Obamas made unannounced stop at memorial on Sunday . Inauguration organizers have said Obama 's inaugural theme , `` A New Birth of Freedom , '' was inspired by Lincoln 's Gettysburg Address . They spent a half - hour at the memorial before returning to Lincoln . Barack Obama will use Lincoln 's Bible at his inauguration this year .
Obamas made unannounced stop at memorial on Sunday . They spent a half - hour at the memorial before returning to Lincoln . Barack Obama will use Lincoln 's Bible at his inauguration this year .