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The Inauguration of Barack Obama

T-minus one day

01.19.2009 overcast

BVGcapitol.jpg

Me in front of the swearing in location on Martin Luther King Day

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Well, the city is filling up with well dressed people and the skies are buzzing with helicopters, but the crowds have yet to become impossible. Hilary and I took a long walk on the Mall today to check out the place where the big concert took place yesterday and scope out the set up for the formal swearing in that takes place tomorrow. We decided to host a brunch at my place for 20 instead of heading down to the mall on Inauguration Day - I gave up two tickets in favor of a warm apartment, big TV, and no lines for the bathroom - but still wanted to check out the buzz downtown.

HEPlincoln.jpg

Hilary in front of the Lincoln Memorial - where Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Obama and 450,000 spectators were yesterday. Note the reflecting pool is frozen!

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GWOPortaPotties.jpg

I was fascinated by the sheer number of porta-potties set up on the mall - there are literally THOUSANDS lining both sides!

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BushByeBye.jpg

MSNBC was playing on the big video screens up and down the Mall today - note George and Laura waving good bye!

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Kenyans.jpg

Although there were no formal events on the Mall today, there were thousands of people gathered. There were small performances here and there - like this one by a boys choir from Kenya.

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CastlePotties.jpg

The Smithsonian Institution main building, nicely framed by some of the ubiquitous porta-potties...

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MSNBC1.jpg

The entrance to the exclusive portable studio MSNBC has set up right on the Mall

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MSNBC2.jpg

Another shot of MSNBC's indoor, heated studio - where all of you will be tuned into tomorrow!

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Impeach.jpg

Not everyone is ready to move on and focus on the future rather than the past!

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CapCloseup.jpg

The West Front of the United States Capitol Building where tomorrow, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the President Elect will be sworn in at 12:00 Noon.

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Have a GREAT day everyone!

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(update - the BIG day - January 20th)

Bye_Bye_W.jpg

George W. Bush's helicopter flies past the Washington Monument on its way back to Texas after the Inauguration of Barack Obama - Bush's LAST flight

Posted by BryanG 3:01 PM Archived in Events | USA

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Comments

Wow, that row of porta-potties is definitely impressive!!

01.20.2009 by Sam I Am

what an awesome event to have been in the presence of, even if in the warmth and security of your own home! Here's to the new man in the big house making the right decisions!

01.22.2009 by ttbko

I was there. I was also at the second inauguration of W. Back then you could cut the tension with a knife it was so thick, what with thousands of protesters and hundreds of cops dressed in full riot gear. What a difference four years can make. This inauguration was like hanging out with two and a half million of your best friends from around the world

02.20.2009 by edav867

Watching the Inauguration brought back memories. I marched in John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Parade in 1961--a very cold and blustery day too. His review platform was just that: a platform-not the huge enclosed area that today's Prez's sit in. I remember Kennedy standing up as our unit marched by (University of Kentucky AFROTC Cadet Police).

02.26.2009 by dlancer767

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