Inauguration Weekend: Final Dispatch

Live from Washington DC

The Moment.

At CNN.com. That's the email address where people sent in photos of Barack Obama's oath of office this morning. With the hundred of thousands of images received, the news network created an explorable composite 3D record of history.

Although this new tool of mass participation and communication had little precedent (like many things this Presidential Inauguration weekend), it wasn't something new or complex that had the biggest impact on me. It was simply being a part of this wide field of people numbering in the millions, all there to hear a man speak for a short while.

In spending these few days here in Washington DC I, and it seems that many others, have been taken by the optimistic fervor of "Obamania." Whether or not being hopeful was naïve, we will only be able to say with the passing of years.

What I can say for sure without the advantage of history's purview is that it was not just me in Washington DC but all of us: from New York to Jakarta, from London to Long Island, and from Boston to Chicago. All of us bore witness to an event that left us in awe and reminded us of the enduring power of our American experiment.

Thank you and good night.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 12

Live from Washington DC

We are standing at the foot of the Washington Monument and under a clear and sunny winter sky, people have filled the length of the mall from the US Capitol Building, where the Presidential Inauguration festivities are taking place, to the Lincoln Memorial over 3 miles away!

A military band is now playing several marches and we just saw the first aerial glimpse of the Mall. And people are still coming to this unprecedented spectacle...

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 11

Live from Washington DC

Earlier in the day, the museums surrounding the Mall had special events for MLK Day. The Sackler Gallery of Asian Art hosted South Indian dance performances with the theme of renewal and responsibility. A Kwele band performed at the African Art Museum, alongside a photo and video montage of Obamania from Zanzibar to Zambia.

A storyteller at the Smithsonian Castle chose a more sober tone and spoke of life in the simplest of terms: the year we are born and the year we die. "It is the dash in between," he said, "that encompasses our accomplishments and failures, goodness and dark times. And in a time of national introspection, we must also look into ourselves to be the change we seek."

Afterwards we dashed through the Museum of Natural History and the Sculpture Garden of the American Museum of Art. Most of the museums have now closed but the growing feeling of excitement on the Mall is intoxicating.

MSNBC just started their live coverage and a steady stream of politicos have started coming to the news outpost here. There were unconfirmed reports from fellow spectators that a former US senator as wells as Eddie Murphy just arrived!

As darkness comes around the open lawn, floodlights have streamed on, dramatically highlighting the surrounding buildings and monuments. When the sun returns tomorrow morning, we'll be just several hours away from the end of one presidential term and the beginning of another.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 10

Live from Washington DC

It's hazy and humid and temperatures are in the 80s. No, I haven't left DC for the DR. I am at the US Botanical Garden, just several hundred meters from the US Capital Building. This is one of several stops, including the Smithsonian Castle, that we've taken this afternoon during our extended Pre-Inauguration Day stroll of the Mall.

The museums are packed, but so is the Mall itself due to the mild weather today after some morning snow showers. Preparations for tomorrow are ongoing. Jumbotron TVs are setup. MSNBC has parked their mobile reporting room near the Museum of Natural History. Traffic barricades are up. And of course, Tshirt/calendar/button/bag/postcard/DVD salesmen are making brisk business.

At the Capitol Building itself, the San Francisco Boys and Girls Choir is practicing in front of hundreds and hundreds seats that are now empty but will soon be filled with politicians, dignitaries, entertainers, athletes, and anyone else lucky enough to get tickets to what some may say is the most hyped event in the world now. Just beyond these seating areas, a crowd of passerbys have gathered to get their own glimpse of what is to come on Inauguration Day.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 9

This dispatch was written with Sahar and Ali (Atif's brother's sister-in-law and her husband).

Live from Washington DC

After the Inaugural Kickoff address by Barack Obama, the sea of spectators started moving back towards the event entrances between 20 and 23rd streets. The crowd had noticeably thinned as Beyonce sang "My Country Tis of Thee," closing the luminary-studded event that Denzel Washington had started two hours before. Although fans may have left, the collection of secret service agents on the roof of the Lincoln Memorial remained.


We moved with the huge crowd past the north side of the mall, where we had waited earlier in the afternoon. At that time, we had placed bets to see how long it would take us to get on the grounds in front of the Lincoln memorial. Abdul Qadir Uncle (Atif's dad) won hands-down with a prediction that we would enter by 2:00 pm.

Obamania was soaring but tempratures were dropping. Our multiple layers of Lululemon, North Face, and CVS (emergency gloves) helped us to stave off freezing. We moved on towards the Foggy Bottom Metro Station on streets lined with military personnel. Atif picked up several buttons and a copy of the Nov 5 Washington Post from among the numerous vendors hawking their wares. As we passed through the GWU campus and got close to the station, it became obvious that we were competing with the crowds to even enter the station. After 40 numb toes, 30 minutes, and a depleted supply of kurkure (Indian cheetos) we cut our losses and retreated to a nearby pita store to warm up and nosh on falafels.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 8

Live from Washington DC

Joe Biden, Marisa Tomei, Queen Latifah, John Mellencamp, George Lopez, and Kal Penn (yes Kal Penn!, Stevie Wonder, Common, Tiger Woods, Jack Black, and Rosario Dawson have just spoken.

On this same soil, FDR said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Kennedy said "ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country." MLK said, "I have a dream." And now Garth Brooks just sang "Bye Bye Ms American Pie."

Bono is on!

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 7

Live from Washington DC

One word: unbelievable.

We are just several hundred feet from the Lincoln Memorial. The kickoff concert began with a marine salute that set a chilling silence across the perhaps millions in attendance, and then a performance of the Star Spangled Banner and Aaron Copeland's March for the Common Man. Acts that have come and gone on the stage read like a who's who of pop culture...Elmo (!), Bruce Springsteen, Mary J Blige, Jamie Foxx, Steve Carrell, and Patti LaBelle with Bon Jovi. Tom Hanks was just introduced. He began with "We cannot change history...but we hold power and bear responsibility to change our future."

Before all of this there were some light moments - enthusiastic volunteers entertaining the organized chaos of people heading here, a monumental wave across the crowd before the show started, and a combined chant of "raise it up" when the speakers on the right side went out...

Above our heads, a steady clip of planes continue on the flight path above the memorial enroute to Reagan Airport, in the buildup to Tuesday. The Inaugural Kickoff is the first event leading to what history may tell us years from now was a defining moment in the American experience.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 6

Live from Washington DC

We had breakfast and are now packed and ready for the Inauguration Kick-off, which will start at 2:30 PM at the Lincoln Memorial. Expected guests (besides Dad, Ali, Sahar, and myself) include Bono, the Boss, and Beyonce.

Eastward ho! We are going to West Falls Church Metro Station to pick up the subway to downtown. On the way we snapped pics of the Obama bumper stickers we saw.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 5

If you've just joined us, I am in DC and emailing/blogging my Inauguration Experience for family and friends.

Live from Washington DC

Driving towards the mall was a surreal experience. Roads were blocked off, police cars cruised the streets, and the buzz of helicopters in the sky was constant. With the unpassable routes making the GPS system unhelpful, Sahar and Ali saved the day with their knowledge of DC streets.

We caught glimpses of the Washington, Jefferson and Korean War Memorials enroute to the Lincoln memorial. A large part of the latter was also blocked off by barricades and taken over by the trailers and tents of what seemed to be TV and production crews.

The Lincoln Memorial itself was dazzling. Screens and sound systems were set up and musical groups were doing sound checks. As we were passing one side of the encampment, there was a sea of camera flashes from a paparazzi of Inauguration visiters. Bono was leaving a practice tent and returning to his trailer!

Oh, and moments before, Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen had made his way by the small crowd. See the attached photo. It doesn't tell much, but it's evidence we were there!

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 4

Live from Washington DC

There weren't any signs of Obamania at Georgetown's McDonough Arena, but Hoya spirit was everywhere as the capacity crowd cheered on the women's basketball team against Big East rival Louisville. Despite the sign-waving blue-haired super fans, the brassy pep bad, or the pom pom wielding Hoya Kidz club, Georgetown lacked the focused play of their conference rival. Unfortunately the most exciting play was a mid court tussle between players from each team shortly after half time. The Lady Hoyas remained 15-20 points behind the entire game; the final result was Lousiville def. Georgetown 74-58.

Sahar, Ali, Dad and I had a bet to see who would come closest to the final score. I can't say I'm surprised that Dad destroyed us: he was the only person to predict that visiting Louisville would carry the day and was only a combined 6 points off the final actual score.

On to the Mall for a view of Inauguration preparation and the darkness-cloaked monuments...

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 3

Live from Washington DC

Ice floes are covering the Potomac but the upscale stores are buzzing and there is steady foot traffic on M Street. The proprietor of a chocolate shop housed in a sleekly renovated neo-classical townhouse noted, "This is about normal for this time of year. Our store near Union Station, (where Obama will be arriving just a few hours from now by Amtrak) has had lines for some time now."

Georgetown has certainly not missed the Inauguration train. Banana Republic has instituted a "Celebrate Change" sale and Intermix has opted for an Obama portrait in a series of colors on the storefront. Twixt (a children's store) directed their message directly to the first daughters, with a large "Welcome Malia and Sasha" sign next to a red, white and blue frock.

Meanwhile in the skies above, 747s and other airplanes large and small are making a beeline to Reagan Airport, at a clip of about 1 plane every 2 minutes as seen from the Georgetown waterfront.

Clothing update: I am warm except I can't feel my toes. Good thing we're heading indoors to the GU vs Louisville basketball game. Go Hoyas!

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 2

Live from Washington DC

The sun has come out this Saturday, but the temperature is taking a while to get above freezing. To prepare for several hours outside, I'm wearing 4.5 lbs of clothes, from polypropylene to wool to polyester to goretex to cotton to denim. These materials are a slice of human ingenuity although these 6+ layers certainly make moving around not too easy!

Barack Obama has just left Philadelphia and is on his way to Wilmington DE and several other stops enroute to DC. We're also on our way to DC. The roads are rather empty, though this probably won't last too long as CNN reports that the incoming rush will ramp up tomorrow...

Note: Each evening I will upload these live reports along with photos and candid videos at whereintheworldisatif.blogspot.com. Be sure to check it out and be a part of this Inauguration Odyssey.

Inauguration Weekend: Dispatch 1

Live from Washington DC

As you may know, I am in DC with my dad for the weekend. I'll be writing these short dispatches the next few days. I hope you don't mind me playing reporter!

The first day of this inauguration odyssey went off swimmingly. Dad took the LIRR to Brooklyn, where I met him to take the subway to Port Authority. After a short wait, we used our etickets to board the greyhound bus to DC. Our Indian Uncle driver was kind of hilarious. Especially his line before we got to the rest stop: "I take ten minute. If you take more than ten minute that is okay but then you walk or take bike to DC."

There was surprisingly no traffic so we arrived at the DC station right on time at 1030. Sahar and Ali were there to pick us up and then off we went to VA. We passed lots of cop cars (the PD was likely preparing for road closures), Obama HQ signs, and oddly several vacancy signs in metro area hotels.Tomorrow's plan is to check out the art museum on the mall (many of the Smithsonian museums have special exhibits for inauguration) and then head to Georgetown to see the basketball team face off against Louisville, then likely stroll through Georgetown, have dinner, and head home to thaw out.

Weather is supposed to be in the teens with winds up to 10mph.