LIVE from D.C. - Inaugural eve
In less than eighteen hours, the Bush error will be over.
After eight long and torturous years that has seen devastation wrought upon our country's economy, environment, military, and health by a failed right wing agenda, a new chapter is beginning in the American story.
A new president, our first African American president, is taking office, while the regime responsible for the mess we're in is packing its bags and departing.
The news on so many fronts is grim, but you wouldn't know it from looking at the faces of the people congregating in Washington, D.C. for tomorrow's historic inauguration. There's happiness, joy, and excitement; a sense that something better is around the corner. A gut feeling that we as a people are going to pull together and collectively solve these problems that are ailing us.
I saw so many signs today of a cultural shift - perhaps a fitting prelude to the other changes we need - that I don't know where to begin.
For one thing, I've been amazed at how friendly everyone here is. People who don't know each other smile and ask how things are going. A whole throng literally shouts out in concern if a passersby happens to drops something on her way out the door. Anyone who wants their picture taken in front of the Capitol needs only to turn their head and address the person next to them - odds are excellent such a request will be obliged. Public places, though crowded, seem lively and welcoming.
It's hard not to get an uplifting feeling watching a group of kids jumping into the air on the Capitol steps and shouting Obama! as their happy expressions are captured on flash memory. (Indeed, Obama has replaced cheese around these parts as the catchphrase for taking pictures).
The amount of Obama merchandise being worn or displayed is staggering. Obama shirts, buttons, pins, posters, mugs, and every other kind of souvenir imaginable are for sale somewhere within a short distance of the Capitol.
Street vendors are also selling hand and foot warmers (it's pretty cold here in the D.C. area - the high is expected to be around thirty four degrees Farenheit tomorrow, and the low tonight is a chilly twenty three).
Getting into House and Senate office buildings today often meant standing for about ten minutes in a line to go through a security checkpoint. People were constantly coming out at the same time, holding manila envelopes with tickets inside. That included me - I picked up my ticket today.
(I'll hopefully have a decent vantage point of the scene tomorrow, but that will depend on how early I can get there and clear security.)
Mobile networks are expected to under siege tomorrow morning, which means updates from me could be sparse, as I'll only have my BlackBerry with me (not that a laptop would be of any help, though!) To ensure that there's a better chance of something getting through, I'll be composing text only posts first and then adding pictures later, time and bandwidth permitting.
If you're not planning to watch the inauguration with someone, it's not too late to decide to join a party tomorrow morning.
A few other bits and pieces from today...
Snow evacuation routes. I couldn't help but notice while I was walking through Baltimore this morning that they have signs clearly marking which arterials are snow routes. The signs depict a car getting towed and warn, no parking during snow emergency. Seattle and other Puget Sound cities would do well to put up such signs, and pass ordinances authorizing the towing of vehicles illegally parked during inclement weather. It would make it easier to plow.
Great news for adults to choose to smoke. That was the title of a large sign in front of a Baltimore convenience store that I saw while I was waiting for a bus today. Underneath was a large Marlboro logo and then the boast Lowest Prices Allowed By Law!
Now, cigarettes are a common item at many retailers, but it's becoming increasingly unusual to see these poison sticks being so cheerfully advertised. Low prices for tobacco products are actually bad news for people who are trying to quit smoking and don't need to be tempted to start up again.
There's only one kind of news that's actually beneficial to smokers: a friend's declaration that he has decided to quit using tobacco.
MARC rules. MARC, the Maryland version of Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail, is by far the best way to get between Baltimore and the District of Columbia. Like Sounder, it often shares tracks with Amtrak, and trains can be boarded at the same stations. There's never any traffic and the trains are relatively comfortable and pleasant to ride in (despite being old).
MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration, the statewide agency responsible for rail and bus service in the Baltimore metro area and beyond. MTA's buses, like Chicago's, have prerecorded announcements that greet boarding passengers and disclose station stops when they are approaching.
Who's here. It turns out a lot of local elected Democrats are here for the inauguration, including Governor Chris Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, and many Seattle City Councilmembers. Most plan to spend a good deal of their time lobbying for federal stimulus money for the Evergreen State, rather than just having fun.
Well, that's it for tonight. To NPI's readers back home, if you'll be up before the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, see you then... I'll be out and about very early on my way to the inauguration. Good night and good riddance to Dubya!
After eight long and torturous years that has seen devastation wrought upon our country's economy, environment, military, and health by a failed right wing agenda, a new chapter is beginning in the American story.
A new president, our first African American president, is taking office, while the regime responsible for the mess we're in is packing its bags and departing.
The news on so many fronts is grim, but you wouldn't know it from looking at the faces of the people congregating in Washington, D.C. for tomorrow's historic inauguration. There's happiness, joy, and excitement; a sense that something better is around the corner. A gut feeling that we as a people are going to pull together and collectively solve these problems that are ailing us.
I saw so many signs today of a cultural shift - perhaps a fitting prelude to the other changes we need - that I don't know where to begin.
For one thing, I've been amazed at how friendly everyone here is. People who don't know each other smile and ask how things are going. A whole throng literally shouts out in concern if a passersby happens to drops something on her way out the door. Anyone who wants their picture taken in front of the Capitol needs only to turn their head and address the person next to them - odds are excellent such a request will be obliged. Public places, though crowded, seem lively and welcoming.
It's hard not to get an uplifting feeling watching a group of kids jumping into the air on the Capitol steps and shouting Obama! as their happy expressions are captured on flash memory. (Indeed, Obama has replaced cheese around these parts as the catchphrase for taking pictures).
The amount of Obama merchandise being worn or displayed is staggering. Obama shirts, buttons, pins, posters, mugs, and every other kind of souvenir imaginable are for sale somewhere within a short distance of the Capitol.
Street vendors are also selling hand and foot warmers (it's pretty cold here in the D.C. area - the high is expected to be around thirty four degrees Farenheit tomorrow, and the low tonight is a chilly twenty three).
Getting into House and Senate office buildings today often meant standing for about ten minutes in a line to go through a security checkpoint. People were constantly coming out at the same time, holding manila envelopes with tickets inside. That included me - I picked up my ticket today.
(I'll hopefully have a decent vantage point of the scene tomorrow, but that will depend on how early I can get there and clear security.)
Mobile networks are expected to under siege tomorrow morning, which means updates from me could be sparse, as I'll only have my BlackBerry with me (not that a laptop would be of any help, though!) To ensure that there's a better chance of something getting through, I'll be composing text only posts first and then adding pictures later, time and bandwidth permitting.
If you're not planning to watch the inauguration with someone, it's not too late to decide to join a party tomorrow morning.
A few other bits and pieces from today...
Snow evacuation routes. I couldn't help but notice while I was walking through Baltimore this morning that they have signs clearly marking which arterials are snow routes. The signs depict a car getting towed and warn, no parking during snow emergency. Seattle and other Puget Sound cities would do well to put up such signs, and pass ordinances authorizing the towing of vehicles illegally parked during inclement weather. It would make it easier to plow.
Great news for adults to choose to smoke. That was the title of a large sign in front of a Baltimore convenience store that I saw while I was waiting for a bus today. Underneath was a large Marlboro logo and then the boast Lowest Prices Allowed By Law!
Now, cigarettes are a common item at many retailers, but it's becoming increasingly unusual to see these poison sticks being so cheerfully advertised. Low prices for tobacco products are actually bad news for people who are trying to quit smoking and don't need to be tempted to start up again.
There's only one kind of news that's actually beneficial to smokers: a friend's declaration that he has decided to quit using tobacco.
MARC rules. MARC, the Maryland version of Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail, is by far the best way to get between Baltimore and the District of Columbia. Like Sounder, it often shares tracks with Amtrak, and trains can be boarded at the same stations. There's never any traffic and the trains are relatively comfortable and pleasant to ride in (despite being old).
MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration, the statewide agency responsible for rail and bus service in the Baltimore metro area and beyond. MTA's buses, like Chicago's, have prerecorded announcements that greet boarding passengers and disclose station stops when they are approaching.
Who's here. It turns out a lot of local elected Democrats are here for the inauguration, including Governor Chris Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, and many Seattle City Councilmembers. Most plan to spend a good deal of their time lobbying for federal stimulus money for the Evergreen State, rather than just having fun.
Well, that's it for tonight. To NPI's readers back home, if you'll be up before the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, see you then... I'll be out and about very early on my way to the inauguration. Good night and good riddance to Dubya!
# Posted by Andrew : 7:59 PM
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