While campaigning back in December, Bob McDonnell promised the crowd a warm and sunny day for his Inauguration and a celebration party “not to forget.” It turns out he was being accurately prophetic. Robert Francis McDonnell was sworn in as Virginia’s 71st Governor, along with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, on the steps of the State Capitol in Richmond under sunny skies this past Saturday with a crowd of about 6,000 in attendance.
He was ushered into the grandstands to the sounds of a fife and drum corps, smartly dressed in their colonial uniforms. At his side was his wife Maureen, along with their children and about 120 members of their extended family. McDonnell’s daughter Jeanine, an Iraq war Army veteran, sang the national anthem.
Virginia Supreme Court Justice Barbara Milano Keenan became the first woman to swear in a Virginia governor when she administered the oath. McDonnell used an old family Bible for the oath — a Latin Vulgate Bible that had been presented to his great-grandparents on their wedding day in 1876 in Massachusetts.
Immediately following the oath, members of the Virginia National Guard fired off a 19 gun howitzer salute and the crowd was treated to a flyover by four F-22’s.
McDonnell is the state’s first Republican governor in eight years and takes office in the aftermath of the worst nationwide recession since the Great Depression, inheriting a $4.2 billion shortfall in the state budget.
During his acceptance speech, McDonnell made references to former Governors Kaine and Wilder, as well as President John F. Kennedy, all Democrats. “No federal mandate nor program crafted by either political party should undermine the central principle of federalism, enshrined in the birth certificate of America by those who pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor,” stated McDonnell.
He said job creation is a high priority, as is easing regulations and lowering taxes on businesses. Referring to his campaign promises, McDonnell said he would aim to add 100,000 college degreed people to the workforce over the next 15 years. Improving the state’s transportation network and using what he described as Virginia’s “God-given wealth of resources” to make Virginia the “Energy Capital of the East Coast” with off-shore drilling were also mentioned.
House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem), praised the speech for laying out Republican ideals on limited government, while Sen. R. Edward Houck (D) said the speech “had a very solid Democratic Party theme to it” regarding McDonnell’s progressive ideas. “The only question is how do you pay for all those wonderful ideas?” Houck asked.
McDonnell concluded his 22-minute speech by praising President Obama for his support of charter school programs and merit pay guidelines for teacher pay. “More money must go to the classroom and less into administration, and [towards] new opportunities in science, technology, engineering, math and healthcare … created through our schools and colleges,” he said.
The parade that followed the ceremony included a Native American ceremonial dance and former Washington Redskins cheerleaders, to which McDonnell’s wife Maureen — a former Redskins cheerleader — shook her pompoms in obvious delight. Others in the parade included the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Highty-Tighties, VMI cadets and performing horses.
Some in the crowd saw the election of Bob McDonnell as a new beginning for Virginia, as well as the United States. “Oh, what a difference a year makes,” said Del. Joe May (R).
“People got disillusioned and there were unreasonable expectations at the presidential level, and boy, it didn’t take long” said Michael Steele, the RNC Chairman, adding that McDonnell’s campaign for governor “should serve as a shining example for all Republicans looking for success in 2010.”
By Carla Bream [email protected]