Roberts takes oath as chief justice

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John Roberts was sworn in as the 17th chief justice of the United States today, taking his oath at a White House ceremony attended by President Bush and other justices of the Supreme Court.

Bush said it was "a very meaningful event in the life of our nation" - almost 19 years to the day since the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist took his oath in the same room at the White House, the East Room.

The 50-year-old Roberts was sworn in a little more than three hours after he was confirmed by the Senate on a vote of 78-22. The oath was delivered by Justice John Paul Stevens, the court's senior member and acting chief justice since Rehnquist's death early this month.

"The Senate has confirmed a man with an astute mind and kind heart," Bush said. "All Americans can be confident that the 17th chief justice of the United States will be prudent in exercising judicial power, firm in defending judicial independence and above all a faithful guardian of the Constitution."

Roberts spoke briefly, saying that the bipartisan vote for his nomination was "confirmation of what is for me a bedrock principle, that judging is different from politics."

He said he would try to "pass on to my children's generation a charter of self-government as strong and as vibrant as the one that Chief Justice Rehnquist passed on to us."

"What Daniel Webster termed the miracle of our Constitution is not something that happens in every generation, but every generation in its turn must accept the responsibility of supporting and defending the Constitution and bearing true faith and allegiance to it," Roberts said.

The audience included Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and White House counsel Harriet Miers, both of whom have been mentioned as candidates for the Supreme Court seat of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Bush is expected to announce that nomination within days.

Roberts also took a separate oath during a private White House ceremony attended by the other justices and the chief justice's family.

A formal Supreme court ceremony was scheduled for Monday morning, before the opening of the term.