Inauguration | Annie Fox's Blog

#14: Inauguration Day Part 1 – WE are here

January 20, 2009

Crowds filled the entire Mall, with estimates of close to 2 million. We were about a mile from the actual proceedings. (Click photo for larger view - Jewel Samad-AFP/Getty Images)

We left our hotel this frigid morning by the light of the crescent moon. 22 degrees at 5:02. Finally the Big Day had arrived and we were jazzed.

When we returned 14 hours later, the temperature had only warmed up to 25. (Just kidding, it actually peaked at 30 out there on the National Mall).

Those of you who watched the Inauguration on TV are probably wondering “What was it like to be there?” There’s a whole lot to tell about and I want to… I set up this whole blog project just so I could! But, honestly, it will probably take at least a day for me to begin formulating my thoughts, feelings, impressions, and questions. So the short answer to your question is “It was AWESOME!!!!”

Like one young man had written on the back of his T-shirt: “We’re freezin’ for a reason!”

He got that right! And I’ve gotta get some sleep. I promise tomorrow I’ll blog more about what happened. In the meantime, here are a few pix from this amazing day in American history:

Crammed into the Metro with 2000 others. It took us about three hours to get to DC. Normally it takes about 1/2 an hour.

Three Obamas walk to the National Mall.

Celebration the moment President Obama was took the oath of office.

Lots of emotion the moment President Obama took the Oath of Office.

Much more about the inauguration later. Suffice it to say that we are SO pleased, proud, relieved, inspired, delighted, and hope-filled because of our new President. The man is a once in a lifetime leader and America and the world needs him desperately.

Filed under: Inauguration,Politics,Teens — Tags: Barack Obama, Inauguration, National Mall — Annie @ 7:27 pm

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#8: Obama mania

January 17, 2009

Popular photo spot in Union Station

Washington DC’s Union Station is the main terminal for Amtrak trains and the Metro. Busy place any time of year. But just days before the Inauguration, it’s swarming with tourists. They’re obviously here to be part of this moment in history and I’m guessing that they want to take a piece of it home with them when it’s all over.

The face of Barack Obama is everywhere… and everyone selling seems to be doing major business. People were even lining up to have their picture taken next to a life-size cutout of the President-elect. For the moment, in this place, it seems Obama is way bigger than Elvis, Hannah Montana, and High School Musical combined.

And we’re caught up in it too. (No, I haven’t bought a t-shirt yet… I already did that several months ago.)

Annie and David in front of Inauguration site, Capitol Building

We had our picture taken in front of the West Side of the Capitol where the Official Swearing-In Ceremony and Inaugural Address will take place on Tuesday. We know that we’re not even going to be able to see the building from our place on the National Mall, so we figured we’d get a photo of it before the really big crowds arrived. And we weren’t the only ones delighted to be standing in front of that historic backdrop in 12 degree weather. A couple was getting married!

The another couple who appeared to be married for at least half a century, snapped our picture (after we snapped one of them) They had come from Tennessee. Smile!