russian President Boris Yeltsinand British Prime Minister John Major.

Even Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, victim ofa string of U.S. air attacks this week, offeredhis own brand of inaugural blessings yesterday bypromising a brief cease-fire.

But the Iraqi state newspaper still had sharpwords for former President George Bush.

"Our advice to Bush's doctor is to cure himwith shock therapy. Or bush can find a better wayof curing himself, namely suicide," the paperread.

Vice President Al Gore '69 was administered theoath of office by Supreme Court Justice Byron R.White.

Clinton and Gore lunched at the Capitol beforereturning to the White House to view theafternoon's Inaugural parade.

After a dinner honoring Congressional Medal ofHonor winners, Clinton and his wife Hillary willvisit the inaugural balls before finishing offtheir day of glory at the White House at 2 a.m

Bush left the inaugural ceremonies and, afterbidding Dan Qualye goodbye, boarded an Air ForcePlane for the return flight to Houston. Thepresidential plane returned immediately afterwardsto wait for the new commander-in-chief.

The inauguration, which Clinton cited as aprime example of today's advanced technology--"thesights and sounds of this ceremony are broadcastinstantaneously to billions around the world"--wasindeed on air from Moscow to the Ivory Coast.

Congratulations poured in from the likes ofPope John Paul II, Russian President Boris Yeltsinand British Prime Minister John Major.

Even Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, victim ofa string of U.S. air attacks this week, offeredhis own brand of inaugural blessings yesterday bypromising a brief cease-fire.

But the Iraqi state newspaper still had sharpwords for former President George Bush.

"Our advice to Bush's doctor is to cure himwith shock therapy. Or bush can find a better wayof curing himself, namely suicide," the paperread.

Vice President Al Gore '69 was administered theoath of office by Supreme Court Justice Byron R.White.

Clinton and Gore lunched at the Capitol beforereturning to the White House to view theafternoon's Inaugural parade.

After a dinner honoring Congressional Medal ofHonor winners, Clinton and his wife Hillary willvisit the inaugural balls before finishing offtheir day of glory at the White House at 2 a.m