BUSH BEGINS AGAIN
20 January 2005

George W. Bush took the constitutional oath of office today in Washington, DC, officially entering his second 4-year term in service at the White House. The speech was oddly both hopeful and aggressive, and as expected, he immediately created global controversy by announcing his aim to rid the world of tyranny.

Having only four years to achieve this, and having already displayed a willingness to use force without international consensus, this was an ominous proposal at the least. Mr Bush was eager to declare his having acquired "political capital", adding "and I intend to spend it".

He wanted to be seen as now confirmed in his "mandate" to govern, an experienced head of state with the full approval of a democratic electorate, but doubts remain this year as well about alleged irregularities in several states, namely Ohio, where an estimated 300,000 voters may have been turned away from the polls solely based on Republican party agents' "suspicion" of their voting credentials.

The president is also facing a war in Iraq that has not gone according to plan, as well as serious investigations into political dealings, the leak of a CIA agent's identity, and information relating to how the war was planned and promoted. He will have to navigate rough waters if he is to achieve his aims in this second term.