Reflecting on past inauguration ceremonies

The recent Presidential inaugural swearing-in ceremony recalled my favorite story about these memorable events. It was told many times by former Speaker of the U.S. House Tip O’Neill of Massachusetts.

The year was 1961 and the previous November John F. Kennedy had been elected President. At the swearing-in ceremony, O’Neill was late in arriving at the inaugural platform. Taking his aisle seat he found himself sitting next to George Kara. A Massachusetts businessman, Kara was a bit of a political-hanger-on with the upsetting habit of always managing to attend important events — invited or not.  And even worse, Kara would somehow wrangle the best seat in the house. He was a constant annoyance to Massachusetts politicians.

“George,” asked Tip. “What are you doing here on the Inaugural platform?”  “Shhh, Tip,” responded Kara, “be quiet or they’ll throw us both out.”

Trumpets sounded the entry of President-elect Kennedy who proceeded down the steps and stopped next to O’Neill. Tip greeted Kennedy with a handshake, “Good luck and God bless you, Jack.” Over Tip’s shoulder came the thrusting arm of Kara.  Kennedy, with a quizzical look of wonderment, shook Kara’s hand.

Later in the ceremony, just as Kennedy rose to take the oath of office, Kara leaned toward O’Neill and whispered, “Decades hence historians will ponder what was on the young man’s mind as he took the oath.”

That evening at the Inaugural Ball, O’Neill had an opportunity to ask the new President exactly that and Kennedy responded, “Tip, you won’t believe it but as my left hand reached for the Bible and my right hand rose to take the oath, I was thinking how the hell did Kara get that seat!”

— Pat Williams served nine terms as a U.S. Representative from Montana. After his retirement, he returned to Montana and taught at The University of Montana.