Inaugural Memories

First of all, congratulations, President Barack Hussein Obama. After two long years of campaigning and dismissing your initial nay-sayers, I'm happy to see you in office and hard at work from day one.

There aren't any words that can sum up Inauguration Day without sounding cliched, but it really was an incredible and momentous occasion. The crowds were huge, but not impossible or unbearable. After living in Japan and London and dealing with Paris and Madrid's crowds on New Years Eve, this crowd was comparatively small. Besides that, the crowd control measures were organized and everyone was in a mood to party, not act the fool. The Metro was very effective at shuttling people around, although at times some of the outer stations were temporarily shut down to keep the crowds on the platforms from growing dangerously large.

Despite the blue skies and bright sun, it was cold. A chilly wind whipped up a little dust from time to time, but for the most part, it was a beautiful day. Snow was in the forecast, but not a single flake fell during my time in Washington. The Mall itself was a beautiful sea of humanity. People were smiling, holding hands, huddling (mostly for warmth), and just having a good time. Vendors sold everything from Obama photos to buttons, to t-shirts, but I don't think too many people bought t-shirts. My friends and I arrived around 10am and found a spot near one of the jumbotron TVs between the Washington Monument and the last set of buildings in the Smithsonian complex. 

Between our arrival and the noon swearing in, the audience grew and grew and grew. Official estimates are that 2 million people showed up, but with such a large open space, it never felt crowded or uncomfortable. We had a clear view of the jumbotron and I even walked around the crowd a couple of times to take crowd shots as we waited. I thought I'd lose track of my friends by walking around, but it was always easy to meet up and stand next to them again.

I think around 11:30am is when the former presidents began their entrance on to the platform where the swearing in would taking place. The crowd cheered for Carter and Clinton, was relatively quiet for the first Bush, but openly booed the younger, then-president Bush. There weren't just one or two boos here and there. The boos made their way up and down the Mall, or at least back and forth across my section of it. Some people voiced sympathy for President Bush on such a public occasion, while others thought it was inappropriate not to show respect for the office. Some people changed their tune, literally, by singing "Hey Hey Hey Goodbye," while others yelled "murderer," "criminal," and "bring out the handcuffs" every time he was shown on the jumbotron. If he had stayed on screen any longer, who knows what people would've come up with next.

Of course, everything changed when Barack Obama appeared. Cheering erupted and a new energy swept over everyone. Personally, I felt like a weight was being lifted off my chest and that I could breathe again. I didn't feel this way just because of the political significance of being on the verge of having America's first Black president. I was also elated because a smart, poised, honest man was about to become president and bring about changes in policy, perspective, and the sense of responsibility that we've needed for the past 8 years. I was looking forward to a president who understands the role of diplomacy and the ability to talk to his fellow countrymen with respect and intelligence.

Anyway, although Aretha Franklin sang and someone introduced the Chief Justice and Obama to the podium, those few minutes were completely overshadowed by watching and listening to the 20 seconds of the actual swearing in. I didn't even know there was a flub until I saw it on the news! The fact that the transition of power was finally happening was too mesmerizing to be concerned by such a minor error. Judging by the crowd's reaction, at least 2 million other people agreed with me. As soon as he finished, tears flowed, cheers erupted, and people thanked God that the Bush era was over. It was the equivalent of celebrating New Year's Eve all over again.

Naturally, the president's speech hushed the crowd again. Like the pastor at church, when President Obama spoke, the crowd responded with "That's right," "Yes!," and simple nods of the head. My friends and I were especially struck by his thinly-veiled reproach of the Bush years and the way he addressed the rest of the world. We were excited and happy to hear him say to the Arab world that he is open to dialogue, to the developing world that he wishes to help them advance, and to the rich nations that we have to do more and be less greedy. It was a strong speech from beginning to end, and one which I hope students will study for generations. 

When Obama's speech was over, most people started to leave the Mall, and this is when things became difficult. It didn't seem like there was a clear plan on what to do with everyone once the swearing in was done. I understood the need to maintain the blockades and funneling for people heading north to view the parade, but they stayed in place for those of us walking south and west, away from all the official functions. Many of the military police weren't local nor did they have maps, so they didn't know where to direct people when asked questions either. That was also the point when those of us in the crowd finally understood just how many people were in attendance. My ah-ha moment happened when I looked down the Mall at the Washington Monument. All the people moving around at the base of the tower looked like a swarm of bees in the midday sun! Obviously there was no going anywhere fast, but the blockades didn't make it much easier, either.

By the time we actually got off the Mall and on to a street, there was no point in trying to find a nearby Metro stop. Instead, we decided to head home to Alexandria by walking across the river to the Metro stop at Arlington Cemetery. It was a long, cold walk, but completely worth every minute to have been a part of living history. Hopefully we can now put this behind us for good as well.

Comments

[Can-Can]

I am glad you were able to have this experience. My son went as well. I watched with some friends and we just grinned ear to ear. We had a giant cut-out of Obama and noise-makers and we cheered his speech and the whole ceremony.
You are right that having honesty and intelligence in the White House will mean something.