In todays sharp sparkle, this winter air. Anything can be made. Any sentence begun. On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp, praise song for walking forward in that light. Those who say that were in a time when there are no heroes, they just dont know where to look. Our challenges are great, but our will is greater. There is nothing wrong with america that cannot be cured by what is right with america. The United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors. All are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. Were across from the white house where president obama is getting ready to take the oath of office. And here on the National Mall, everything is in place for a huge party and all of america is invited. A president who broke barriers and inspired the nation four years ago now begins a second term. A Second Chance to restore hope and bring change. Despite all the hardship weve been through, despite all the frustrations of washington. Ive never been more hopeful about our future. And i ask you to sustain that hope. The pomp, the parade, the inaugural balls will come tomorrow, but this is the day that truly mattered. When the president must raise his hand and swear to protect and defend the constitution. So help you god . So help me god. Were here in the heart of washington, d. C. , with spectacular views of the u. S. Capitol and the National Mall. A twoday inaugural event is getting under way in this city, beginning here at the white house. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. Im wolf blitzer. The president ial reviewing stand is in place for the inaugural parade. Right now inside the white house, president obama is about to officially begin his second term. Were counting down to todays swearing in ceremony in the blue room les than an hour from now. Were looking ahead to all the festivities tomorrow. Lets go to the National Mall right now. Cnns Anderson Cooper is standing by. Anderson . Wolf, thanks very much. It is a glorious day out here. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather here tomorrow for the public inauguration ceremony. We, of course, will bring all of that to you live. President obama will take his place on stage in front of the capital and take the oath of office, again, and deliver his inaugural address. Only minutes left to go in president obamas first term. We have a new snapshot of the way americans view the country right now. John king is here with his magic wall. What do you see . As the president prepares to take that oath, are the American People with him as he heads into a second term . How do they feel about this . Our brandnew poll shows this, people think things are going well in the country. 51 say badly. You see a divided country here and you think, wow, that is not a bad number for the president. When he took office, remember the finance crisis. As the president takes his oath for the second term. This is the high water mark. Haf of americans think things are going well. Lets go to wolf. Thanks, anderson. Kate balduan is with us today. Why the president is doing this today and tomorrow. I got this question from many people. This decision was made because this official inauguration date, january 20th falls on a sunday. The constitution requires the president to take the oath today. All the public festaveties are being saved for tradition. Youre watching whats going on carefully behind us. Thats the reviewing stand. The president and the first lady and the Vice President , the second lady. Theyll be there tomorrow watching the parades come towards the white house. Right now, in the north lawn of the white house behind us, the president will be getting ready to be sworn in in the blue room. Thats right. Wolf, today is the official day when he becomes the president for a second term. Let me walk you through exactly what will happen because this is a day of great moment and a day we acknowledge what our democracy is all about. First, the president will be in the blue room. The whole event will take place there. Its an oval shaped receiving room for formal events. Its on the first floor of the white house. Of the main residence. Now, the guests will already be in place. There are a few Family Friends and members of the president s extended family, as well as chief justice john roberts. At 11 55 in the morning president obama will enter the room along with first lady and their daughters, sasha and milia. The first ladys father gave that bible to his own mother in 1958 and the first ladys grandmother used it for many years and its now been handed down to the next generation. So, its very sentimental in their family. Now, the chief justice will administer the 35word oath. Thats spelled out in article 2, section 1 of the constitution, as you know. Hope he does a better job this time. Oh, that man is never going to live it down. That was a mess up that will go down in history and the oath has to be taken before noon. As its spelled out in the constitution, as well. Now, you referred to the mess up last time. John roberts, the chief justice, made that mistake at the first inaugural. So, this, he had to do a redo. That redo last time was in the map room of the white house, not the blue room. This is the third time president obama will have taken the oath. The only president since fdr who has taken the oath four times. But fdr served four terms. Hell do it again tomorrow. Little bit of insight the president and the white house were concerned when the Health Care Ruling went before john roberts because maybe a little tension after the oath redo and maybe he would hold it against them, anyway, it worked out in their favor. Coming up later this hour. Kate, this is an exciting moment for all of us who love history. Very exciting moment and its beautiful, its really amazing to see the structures they erected before us as well as on the mall. President obama was joined by Vice President biden in Arlington National cemetery to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns. After the Vice President had taken his oath in a ceremony this morning at his residence at the naval observatory. One thing that stuck out to me watching that, how big that bible was. It was five inches thick. Its been in his family for many, many years. Anderson, were getting excited over here at the white house. What is it like over there on the National Mall . Well, crowds kind of coming and going. Small numbers of people just kind of walking around. Streets are starting to be blocked off around the National Mall in anticipation of tomorrow. A lot has happened on president obamas watch, though, during his first term in office. Thats, of course, about to end. John berman is here to show us the president s first four years. Take a look. The president has been in office for 1,461 days. A lot of highs and a lot of lows. In case you missed any of it, we tried to wrap it all up or most of it, at least, in just four minutes. It starts here. January 20th, 2009. Screaming crowds, soaring hopes, towering expectations. What could possibly go wrong, exception the inauguration. I Barack Hussein obama first year, major action. Big stimulus, big bailout, big appointment, big smack. Now, where were we . Reporter to ease racial tension. He doesnt invite the salahis to state dinner. Chicago loses the olympics. The nation loses an icon. The president wins a peace prize. Year two, state of the union, big speech, national audience. What could possibly go wrong . Congressman joe wilson doesnt like the president S Health Care pitch. Justice samuel alito doesnt like his Campaign Finance ideas. Vice president gets fresh. Kagan in, rahm out, banking reform in, dont ask, dont tell out. Republicans in, democrats out. Take a shellacking like i did last night. Where were we . We were here, 2011. Tunisia turmoil, libya turmoil, bahrain turmoil, egypt turmoil. An orderly transition must begin now. Turns out president was born in america and turns out the president can crack a joke. I am releasing my official birth video. That very same weekend, closure. The United States has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda. A summer showdown. Budget brinksmanship. That never happens. A down grade for the economy. Americas Credit Rating gets a downgrade. Now, where were we . We were here, 2012. Election year. What could possibly go wrong . Im so in love with you how big a deal that the president sings . Is it true he has a good voice . So in love with you major developments. I think samesex couples should be able to get married. Supreme Court Holds Obama care is constitutional. Democrats hold convention, obama holds clinton. Campaign push, president ial debate, president ial dud. Now four years later, we still have trillion dollar deficits. President ial improvement. I dont look at my pension, it isnt as big as yours. It doesnt take as long. President ial victory. A time to look back at sports teams, disaster, promises kept, most troops out of iraq, sports teams, disaster. Upheaval, khaddifi dead. Sports teams, sports teams, promises broken. Guantanamo still open. Disaster, tragedy. Ft. Hood, tucson. Our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. Colorado, newtown. For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory. Fiscal debate, fiscal discord, fiscal destiny. Sports teams, sports teams, sports teams. Now, where were we . We were here. Just about to start, again. I Barack Hussein obama, do solemnly swear. So, four more years. Thats another 1,461 days. What could possibly go wrong, right . Well, it is another chance to make history and a chance for more sports teams. Anderson . John, thanks very much. Four years in four minutes. Im exhausted after watching that. Lets talk about biggest accomplishments and biggest failures. David gergen, what do you think in terms of biggest accomplishment and biggest failure . One of the biggest accomplishments was to get reele reelected. Our great president s have been people who had two terms because over eight years you can do a lot more than you can in the first term. Within this first term i think he rightly claims that he is the first president after seven failed to get universal health care passed and now in his second term, he can embed that within the system and that will be part of his legacy. But i cant tell you to come back to this, anderson, how important it was for them to win reelection because they knew the legacy, his place in history would hinge on that. In terms of biggest disappointment . Biggest disappointment how polarizing the city remains, how difficult it is to govern the dysfunctionality has not left and i think thats causing some of the suspense about these couple of days. How is this, is this going to change anything or is it going it be more rhetorical . History professor and author. I think the biggest accomplishment and biggest disappointment were two sides of the coin. The economy did not go into fullblown depression. The biggest disappointment, it did not improve more than half. Its, i second what david gergen says, its astonishing that he was reelected given the state of the economy and it really does mean that such things as the Affordable Care act are going to remain in place for four years. Really controversial now, but after four years of getting used to it, americans, i think, will decide, lets keep it. Alex i did not get the memo about a blue suit and red tie. Look like a quartet. What do you think . I agree that i think the biggest accomplishment is that he forestalled a crisis, but he forestalled it by spreading it out and were back in the 30s now. This is fdr. This is going to be economic stagnation and a depression that wont end. But i think an accomplishment, just to add something a little different, that he has finally destroyed the Old Republican Party and weve hit rock bottom and, so, out of this, we will either emerge with something new and better that speaks of the next generation of voters or we will pass into the dust pan of history. You think the Republican Party has hit rock bottom . Every republican i talk to tell me the same thing. I know we have to change, i know we have to do something. But i dont know if anybody else gets it. So, i think were there. A lot has win hit on. On the accomplishment side, just to follow up on your point. He has been a dragon slayer. The nra, grover norquist, karl rove, we used to quiver in fear just the names. He has been able to put them in check. That is a big accomplishment on the political side. Big disappointment. Climate. When you have sandy come through and do what it did to new york city and you have a dust ball forming in our heartland and wildfires and no action on climate. That is a big disappointment. He has to do something. He has a Rainbow Coalition but a green stripe that has not been attended to. You know, anderson, whats interesting to me about what alex said is that the Republican Party is now at a 26 approval rating. Thats not good. While the public is much more pessimistic than it was four years ago about president obama, the Republican Party has to do something. This works for the president. The Republican Party is divided. Maybe he can pick off a bunch of republicans and, so, as he heads into his second term, he has a very, very big agenda, very ambitious, maybe overreaching a little bit, but its in the republican selfinterest to work with him. As we look ahead, youre making a face at me. Maybe thats because you shaved your mustache and im seeing your upper lip. Dont you think theres a need for republicans now to work with him to a degree . I think theres a need for republicans to compete for social responsibility and offer a different vision for the country and, in that sense, work with the president. But im not sure its in the president s political interest to work with republicans. In two years hes got an election. In two years he has that same awesome machine he just had that helped him get elected president. He can use that, possibly, to win the house. Hed run, he could run the tables. And this is his opportunity to keep republicans divided. I wouldnt be surprised if he just kept campaigning for the next two years. A lot of promises were made four years ago. A lot of promises not kept. A lot were. John, can you take a look. Not always fair to judge a president that way. If youre president or worked in the white house, circumstances change, new things arise, new crises, new challenges. One way to judge a president , as he enters his second term to look at what he said when he began his first. One of the parts of the first inaugural address that drew some criticism. People thought the president was being too lofty or full of himself. We will harness the suns and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. But lets get to the specifics of it. To vans point, we havent done anything on Climate Change and not much done on full Energy Policy because of not only republicans and democrat disagreements but regional disagreements in the country. Incomplete. This is a line in the speech that was often criticized. Heres another one. A defining moment of the speech. Trying to outline what an Obama Presidency would be. The question we ask today, is not whether our government is too big or too small but whether it works. Whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage. And also the idea of whether families find a job at a decent wage. Unemployment is down from the peak at the first term. But Unemployment Rate today, at exactly the same point when the president took office four years ago. That remains a challenge as you head into the next term. Looking at the world four years ago, the president said this. Well begin to responsibly leave iraq and with old friends and former foes well work tirelessly to lessen the Nuclear Threat and roll back the specter of a warming hes in the process of getting troops out of afghanistan, a debate whether it will be at peace or not. Getting those troops home by 2014. On the bottom part here, you have to say incomplete or false in the sense of the Nuclear Threat, especially when it comes to iran that looms as a huge secondterm challenge. Its one way. But you can read the first inaugural address and see what did he promise then . Complete or incomplete . Medicare, social security, deficits, taxes, spending. So, a lot of the things he talked about in the first speech, still with him in the second. Were going to talk about a lot more ahead. Go live to the white house in just minutes to actually see the president renew his oath of office and, again, his second term. Stick with us. Also, well bring you a candid look at the first familys daily life. First lady has a new agenda. First, this inaugural flashback. Obama thank you. Obama thank you. There was a magic to the inaugural day for president obama. The first africanamerican to be president , as if the whole history of our country was coming full circle with the ending of slivery and now the first africanamerican president. The man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. The crowds were reveling in that spirit. 1. 8 million than have ever been there before. Just the idea that we have come this far as a nation. A sense of unity and a sense of pride. I think in our country that this was finally happening. Lets go. [ male announcer ] introducing the allnew cadillac xts. Another big night on the town, eh . And the return of life lived large. [ male announcer ] how do you turn an entrepreneurs dream. Into a scooter that talks to the cloud . Or turn 30million artifacts. Into a hightech masterpiece . Whatever your business challenge, dell has the techn