Employees of the State Department packed the building’s main lobby to welcome their new boss, Hillary Clinton. Clinton, the well-known former senator and former first lady, is now America’s 67th secretary of state.

“I believe, with all of my heart, that this is a new era for America,” Clinton said amidst cheers. “I will do all that I can, working with you, to make it abundantly clear that robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long-term tools for securing America’s future,” she said.

As secretary, Clinton oversees thousands of Americans and foreign nationals who staff embassies across the world. She also is responsible for leading thousands of civil servants, employees (including First 100 Days‘ author) who stay in their positions regardless of changes in administration.

“You are the ones that we will count on and turn to for the advice and counsel, the expertise and experience to make good on the promises of this new administration,” Clinton told these employees.

“This is going to be a challenging time and it will require 21st-century tools and solutions to meet our problems and seize our opportunities. I’m going to be asking a lot of you,” she said.

“This is going to be a great adventure,” Clinton said.

First 100 Days and America.gov are produced by the Department of State, so this is your opportunity to say something to our new secretary! Post your comments below.

It’s President Obama’s second full day on the job, and already he has done something rather unusual for a first-term president: He has taken the oath of office twice.

The U.S. Constitution states that a president must say the following words when taking the oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

At Obama’s inauguration, January 20, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts recited the words for Obama to repeat. However, Roberts accidentally mixed up the order, meaning that Obama did not say the words precisely as written in the Constitution.

Legal scholars agree that Obama was president regardless of that minor glitch, but they advised he retake the oath just to remove any doubt. So on January 21, Roberts administered the oath again to Obama at the White House. It was so much fun taking the oath the first time, they decided to do it again, the president joked.

This is not the first time in U.S. history a president has retaken the oath. According to the Washington Post, presidents Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur also have repeated those famous words after problems during their first oath-taking.

In his first two full days on the job, Obama has been busy signing executive orders. Some deal with executive branch business, for example, one order declares a pay freeze for those White House staff members earning more than $100,000 a year in this difficult economic time. Another deals with ethics guidance for lobbying.

But the executive orders likely to attract the most attention are the ones Obama signed today that put into motion the steps necessary to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention center within a year. The facility currently holds approximately 245 detainees captured in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places since the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001.

The Obama administration still intends to prosecute terrorists. “With those three executive orders and this memorandum, the message that we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism. And we are going to do so vigilantly, we are going to do so effectively, and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals,” Obama said.

Throughout his campaign, Obama stressed the importance of using science and technology to improve America’s alternative energy capabilities and health care system. He says a greater investment in science will improve Americans’ economic condition and overall welfare.

First 100 Days noticed an interesting line in Obama’s Inaugural Address. He said, “We will restore science to its rightful place.” What do you think that means? How can Obama and his new Secretary of Energy Steven Chu use science to help the world? Post your comments below.

For those interested in an in-depth discussion on science, check out America.gov’s science blog, Science Planet.

America not only got a new president January 20, but also a new first lady. And many Americans are just as excited to see Michelle Obama in the White House as they are for her husband.

Although the position of first lady is unelected and unpaid, a president’s spouse has many official duties, some practical and some ceremonial or symbolic. As first lady, Michelle Obama will represent her country when traveling overseas, and she will preside as hostess at White House state dinners and other important functions. In addition, she likely will continue meeting with citizens across the United States, much as she did during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Fashion retailers are hoping the first lady will take on another role: style icon. Past first ladies like Jacqueline Kennedy have boosted fashion sales as American women look to emulate her style. It seems Michelle’s inaugural outfits caught the attention of many throughout the world. The most viewed inauguration article on the Chicago Tribune Web site – Barack Obama’s home town paper – is a story about Michelle’s inaugural gown. Other news sites polled readers on what they thought of her selection: the majority liked her ivory chiffon dress.

According to her White House biography, “When people ask Michelle Obama to describe herself, she doesn’t hesitate. First and foremost, she is Malia and Sasha’s mom.” Do you have any tips on how Michelle Obama can balance a busy role as first lady with that of an equally busy role of mom? If so, post them below!

The Obama team – known for its interest in using the Internet to reach Americans – did not waste anytime launching its new White House Web site. An Internet surfer checking out White House.gov on Inauguration Day may have noticed that at 12:01 p.m. EST, a minute after Obama became president, the site looked a lot different.

“Change Has Come to America” the new White House Web site says. It also features a blog and information about the president’s agenda. Take a look and let First 100 Days’ readers know what you think about it!

To learn more, America.gov has a great video on Obama and new media.