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Inside Politics

Presidential Inauguration; Trump's Speech. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired January 20, 2017 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[12:00:00] JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: Will to the best of my ability.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT: And will to the best of my ability.

ROBERTS: Preserve, protect and defend.

TRUMP: Preserve, protect and defend.

ROBERTS: The Constitution of the United States.

TRUMP: The Constitution of the United States.

ROBERTS: So help me God.

TRUMP: So help me God.

ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a great honor to be able to introduce for the first time ever anywhere, the 45th president of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world, thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people. Together we will determine the course of America and the world for many, many years to come. We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent. Thank you.

Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people.

For too long a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have born the cost. Washington flourished but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs. And while they celebrated in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes starting right here and right now because this moment is your moment. It belongs to you.

[12:05:12] It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.

January 20, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the tens of millions to become part of an historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before.

At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction that a nation exists to serve its citizens. Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public. But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists. Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation, an education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge, and the crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation and their pain is our pain, their dreams are our dreams, and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny. The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry, subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military. We've defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend our own and spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. We've made other countries rich, while the wealth, strength and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores with not even a thought about the millions and millions of American workers that were left behind. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world. But that is the past and now we are looking only to the future.

[12:10:06] We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first. America first.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs.

Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength. I will fight for you with every breath in my body, and I will never, ever let you down.

America will start winning again. Winning like never before.

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads and highways and bridges and airports and tunnels and railways all across our wonderful nation. We will get our people off of welfare and back to work rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.

We will follow two simple rules, buy American and hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world, but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first. We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example. We will shine for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the earth.

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America. And through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.

The Bible tells us, "how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity." We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

There should be no fear. We are protected. And we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement. And most importantly, we will be protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger. In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving. We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action, constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

[12:15:22] The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.

Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries, and technologies of tomorrow. A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights and heal our divisions. It's time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget, that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots.

We all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the wind swept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty creator.

So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, from ocean to ocean, hear these words. You will never be ignored again.

Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way. Together, we will make America strong again, we will make America wealthy again, we will make America proud again, we will make America safe again, and, yes, together, we will make America great again.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America!

Thank you.

God bless America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this time I call on Rabbi Marvin Hier, Reverend Franklin Graham and Bishop Wayne T. Jackson to provide readings and the benediction.

RABBI MARVIN HIER, SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER: Eternal God, bless President Donald J. Trump and America, our great nation. Guide us to remember the words of the psalmist, who may dwell on your holy mountain? One who does what is right and speaks the truth. Who knows that when you eat the labor of your hands, you are praiseworthy. That he who sows in tears shall reap in joy because the freedoms we enjoy are not granted in perpetuity but must be reclaimed by each generation.

[12:20:25] As our ancestors have planted for us, so we must plant for others. While it is not for us to complete the task, near are we free to desist from them. Dispense justice for the needy and the orphaned, for they have no one but their fellow citizens and because a nation's wealth is measured by her values and not by her vaults. Bless all of our allies around the world who share our beliefs. By the rivers of Babylon, we wept as we remembered Zion. If I forget the o Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. The doer of all these shall never falter.

May the days come soon when justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness will abide in the fertile fields and the work of righteousness will be peace, quietness, and confidence forever. Amen.

REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM, SAMARITAN'S PURSE & BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELICAL ASSN.: Mr. President, in the Bible rain is a sign of God's blessing. And it started to rain, Mr. President, when you came to the platform. And it's my prayer that God will bless you, your family, your administration, and may he bless America.

The passage of scripture comes from 1 Timothy Chapter 2. I urge then first of all that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kinds, for all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and it pleases God, our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and glory forever and ever in, in Jesus name. Amen.

BISHOP WAYNE T. JACKSON, GREAT FAITH MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL: We thank you, father, for letting us share this great moment together. Let us not take for granted the air we breathe or the life you've given us. We were all created by you with one blood, our own nation to dwell upon this land together. We're not enemies but brothers and sisters. We're not adversaries, but we're allies. We're not foes, but we're friends. Let us be healed by the power of you love and united by the bond of your spirit.

Today we pray for our 45th president, the vice president and their families and give them the wisdom to guide this great nation, the strength to protect it and the hands to heal it. We bless President Donald J. Trump. We ask that you give him the wisdom of Solomon, the vision of Joseph and the meekness of Christ. Solomon, who kept peace among many nations, and Joseph who dreamt better for the people, and Christ who accepted us all.

Oh, Lord, mend our hearts and stitch together the fabric of this great country in the spirit of the legendary gospel songwriter, Mahalia Jackson, "oh deep in my heart I do believe the Lord will see us through, I do believe. We are on our way to victory. I do believe. We will walk hand in hand I do believe. We shall live in peace I do believe. Oh deep in my heart I do believe America we shall overcome." And may the Lord bless and keep America and make his face shine upon us and be gracious onto us and give us peace in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

[12:25:16] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Jackie Evancho, accompanied by the president's own United States Marine band. Please stand for the singing of the national anthem.

JACKIE EVANCHO, (singing): Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light. What so proudly we hail'd, at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight. O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing it while the president and official party depart the platform. You will be released by sections shortly.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And so now the United States has a new president. The 45th president of the United States. There he is, Donald J. Trump. He takes office after delivering a speech, Jake, a speech that he could have delivered, and often delivered, throughout the 18 months of his campaign. He delivered the speech that got him elected president of the United States.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: It was very consistent to the Trump brand, absolutely. I have to say, I think it's fair to say this is one of the most radical inaugural speeches we've ever heard. It was purely populist. It talked about the forgotten people. It attacked Washington while standing inside the center of Washington, D.C., surrounded by Washington insiders. There was nothing really particularly conservative about this Republican president's speech. It was pure populism. And, in fact, it looked at the United States and the role of the United States in a way that departures greatly from what we've heard from all of his predecessors on the stage, Obama, Bush, Carter. It talked about America first as his priority. It was completely consistent with his brand, I have to say. Had a nice part at the end talking about how whatever color you are, like the soldier, black, brown or white, we all bleed the red blood of patriots. But I have to say, I think - I think it will go down in history as one of the most radical speeches ever given by a president.

BLITZER: But very consistent, Dana -

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.

BLITZER: With the themes he uttered throughout that campaign.

BASH: He did not forget who brought him to this dance, no question about it. Very, very sharp. Very specific about looking inward to America. A very nationalistic, populist, as you said, Jake, speech talking about how he is going to make sure that he looks out for the people who feel left behind and focus on this country and focus on them and their needs first. No lofty rhetoric here. That was not what this was about. It's not who he is. We shouldn't have ever - nobody expected that. Very short sentences. Very to the point. And there's - there's no reading between the lines in any of the - the speeches and the sentences he gave and he explicitly said, America first more than once.

[12:30:13] JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. BLITZER: And, John --