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Weekly Wrap Up: Our People, Our Future

January 25, 2013 at 5:12 PM ET by Christopher Sponn
Summary: 
Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

Watch the West Wing Week Here.

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Inauguration Weekend: On Saturday, Americans across the country took part in the National Day of Service, a project started four years ago to honor the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The First Family kicked off the weekend at Burrville Elementary School in Washington, D.C. where they worked on school improvements. Watch the President and First Lady speak at the service event here.

On Sunday, in accordance with the Constitution which states the President must take the oath of office on January 20 in the year of an inauguration, President Obama and Vice President Biden were officially sworn in. Check out  video of the President taking the oath at the White House and the Vice President taking the oath at the Naval Observatory.

Inauguration Day: On Monday, President Obama delivered his Inaugural Address to the country and was publicly sworn in for a second term. Fittingly on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President Obama shared his vision for a second term. President Obama said, “My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.”

Check out the 57th Presidential Inauguration page, which includes our featured video on opportunities to interact with the White House, graphics to share on Facebook and a photo gallery from the historic weekend.

  • Watch the full address here.
  • Listen to the speech here.
  • Watch the complete Inauguration Ceremony here.
  • Watch the President and Vice President speak at an Inaugural Luncheon here.
  • Watch Highlights from the 2013 Inaugural Parade here.

Surprise: On Tuesday, the President and the First Lady were in the Blue Room where they surprised visitors during their White House tour. The First Lady used her new Twitter account to let followers know what was happening beforehand.

See what is like to be surprised by the President and follow @FLOTUS  to receive real time updates and special messages from the First Lady and the Office of the First Lady.

Fireside Hangouts: On Thursday, Vice President Biden took part in the latest “Fireside Hangout” hosted by Google. The Vice President outlined the Administration’s plan to protect our communities from gun violence, while answering questions from participants.

The virtual roundtable can be seen in its entirety here and you can join us on the White House’s Google+ page for ways you can become involved with the next hangout.

White and Cordray Nominated: On Thursday, President Obama nominated Mary Jo White for head of the Securities and Exchange Commission and called for Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both can play pivotal roles in the financial sector as White will be asked to keep Wall Street and banks accountable, while Cordray will oversee the laws that protect everyday Americans.

“These are people with proven track records,” said President Obama. “They are going to look out for the American people, for American consumers, and make sure that our marketplace works better -- more transparently, more efficiently, more effectively.”