Weeks later, I’m still finding it a little tricky re-adjusting to a world without George Bush. I am a bit of a skeptic when it comes to Obama: not about his competence or (generally speaking) his political platform, but of the inflated hype surrounding him. The man is clearly no Messiah and - whilst a vast improvement - I am sceptical of the many Americans who seem to think he will quickly offer an elixir for the profound problems created by his predecessor.
Nonetheless, his inauguration was still a unique event and acting on a whim and the promise of a space on a DC-friend’s bedroom floor – at the sacrifice of one of my ten precious Mountbatten holiday days - I decided to follow the crowd of 3-4 million and head to Capitol City.
After taking a lift with MVP Chinatown Bus, I was in DC / Viriginia area for three nights, arriving on Saturday afternoon. The city was packed, the whole weekend. I saw a bit of the concert on Sunday at the Lincoln memorial (including Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Tiger Woods, Beyonce etc) from the distance, but most of the actual weekend was spent on non-Obama related activities (except trying to negotiate a route around police road blocks and through the huge crowds).
On Monday, I got on to the DC subway system at about 7.30, by which time it was packed. It turned out very well that I was only a few stops from the end of the Red Line commuter route, as it meant there was a little (emphasis on a little) space to squeeze in to the carriage. After avoiding suffocation and arriving at the Metro Center stop, I spent about an hour and a half working out a way to get on to The Mall itself, around the throng. People were making the choice of queuing for hours to go through the security check for the post-inaugural parade, or to watch the swearing in ceremony itself, but i worked out a way of getting to the latter after walking a long way around the White House (bumping in to CNN's Anderson Cooper en route).
I managed to find a place right by the Washington Monument and then braced myself for standing for three hours in a biting cold wind. I could have got a bit closer I think, but because the monument was on a high point, we had a good view of the capitol (albeit nearly a mile away). I would have actually needed the Hubble Telescope to see Obama himself. However, we had big TV screens so the action was relayed to us. The sound quality was fairly good, though the two speakers closest to us were about 3 seconds out of sync, so it was a bit hard to follow at times. Beyond that, I'm sure those of you watching on your computer screens at work, probably got just as good a view of proceedings as they happened.
The best moment (in my irreverent opinion - I've heard some Americans since saying this was distasteful, they're more deferential to their politicians) was Bush's arrival on stage, which was greeted by 4 million people booing - it felt like the ground was shaking. As we were leaving later on after the ceremony, there was a big cheer and wave as his helicopter flew over us toward Maryland and a Texas-bound jet.
There were the usual "Obaama-Obaama" chants, which along with the T-Shirts seem indicative a bit of a cult of personality and I find slightly OTT. However, I guess his personality is preferable to most political alternatives, so it's hard to complain exactly.
There was a great buzz at the point of the various Oaths. I think most people in the crowd weren't particularly interested in Biden, but - I couldn't help feeling that getting rid of Cheney was the most important thing – the personification of Republican malevolence finally gone!
Though the view was restricted even more than usual by a horizon of phone cameras in the air, I just about could see the stage as Obama was declared president, so in case I am ever asked, I can say that “I was there”.
I started working through the crowd as soon as Obama finished. It took an hour to get from grass to concrete but luckily managed to get to my bus stop in time to get a (earlier than booked) 2.30 bus back to NYC.
Crowds of that size are obviously a bit overwhelming in some ways. Completely different scale to any football match / post-concert crowd I have been to. The only thing that I have seen like it would be the 2003 protests against the War. Similar kind of sentiments on both occasions I suppose but a very different 'vibe'. Hard to believe how much has happened in a relatively short time period in between. I guess we will have to wait to find out what the next four to eight years will bring.
In many ways the day was only symbolic: The transition from the Bush to Obama era had taken place over many months as President # 43’s popularity gradually ebbed. DC and the world beyond it did not suddenly “change” around Noon of that day.
Nonetheless, vague historical periods demand tangible measuring points so that an era can be comprehended retrospectively. Correctly or not, 20th January will inevitably be one of those key measuring posts for our era. So, for vanity - at the very least - I feel lucky to say that “I was there”.
Nonetheless, his inauguration was still a unique event and acting on a whim and the promise of a space on a DC-friend’s bedroom floor – at the sacrifice of one of my ten precious Mountbatten holiday days - I decided to follow the crowd of 3-4 million and head to Capitol City.
After taking a lift with MVP Chinatown Bus, I was in DC / Viriginia area for three nights, arriving on Saturday afternoon. The city was packed, the whole weekend. I saw a bit of the concert on Sunday at the Lincoln memorial (including Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Tiger Woods, Beyonce etc) from the distance, but most of the actual weekend was spent on non-Obama related activities (except trying to negotiate a route around police road blocks and through the huge crowds).
On Monday, I got on to the DC subway system at about 7.30, by which time it was packed. It turned out very well that I was only a few stops from the end of the Red Line commuter route, as it meant there was a little (emphasis on a little) space to squeeze in to the carriage. After avoiding suffocation and arriving at the Metro Center stop, I spent about an hour and a half working out a way to get on to The Mall itself, around the throng. People were making the choice of queuing for hours to go through the security check for the post-inaugural parade, or to watch the swearing in ceremony itself, but i worked out a way of getting to the latter after walking a long way around the White House (bumping in to CNN's Anderson Cooper en route).
I managed to find a place right by the Washington Monument and then braced myself for standing for three hours in a biting cold wind. I could have got a bit closer I think, but because the monument was on a high point, we had a good view of the capitol (albeit nearly a mile away). I would have actually needed the Hubble Telescope to see Obama himself. However, we had big TV screens so the action was relayed to us. The sound quality was fairly good, though the two speakers closest to us were about 3 seconds out of sync, so it was a bit hard to follow at times. Beyond that, I'm sure those of you watching on your computer screens at work, probably got just as good a view of proceedings as they happened.
The best moment (in my irreverent opinion - I've heard some Americans since saying this was distasteful, they're more deferential to their politicians) was Bush's arrival on stage, which was greeted by 4 million people booing - it felt like the ground was shaking. As we were leaving later on after the ceremony, there was a big cheer and wave as his helicopter flew over us toward Maryland and a Texas-bound jet.
There were the usual "Obaama-Obaama" chants, which along with the T-Shirts seem indicative a bit of a cult of personality and I find slightly OTT. However, I guess his personality is preferable to most political alternatives, so it's hard to complain exactly.
There was a great buzz at the point of the various Oaths. I think most people in the crowd weren't particularly interested in Biden, but - I couldn't help feeling that getting rid of Cheney was the most important thing – the personification of Republican malevolence finally gone!
Though the view was restricted even more than usual by a horizon of phone cameras in the air, I just about could see the stage as Obama was declared president, so in case I am ever asked, I can say that “I was there”.
I started working through the crowd as soon as Obama finished. It took an hour to get from grass to concrete but luckily managed to get to my bus stop in time to get a (earlier than booked) 2.30 bus back to NYC.
Crowds of that size are obviously a bit overwhelming in some ways. Completely different scale to any football match / post-concert crowd I have been to. The only thing that I have seen like it would be the 2003 protests against the War. Similar kind of sentiments on both occasions I suppose but a very different 'vibe'. Hard to believe how much has happened in a relatively short time period in between. I guess we will have to wait to find out what the next four to eight years will bring.
In many ways the day was only symbolic: The transition from the Bush to Obama era had taken place over many months as President # 43’s popularity gradually ebbed. DC and the world beyond it did not suddenly “change” around Noon of that day.
Nonetheless, vague historical periods demand tangible measuring points so that an era can be comprehended retrospectively. Correctly or not, 20th January will inevitably be one of those key measuring posts for our era. So, for vanity - at the very least - I feel lucky to say that “I was there”.
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