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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for January 20, 2021

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By Scott Rasmussen

The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

January 20, 2021: Prior to Joe Biden’s inauguration, ten (10) U.S. Presidents first took office on January 20: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.[1]

Three other men were re-inaugurated on January 20 after having assumed the presidency earlier.[1]

Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected in November 1932 but didn’t take office until March 4, 1933.[2] March 4 was the date established in the U.S. Constitution for the transition to a newly-elected president.[3] To shorten the transition period, the date was changed to January 20 by the Twentieth Amendment. It went into effect during Roosevelt’s time in office.[4]

Harry Truman became president upon the death of Roosevelt in 1945.[5] He was re-inaugurated on January 20, 1949.[1]

Lyndon Johnson became president following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He was re-inaugurated on January 20, 1965.[1]

Gerald Ford took office following the resignation of Richard Nixon. However, he fell short in his bid for re-election and was never inaugurated on January 20.[6]

The Twentieth Amendment also changed the date for a new Congress to be installed. The original date was March 4. It was changed to January 3.[4]



Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.

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Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.

The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.

Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

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