Chills and Thrills: Obama Inauguration                                                                                                February 20, 2009

Chills and Thrills: A First Hand Account of the Presidential Inauguration

By Toby Brody, Director of ESL, North Carolina State University

            I write this on the one month anniversary of the Inauguration of President Obama, a month that has been characterized by a flurry of Presidential policy decisions that are transforming national and international landscapes. It has been a whirlwind month, by all accounts, but we have to keep our eye on the fine print. There are still across the board nightmares with unprecedented problems. No one has accomplished this much this fast since FDR. No one has even come close to the very big changes made. Even with the reality of the tribulations we will continue to face, nothing could spoil the images and euphoria of the historical event my husband and I experienced first hand one month ago.

            It was Sunday, January 18, and the arrival to D.C. was rather uneventful, normal traffic flow, the expected clusters of pedestrian visitors strolling past monuments and memorials, creating souvenir snapshots, feeding evidence of a D.C. presence to family and friends at home.  What appeared to be routine activity in the nation’s capital would soon change. Monday was a turning point. Three ticketed Inaugural events, a VIP breakfast with Governor Sebelius of Kansas, an afternoon reception with presentations by David Axelrod and Debra Winger, and attendance in the evening at the Illinois State Inaugural Ball, dominated the day leading up to the big event. It was a Monday spent at a frenetic pace (consider not only the change in clothes, but also the effort to look fresh, coiffed, and bedecked for each event!).

            Tuesday, January 20, the BIG day… a plan hatched to travel by foot (no vehicular traffic was allowed in D.C. on that day) from the Marriott Metro Hotel in central D.C. to the Capitol. The shortest route was estimated to be a 30-40 minute walk. Rising at 7:30 would be ample time to have breakfast, dress for the frigid temperatures, and arrive at the “orange ticket” gate by 11:30, where we would enjoy an up-close and personal memorable experience. Unfortunately, the plan was significantly altered. The first indication that something was amiss occurred when I glanced out the window after arising, to witness throngs of people walking on the street in the same direction. It took some time before it dawned on me that the millions of people expected to arrive for the Inauguration were already on their way to the Capitol. We were getting a late start! Time to join the crowds and make our way. Forget showering, forget breakfast, our rush for the “orange ticket” gate had begun. Still, with the original travel route in mind, we proceeded as planned. The D.C. authorities were spoilers of our well-conceived route. They had specific measures in place to guide the masses onto specific streets, depending on their Capitol section destination. We were, therefore, under the control of teams of officers determined to navigate us through a seamless operation. 2 ½ hours later, after our departure from the hotel, being shunted onto streets taking us in the opposite direction of our destination, having scaled barricades, traversing lines of ticket holders, hundreds deep and hundreds wide, and braving the winter chill, we finally arrived at the “orange” gate. We were home free! Victory at last! After the tiring travails of our morning, we had arrived in time to witness the start of the Inaugural ceremony in the comfort of our seats. Not quite. The orange section, located to the right and almost immediately under the inaugural balcony, offering a clear view of people and events, was packed to the gills, with no open seats. We discovered that we had to have arrived at 6:30 a.m. to enjoy that creature comfort.  Curiously, it did not matter how we were poised. The thrill of just being present was sufficient to keep our spirits buoyed.

At 11:30 a.m. sharp, the dignitaries were announced as the procession graced the balcony. The audience was mesmerized as the excitement mounted, all eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Obamas. That moment arrived to a thunderous roar and applause. About-to-be President Obama took his position on the balcony, facing Chief Justice Roberts. The crowd was silent, mounting exhilaration felt with every syllable, edging toward the defining moment: then the words “I will” spoken.  Tears streaming down faces; people sobbing; demonstrations of elation, joy, and relief: people taken to the mountaintops. The reactions spoke volumes about the mood of the country at that singular moment.  No words can adequately express the intensity of emotion. What was to follow, the Inaugural Speech, was a command performance, as was expected by this gifted and skilled orator. Were the masses still savoring the moment just past, or were they absorbed in the words that would define a big, new direction?

The close of the historic event was then swift; the entire 1 ½ hour spectacle seemed to be over in a flash. The crowd dispersed to face the challenge of the mass exit back to home turf. The supporters held tight to high expectations of a new leader who inspires confidence and has the unique capacity to rally the country behind his vision and agenda.  We leave with indelible images, overwhelming euphoria, and deep confidence in a better future.