Last week it was Britain’s turn to get itself excited about the Prime Minister’s EU speech that he was due to give in the Netherlands on Friday. It didn’t happen…being postponed because of events in Algeria.

This week it’s the turn of the USA to get exercised about the contents of the President’s Inauguration speech scheduled for Monday. The chances of the 57th inauguration ceremony and speech being re-scheduled are close to non-existent.

The public ceremony and speech will occur on Monday, but there’s a private swearing-in ceremony in the White House on Sunday 20th January–the 20th being the date required by the Twentieth Amendment for the swearing-in.

All but one of the ceremonies have taken place in Washington D.C. But the speeches have taken place at a number of locations beyond the Capitol building itself. Foul weather might mean the ceremony is held inside the Capitol building…but it’s got to be pretty cold or wet for that to happen.

There isn’t a requirement for an inauguration speech. Four Presidents have not given an inaugural address…they weren’t elected and became President after the death of the sitting President. Gerald Ford, who became President following the resignation of President Nixon, didn’t give a speech as such, but did address the nation via a broadcast.

That won’t happen on Monday. There will be a full-blooded speech with plenty of rhetorical flourish as the President aims to put this speech into the history books. So the excitement, anticipation and criticism will continue to grow before the speech itself.