NBC News Offers Preview of 2013 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

At least 154 weeks before the first presidential nominating contests of the 2016 election, news headlines offer a carnival of speculation about the pressing matter of who will next ascend to the White House when the not-yet-inaugurated president departs from DC in a mere 1,464 days. NBC News' Carrie Dann reports.

http://nbcnews.to/10fIg5I

Time in not on the side of second-term presidents
Fresh off re-election, presidents begin their second terms freed from the burdens of campaigning for the White House ever again and, typically, with high hopes and ambitious agendas. Yet because they are among the few Washington politicians unconcerned about the next election, they are also lame ducks from the very first hour of their second term - and they have a relatively narrow window to accomplish their goals. NBC News National Affairs Writer Tom Curry reports.

http://nbcnews.to/Va5i99

Obama's first four years in office - then vs. now
Is the nation better off than it was four years ago? The answer largely depends on the statistics you pick. NBC News Senior Political Editor Mark Murray takes a look at the Obama presidency - so far- by the numbers, including unemployment rate, Dow Jones Industrial Average, GDP, Consumer Confidence, Americans living below the poverty level, Federal public debt, and much more.

http://nbcnews.to/10EpiH4

'We have to compete': GOP assesses path back to power
As they prepare to settle in for another four years of President Barack Obama, Republicans are already busily working on their roadmap to retake the levers of power in Washington. Whether they will need a modest re-calibration or a wholesale reinvention remains an open question. NBC News Political Reporter Michael O'Brien reports.

http://nbcnews.to/Wcd9lD

NBC/WSJ poll: Public lowers expectations heading into Obama's 2nd term
As President Barack Obama is set to begin his second term next week, he finds himself with a job-approval rating above 50 percent and with majorities supporting his general direction on gun control and immigration... But he also confronts an American public holding mixed attitudes about the next four years, concerns about the economy and a belief that tougher times lie ahead. Mark Murray dives into the latest NBC News/WSJ poll with plenty of questions looking back, and forward, on Obama's presidency.

http://nbcnews.to/W9CiwJ

Cheat Sheet: Watching the presidential inauguration with NBC News
An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 attendees are expected in Washington, D.C. on Monday for President Barack Obama's second inauguration. Can't make the trip to the nation's capital? Fear not, NBC News will have you covered on TV and myriad other platforms. Consider this your guide on how to follow, like, fan and participate in inauguration festivities from the device or social network of your choice.

http://nbcnews.to/10huuj5