Pictures from the Inaugural

A friend at work sent me this incredible series of pictures from the inaugural. They really capture just how historical the day was.

Great Pictures of the Inaugural

Here's a link to some spectacular pictures that were taken during the inaugural.

Heading Down to History, My Inauguration Day

Here's how my day went on Inauguration Day when I got to witness history.

I got up around 6. I turned on the TV to see what was going on down on the Mall. The reports were of thousands of people down there. They had pictures but you really couldn't get a sense of how many people were really there because it was still dark.

My original plan had been to leave around 8. But I decided to leave a little earlier. I made my video saying I was off and then I was off. I went down to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro stop. The platform wasn't too crowded. There was even a train on the platform going downtown.

But there was a small problem. The doors were opening and closing repeatedly. This is a sure sign that one of the doors wasn't closing properly. It was a good bet that this train was going to go out of service. Luckily a train going in the opposite direction pulled in. Many people, me included, jumped on this train. We headed up to the next stop, Brookland, and got off there. And it just so happened there was a train on the platform. So we all jumped on.

Sure enough the train operator came on and said we would be holding here because of a train having problems closing its doors at Rhode Island Ave. We waited on the platform. In the car I was in were members of the media. The cameraman was holding a camera that said BBC on it. I never found out if that is who the crew was actually with. As we waited, the crowd got to know one another. I started talking with a couple of people by me. You found out where they were from and where they were going to go. A couple women were from out of town and asked how many more stops a certain station was.

As we continued to sit on the platform, one women, who actually had a seat, near me made a call on her cell phone asking her mother to pray for the train to start moving. The cameraman was standing by her and turned on the camera and then moved his mic toward the woman. I'm not sure how much of the conversation he got. I will say moments after the women got off the phone the train started moving.

My goal was to reach Union Station. I figured from there I would be able to work my way down the Mall and get my spot near the Smithsonian Castle. The train was packed by the time we got to Union Station. I was, thankfully, able to get off there.

Lots of people got off at Union Station. Once outside well that's when I got my first idea of just how many people were actually around. The crowds during the course of the day would only continue to grow.

What I didn't realize was that a few blocks down from Union Station was a gate for people with tickets to view the swearing in. This was the start of my move west. The problem was figuring out the place to go to get to the Mall. This is the one fault I would have with the way security ran. Most of the time you find a security person to talk to and ask "hey I want to get on the Mall. how do I do that?" What I didn't understand is why no one had a bull horn telling people what to do.

The perfect example of this was around 6th Street. There was a huge line of people coming up 6th Street. They blocked the people who were going West, I think we were on E Street. It would have been great to have a police officer with a bull horn saying this line is for people going to the parade route, which it was, if you want to get down to the Mall go to 12th Street.

I found that out by asking people. So it was off to 12th Street. At 12th Street it was go to 13th Street. At 13th Street it was go to 17th Street. But in order to do that you had to head further north. First the cross street was H, then I and then K. It turned out you could take I Street and get across. I ended up waking by my office.

Now at least the crowd had a purpose and a goal. Throughout this time every so often I would call my dad and ask what he was seeing on TV. He said lots and lots of people. For a time I thought I would not make it in time to see the ceremony. It was almost 9. I thought there was no way I would get through security in time. Little did I know that the Mall would be closed at 9:15. As it turned out things could not have worked out better.

Finally got to 18th Street. Once again you got to know your neighbors. I ended up walking down with a women and her daughter. We talked about why we were there. We both said we just had to be there. We could not not be down here when such an historic even took place. I also added that I had to see first hand that Bush was no longer president. That drew laughter from the people around me.

As we crossed Pennsylvania Avenue, we all got our first glimpse of where we were going. All you could see was people. People the entire width and breadth of the street. And if you looked back you saw the same thing.

On the steps of DAR Constitution Hall were people holding signs. One said MLK is smiling today. At that point there were cheers and the chant went up Obama Obama. It was a chant you would here throughout the day. Even though there was a huge crush of people, there were no problems. There was just this overwhelming sense of joy and happiness. You could just feel it in the crowd. You could see it on everyone's faces. And it just grew and fed off the ever increasing number of people heading down to history.

We all finally made it. We were on the ground of the Washington Monument. There was no security which the women I was with and I both thought strange. But we were not on the Mall and so there were no check points. If there had been, I don't think I would have seen the ceremony. As it turned out it was after 9. Maybe 9:30. I wanted to wander around some so I said good bye to my new friends. I said enjoy the day. They said we will and you do too.

Around 10:20 I found my spot and waited. I got a good spot near a jumbotron and speakers. I was just north of the Monument. The day had started out a little cloudy but the sun slowly came out.

As the dignitaries began to arrive, the crowd reacted to them. As I said before the Republicans did not fair well. When the elder Bush was shown on the screen, there was a smattering of boos. Then a guy shouted out "Sorry about your son." Laughter to that response. Then when the current Bush was shown the whole crowd erupted into boos.

However, the Democrats did much better. Best round of applause was for the Clintons.

As the time for the ceremony drew closer, there were pictures of Obama making his way toward the Capitol. Every time his limo was shown people applauded. Then you saw Michelle and the kids, a huge round of applause.

Finally Obama was announced and came through the doors on to dais for the ceremony. People went nuts. I took in a deep breath and thought it is really going to happen. This is REALLY going to happen.

I should say that at this point the any direction you looked all you could see were people. People were still pouring on to the Monument grounds even as the ceremony started.

Biden was sworn in. Everyone applauded and then and then. When the Chief Justice asked if Obama was ready to take the oath of office a woman said in a very loud voice Yes you are. (You can hear that on my swearing in clip)

"So help me God" Obama said. The crowd exploded. Chants of Yes We Did and of course Obama. People hugging and jumping up and down. It was amazing!

I'll talk more about the speech and the journey back home later. But for right now I'd like to say:

Here was a transcending moment in American history that will always be remembered and talked about. I can say I was a part of it.

More Thoughts on the Inaugural

Here are some more thoughts that I have on the incredible events of yesterday.

Video of the Swearing In

Here's my vantage point of the swearing in of Barack Obama as President on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

Pictures of the Inaugural, On the Way To the Mall

My day started at the Rhode Island Avenue Metro stop. There was actually a train there when I arrived. But it became obvious very quickly that it was having problem with its doors. Luckily, a train going in the opposite direction was just pulling in. I got on that one and road up to the Brookland stop.

Hopped off that train to another one going back down into DC that was sitting on the platform. The train was packed. There was even a news crew on board. I'd decided to go down to Union Station and get off there and then head down to the Mall. That turned out not to be the best idea.

This first couple of photos show what I found right outside of Union Station. It was a hint of the tremendous crowds I would find today no matter where I went.

I'll go into more details about the whole day and some of the fun stories like when we saw Marine One with Bush in it the crowd erupted into the song Hey Hey Goodbye.

Right now I'm going to unwind a little from this incredible day and then head off to bed.

Pictures of the Inaugural, Made it

I was starting to get concerned about getting down to the Mall and getting through security in time to see it. I learned later the Mall had been closed. The grounds of the Washington Monument there was no security.

I had a nice talk with a women and her daughter as we walked down 18th Street. We talked about why we'd come. I said I just couldn't stay home on such an important day; I had to be here. She agreed completely. I then added I had to make sure Bush was gone. I needed to see that in person. That brought a general round of laughs from the crowd around us.

Pictures of the Inaugural, On the Grounds of the Monument

When you could still walk around the grounds of the Washington Monument, I did so. Eventually, as you will see, it just about all filled in. I tried to get a view of the Mall but couldn't find the right spot to do. I did realize that if I was on the grounds of the Washington Monument the Mall was full. I found out later that the National Park Service closed the Mall at 9:15 am.

Pictures of the Inaugural, The Crowd Continues to Pour In

The crowd continues to pour into the grounds of the Washington Monument.
















































































This is a crowd shot looking back towards 17th Street.

Pictures of the Inaugural, Leaving the Monument Grounds

After Obama finished his speech, people began to leave. It was orderly but it did take a little while. We had to climb over some barriers and weave around a couple of buses but finally got off the grounds. 17th Street was closed so they moved everyone towards 18th Street.

Pictures of the Inaugural, Finally on 18th Street

Finally on 18th Street. But still wall to wall people. It was a slow walk until we got to about E Street or so and some people pealed off towards 19th Street. Then it was more like a normal walk.

There were National Guard troops around helping people out. One thing I will say I think it would have helped if they'd had a bull horn to be able to let the crowd know a little more about what was going on. But as one guy said "we're just going to keep walking. Nothing will spoil today."































































Some signs along the way honoring the new President and Vice President.

Pictures of the Inaugural, The Crowd Begins to Thin

This is the continuation of the journey up 18th Street. Again people, people, people. Did I mention all you could see were people. And yet the crowd was in good humor. No problems that I could see. Finally around I Street it began to thin.


















































This was the typical line you saw at any place to eat. One woman saw a Starbucks in the distance and said all she wanted was to get there. The line there was almost a block long.













































This is a look back down 18th Street toward Pennsylvania Avenue. Again all you could see was you guessed it people.