Photos of History

As promised, here are some of my photos from inauguration day. Hopefully it gives some sense of what it was like on the ground. I should emphasize that my camera does not have a zoom feature (I know) so what you're seeing is pretty much exactly what I saw. No camera tricks.

This is a picture of the mob trying to get into the silver gate. This is just the group going into one of the ticketed gates, which doesn't even touch on all the people who were standing out on the mall without tickets. Just to give some perspective.

I swear to you that this shot is of Obama taking the oath of office. Obviously, it's a little tough to tell from my vantage point, but it's really happening. I swear. Did I mention that my camera doesn't have a zoom?

This kid was from North Carolina. He was super excited to be there. As his mom said, "He loves Obama." Even though it was freezing cold and involved lots of standing (two things that kids don't usually do well with), he was smiling pretty much the whole time. This picture was taken just after Obama took the oath of office. I really wonder what he's thinking. From looking at him, he seems to be taking it very seriously. You could almost imagine him thinking, "I can do that" in a way that wouldn't really be the case with any of the other presidential candidates over the last year. Looking at this kid (even more than the crying woman just out of the frame on the left) I think I could understand a little more of what it means to have elected a black president.

The irony, of course, is that the kid was probably thinking about how cold he was or how he had to go to the bathroom. Still, it was a pretty incredible moment.

First Thoughts on the New President

Well, I made it there and back again. Between the early rising, the constant standing, and the endless traveling, I haven't had a lot of time to process the whole inaugural experience (or download my pictures yet). So here's a few simple thoughts.

First, the whole thing was incredible. Over the course of 24 hours I saw Washington D.C. at the most crowded I've ever seen it. Possibly that it's ever been. According to CNN, there were millions of people there who'd come from all over the country and the world. Everyone had come for one purpose. I should confess that I'm someone who is moved just by seeing the capitol building. I know it's Mr. Smith sappy, but I do. So to be there facing the capitol standing in the midst of millions of people from all over who'd gathered to watch the peaceful transition of the most powerful job on the whole planet was truly stunning. Makes me proud to be an American. Seriously.

As for Obama's speech, I think that there was more to it than it's probably going to get credit for. It was not a blow the roof of the place kind of speech, which would have been kind of nice to see. However, I think Obama set his aim even higher than that. To me, it sounded like he's trying to fundamentally shift the debate in Washington.

I don't mean that in the sense that he's said in his speeches about putting aside red/blue states and all that. I think his speech was about putting Congress and everyone on notice that there's a new sheriff in town and that he's the boss. Consider this passage:

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified."

Notice that this debate pre-supposes that the big government model (contrasted with Barry Goldwater's vision) has already won the debate and now it's a question of how to implement it. That he said this to great applause from a crowd of millions of people there to see him surely must have sent a message to Congress, who were also sitting there watching the speech.

I expect that as I go through the blogs and columns today I'm going to be hearing a lot about how Obama's speech was "measured" and "optimistic" and all those sorts of words. The word that's likely going to be missing is "aggressive." But I think that it probably belongs.

P.S. Check in tomorrow for pictures. I'll try to post a little photo diary.

The Power of Symbols

Here's some food for thought in relation to last Friday's post. I've written on this blog again and again about how we shouldn't confuse symbolism for actually doing something. Seems like some people aren't taking that to heart.

I'm off to DC this morning where I'll be for the inauguration festivities. So keep your eyes open for me. I'll be back on Wednesday, hopefully with some pictures to post.

Happy Hope/Change Day!