US presidential inauguration conundrum
The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stipulates when the presidential inauguration takes place. Going into effect after the difficult Depression-era transition from Herbert Hoover to Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, it set the start of presidential terms as noon on January 20. Until then, a president elected in November did not take office until March 4, the date the Continental Congress had set for President Washington’s inauguration in 1788.
Pope Benedict XVI joined social networking site Twitter last week under the username @Pontifex.
After the ballyhoo and hype of the national conventions, the presidential candidates get down to the business end of their campaigns next week with the first of four keenly anticipated – and potentially make-or-break – debates.