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MEET JIM BENDAT
by Bonnie O'Brian

Are you a full-time writer?

Jim Bendat

No, my regular day job is that of a lawyer for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s office. But I’ve always enjoyed history. I had written articles over the years, and I had always wanted to write a book. Once I came up with a unique idea, it was time to write my history book.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I collect sports programs as a hobby. You know, you go to a game and buy a program. Well, within my collection of sports programs, I also had a couple of presidential inauguration programs that had been given to me. Then, one day in 1999, I discovered E-bay, the online auction house. I typed in the word “inauguration,” and saw that there were many old programs for sale. I began to acquire them. Then, when I read them, I learned many great stories from the past – vignettes that were not well known. I then felt that, if I put all those stories together, it could make for a book that would truly make history fun.

Have you been interviewed by any radio and television stations about your book?

Yes, I have been lucky enough to have been sent to Washington, DC for the past two presidential inaugurations. I’ve been interviewed by many radio and television stations in the United States – and in England and Canada, too. You can view some of those interviews by going to YouTube or by looking at the following website: www.inaugurationbook.com

How did you do your research for the book?

I spent a lot of time on the Internet, reading about all the presidents. I also checked out many books on presidential history from the library. When I found inconsistencies between one book and another, I would then try to go to the best source possible. In many cases, that meant contacting the presidential libraries that exist around the country.

Was your book accepted for publication immediately, or did you experience some rejections?

In 2000, I tried to get the book published, but without success, for about seven months. Finally, I decided to go with a publishing house that I’d never heard of, one that would publish the book if I paid them a fee. Because the book has had some success over the last few years, the publisher no longer requires me to pay anything. The new edition of the book has just been released, and the publisher is much more involved, having provided me with an editor and some help with public relations, too.

What was it like to hold your book in your hands for the first time?

It was an amazing feeling. After working so hard and typing so many pages, to then have it evolve into an actual bound book was something I’ll never forget.

Do you have a couple of favorite inauguration stories?

Yes. One of them involves President Calvin Coolidge, who was sworn into office in 1923 by his own father! As vice president, Coolidge was visiting his dad in Vermont when the word came in that President Warren Harding had passed away. Everyone then wanted Coolidge to be sworn in as president as soon as possible, so his father, the local justice of the peace and a notary public, did the honors.

Another great story involves a 13-year old girl who listened to the inauguration on radio in 1929 when Chief Justice William Howard Taft (a former U.S. president from 1909-1913) swore in Herbert Hoover as our new president. The young girl heard the chief justice say the wrong words to the new president. Many news organizations checked their audio tapes and learned that the girl had accurately pointed out the chief justice’s error.

Is there another more recent inauguration that you found fascinating?

Yes, John F. Kennedy’s, in 1961. Lots of unusual events took place that day. When a religious leader was delivering an opening prayer, the podium caught fire and had to be put out. A famous poet said a poem, but not the one that he had intended to give. He had to change his plans because the bright sun made it impossible to read what he had written. The new vice president, Lyndon Johnson, improperly stated the vice presidential oath. Finally, John F. Kennedy himself gave one of the more inspirational inaugural addresses of all time.