Inauguration Day 2009 — the public’s view

My colleagues in Hawaii and Florida and even in Jackson Hole or Las
Vegas love to post pictures that make me drool with envy. Stunning
beaches, snow-capped mountains and striking desert oasis condos we do
not have in the Washington Metro Area, but we do have access to our
national capital. And every four years we have access to history of a
different sort, when our nation installs a President.

Several of my friends in Northern Virginia made the trek to witness
President Obama’s swearing in. For most folks it started at 6 am at the
Metro.

Even at 6 am the line to get on the train was long. For those who
were lucky enough to get a seat on the first train, there was a wait
for a half-hour or more before the train was underway. When the trains
arrived, you began to get an idea of just how big a number 2 million
is.

The crowd was pleasant, but the numbers were overwhelming. It took 45 minutes just to get out of the station.

Top side was like a jail break, as people were glad to finally see the light of day.

The masses of people were staggering, even if they were dwarfed by the touchstones of democracy like the Washington Monument.

This was one of the better view spots open to the public on
Inauguration day.  In this picture, Obama is about a quarter of a pixel
high, so it’s a little tough to make out his expression.

But the Jumbotron was there if you needed to see what was happening.

Then at the end of the day, it’s a walk back to the Metro.  Small price to pay to be a witness to history.