My very own Obamarama

By the most amazing stroke of luck, I found myself in Washington, DC last week. With an amazing seat (yes, an actual chair!) to an utterly once in a lifetime historical event, the Inauguration of President Obama.


I have a friend who worked on the Obama campaign, and knows a lot of people. We'd discussed whether he was going to be able to score tickets for him and his wife, and in passing discussed the possibility of me coming out there and possibly being able to join them. I really never thought I'd be able to, I kept hearing how airfare was doubling and tripling the usual cost, that is if you could even find available transportation. Then I got a call from my very generous and well connected friend asking again if I'd really be able to get out there. The idea that I might actually be able to go seemed almost too good to be true! I talked over some last minute vacation time with my boss and weighed the ability to attend this historic event with me missing an otherwise absolutely mandatory meeting involving some big wigs at work.... we decided if I can figure out transportation he'd be ok with me leaving, and we would make sure the powers that be understood I would be missing work for a very very good reason.



I went home and looked up a flight into Reagan National. $1200, no way I can afford that. How about a train? Amtrak, sold out into every surrounding major city, not to mention DC. Greyhound bus? I've never rode a bus for a long trip before... but doable, right? It would cost something like $260 and would take me a full 24 hours to get there. Blerg. I am not driving, I would never make it. I've been known to get lost driving to the homes of my close family members.

Then I got another phone call from Matt who found tickets I could actually afford! Done and done! Flying into Philly, out of Baltimore....and I will be in DC for the Inauguration!


A few days later I was on a plane headed into Philadelphia. Matt's wife Noelle, also a very wonderful and generous friend, picked me up, and we went straight into Baltimore. We were lucky enough to have VIP tickets to Obama's last public speech before the Inauguration. Giant American flags draped the street as we walked up to the Courthouse.

We made it just in time to get into the gate alongside the stage where he was to speak, and watched from the steps of the building on his right, so lucky to have such an amazingly close view! In the cool, crisp air of Baltimore, you could literally feel the electricity of the excitement in the crowd. I could not imagine what it would be like on Tuesday!

The next day, Sunday, we headed into DC for the Inauguration kick off concert. We watched from near the base of the Washington Monument,via jumbo-tron. I was especially excited to hear U2 (though not sure why they only announced Bono when other members of U2 performed with him?) and Stevie Wonder perform. Garth Brooks milked it a little too long, if you ask me. And Laura Linney? Ooook! But it was definitely cool to see Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington present.

Here is a photo of me, Matt, and Noelle there for the concert.

Tuesday we were out of the house at 5am, drove from their home in Northern Maryland down to Falls Church, VA in order to park and take the Metro into DC. The trains were already packed shoulder to shoulder. By some more amazing luck Matt was able to obtain an extra ticket for me from his coworker who didn't want to deal with the traffic and all the people that would be there. He and his wife had blue, standing room tickets. I ended up with a yellow ticket in the seated section, compliments of Senator Carper of Delaware. I tried giving it to them since they are of course the only reason I was able to come out there in the first place, but since there was one yellow and two blue, they were kind enough to insist I keep it. Of course I didn't hear the end of it, but I expected nothing less :)

As we were going to two different gates, I got off the train before them and we parted ways. I realized I had no idea where I was going (surprise surprise), and was told to head toward 3rd. I walked the 13 blocks down and realized the few cross streets that were not blocked to foot traffic were so packed with people you couldn't get over anyway. People were selling every imaginable kind of Obama memorabilia on the street. Even Obama perfume and cologne, aptly named "Hope" and "Change". I passed on that one.

I asked one lady who appeared to be some kind of traffic guard how to get to Constitution and Louisiana. She just looked at me like I was asking her what all these people were here for. Apparently asking nicely counts for nothing, hrumph! The poor secret service people were being bombarded with people asking for directions, they had no idea. There really were no signs pointing you in the right direction or advising of detours. I began to panic a little thinking I was never going to get to my destination, then a kind lady who was from the area assured me I was headed the right direction, and tada! Yellow gate! Well, not quite. The line for the yellow gate, which wrapped around many many blocks.

About an hour later I was through security and walking to my section to find a seat. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon walked right past me! I found my seat and absolutely marveled at my proximity to the Capitol, and the sea....sea of people behind me. It looked like layers and layers of ants crawling on each other...waiving American Flags. The air was cold, and the heat of 2 million people literally hung above them in the clear blue sky. Truly a sight to behold.

Everyone stood on their chairs taking photos. They began announcing people. When "The Honorable George W. Bush" was announced everyone booed. I honestly didn't even know Dick Chaney came out with him because I couldn't hear his name over the booing. I gave him a few courtesy claps. The lady next to me half seriously scolded everyone around us for booing, telling us "your mothers would all be ashamed!" And then laughed. I'm told the television broadcast cut to some music so the people at home didn't hear this booing!

The excitement in the crowd was palpable. My fingers hurt from the cold but my core was warm and buzzing from the anticipation and the weight of the historical importance of what I was there to experience. I kept taking pictures of what amounts to the same thing over and over (capitol, crowd) but felt like I had to take as many as I could to document my being there. I kept trying to email a friend at work a picture from my blackberry so I could share it live with my coworkers but with so many people there, cellphone service was spotty. This also meant I could not get through to Matt and Noelle, but I trusted they hopefully found their gate as I had.

The crowd went insane when the Obamas began to be announced. And when Barack Obama came out, the volume of 2 million people cheering behind me was deafening. The process of him taking his oath of office was a lot quicker than I expected, it was over before it began, really. I couldn't really see the jumbo-tron due to an unfortunately placed tree, but could hear it pretty well. I tried to super zoom my camera and get between "fur hat lady" and some other people in front of me to snap a few pictures, but it was a little difficult to get anything good. I did manage to get a short clip of him giving his inaugural speech:

After it was all over, I snuck up as close as I could and took some more photos. It was at this time the Obamas, and America, said good-bye to Bush, ushering him into Marine One and out of our lives.





Here is a 360 view of where we were at, taken after people started to leave:

I then headed out to find Matt and Noelle. After finally finding them, I found out that they had indeed made it to their gate.... but never got in. They weren't the only ones. My friends, with their blue tickets, spent 4 hours smushed in a mass of people just outside the gate, unable to hear or see any part of the inauguration. I felt terrible, and of course they were pretty upset at whatever happened to cause ticketed people to not be able to get into their section. I don't blame them. I wouldn't have even been there if it wasn't for them, and they didn't get to see any of it! Boo! Thankfully I did take lots of pictures to share with them, and we DVR'd the whole thing so all of us were able to watch it the next day. They were glad I was able to get in, but I still felt bad.

A lot more walking later and we finally made it to the Metro station, and were headed back home. No Balls for us, too cold, too tired, and too broke to afford to attend one!

The next day we relaxed and watched the DVR'd recording of everything, and ordered pizza. I did get a chance to go back a couple of days later with Noelle to do some sight seeing and museum hopping, which was fun.

I flew back Friday, and here I am. It was an amazing experience, and I am so grateful to have such generous, wonderful friends that made my trip out there possible.

Here is the link to all my photos if anyone is interested. Hope you enjoy them!