. >> 36 years ago, alex haley published his amazing family saga "roots," tracing his ancestry back to people to slave ships from africa. it later became a landmark mini- series on television and caused thousands, maybe millions, of people to start their own roots search. one of our friends eventually arranged a massive family reunion where he presented each family with a 70-page booklet he had compiled about their history. i was working in commercial television at the time haley did his book tour and he came to our station for an interview. to what do you attribute your exceptional success? the interviewer asked. haley thought for a moment and then said this, "decide what you want. decide what you're willing to give up to get it." do you have sentences in your head that never go away? i do, and none has been more meaningful to me than this one. i've been fortunate. i have had wonderful success in many areas in my life. when i get in trouble, though, is when i try to do too much. i take on task upon task upon task and start thinking there is a big "s" on my chest. superman, you can cal

. -- the late alex haley, the author of "roots, "lived by thesethe late lived his life by these six wordspraise it. today we praise the american tradition of transferring or reaffirming the immense power and the inauguration of the president of the united states. we do this in a peaceful and orderly way. there is no insurrection. this is a moment when millions stop and watch. a moment most of us always will remember. ours a moment's that is most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survive for so long. and such a complex country, when so much power is at stake. this freedom to vote for our leaders. and the restraint to respect the results. last year a tour guide told me at mount vernon that our first president, and george washington once posed this question, what is most experiment? in washington answered his own question. in this way -- not the election of the first president but the election of its second president the peaceful transfer of power. today we celebrate the 57th inauguration of the american president. find a good and praise

vice president, ladies and gentlemen, the late alex haley lived his life by these six words, find theicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survived for so long in such a complex country when so much power is at stake. this freedom devote to our leaders and the restraint to respect the results. last year at mount vernon, a tour guide told me that our first president, george washington, once posed this question: what is most important, washington asked of this grant experiment? the united states. and then washington answered his own question in this way: not the election of the first president, but the election of its second president. the peaceful transfer of power is what will separate our country from every other country in the world. so today we celebrate the 57th inauguration of the american president. find the good and praise it. [cheering and applause] now it's my honor -- [applause] it is my honor to introduce the associate justice of the supreme court, sonya sotomayor. for the purpose of administrating the oath of office to the vice

vice president, ladies and gentlemen, the late alex haley, the author of ruth's lived his life by theseican tradition of transferring or reaffirming a man's power in the inauguration of the president of the united states. we do this in a peaceful orderly way. there is no mob, no clue, no insurrection. this is a moment when millions stop and watch. a moment most of us always will remember. it is a moment that our most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survived for so long. in such a complex country. so much power is at stake. the restraint to respect the results. last year at mount vernon, a2 or guide told me that our first president george washington once opposed this question, what is most important washington asked of this grand experiment, the united states and in washington answered his own question in this way. not the election of the first president, but the election of its second president. the peaceful transfer of power is what will separate our country from every other country in the world. so today we celebrate the 57th ina

vice president, ladies and gentlemen, the late alex haley, the officer of roots -- the outer of roots we praise the american tradition or transferring or reaffirming the im presence power of the inauguration of the president of the united states. we do this in a peaceful ordinarily way. there is no mob, no inveks. this is a moment when millions stop and watch. a moment most of us always will remember. it is a moment that is our most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survived for so long in such a complex country when so much power is at steak -- stake. the freedom devoted to our leaders and the respect for the results. last year, in mount vernon, a tour guide told me that our first president, gorge washington once posed this question. what is most important, washington asked, of this grand experiment, the united states, and then washington answered his own question in this way. not the election of the first president, but the election of it's second president. the peaceful transfer of power is what will separate our country from ev

. -- alex haley, the autheor of "roots." way. there is no insurrection. this is a moment when millions stop and watch. a moment most of us always will remember. it is a moment's that is our most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survive for so long. and such a complex country, when so much power is at stake. this freedom to vote for our leaders. and the restraint to respect the results. last year a tour guide told me that our first president, and george washington once posed this question, what is most important of this grand experiment? in washington answered his own question. not the election of the first president but the election of its second president the peaceful transfer of power. today we celebrate the 57th inauguration of the american president. find a good and praise it. it is my honor to introduce sonia sotomayor. will everyone please stand. >> mr. vice president, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. i do solemnly swear that i will support and def

vice president, ladies and gentlemen , the late alex haley, the ots," lived hise life by these five wordsgood and praise it. today we celebrate the american tradition of transferring are reaffirming the immense power in the inauguration of the president of the united states. we do this in a peaceful, orderly way. there is no mom, iscoup, -- no mob, no coup, no interruption. this is a moment that we watch. a moment that we will remember. it is a moment that is our most conspicuous and ignoring -- enduring symbol of american democracy. how remarkable that this has survived for so long, in such a complex country, when so much power is at stake, this freedom to vote for rn leaders and the restraint to respect the results. last year, at mount vernon, a tour guide told me that our first president, george washington, once posed this question -- what is most important, washington asked, of this great experiment, the united states? and then washington answered his own question in this way. not the election of the first president, but the election of its second president, the peaceful transfer of p

vice president, ladies and gentlemen , the late alex haley, the author of "roots"lived his life by thesee united states -- we do this in a peaceful, orderly way. there is no mob, no coup, no insurrection. this is a moment when millions stop and watch. a moment most of us always will remember. it is a moment that is our most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survived for so long in such a complex country when so much power is at stake. this freedom to vote for our leaders and the restraint to respect the results. last year, at mount vernon, a tour guide told me that our first president, george washington, once posed this question -- what is most important of this grand experiment, the united states? then washington answered his own question in this way -- not the election of the first president, but the election of its second president. the peaceful transfer of power is what will separate our country from every other country in the world. so today, we celebrate the 57th inauguration of the american presidents, find the good and praise