Aoife connors interviews a

child who was with his parents working to clean aWashington playground on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Aoife Connors

What a day! Although I’m not a native American, I felt so proud of newly elected President Barack Obama and his family.

The cold was unbearable, the walking was painful, the crowds and crushing were frightening — but none of this mattered once Obama stepped onto the platform.

He spoke with such confidence, belief, and optimism for the future that one had to feel this was going to be a time of change. I trusted Obama, believing that he would deliver positive change. I admired his family for their unity, their teamwork, and their values.

Never in my life have I seen so many politically engaged people gathered in one city so peacefully, civilized and in common agreement that this was a great day, this was a special day, but most importantly, this was a new day and a new era for Americans.

Shaheen full of hope at EMILY’s List

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 – While walking from her office in the Dirksen Senate Office Building to the Capitol to cast a vote recently, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., got lost in the basement. Speaking at an EMILY’s List luncheon Sunday, the new senator received a resounding cheer when she declared “the building was clearly laid out by a group of men.” 

Link to All Stories by Aoife Connors

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drew Fitzgerald writing a story in the Newsroom.

Drew FitzGerald

For weeks leading up to the big day, the building excitement for the nation’s first black president was a boon for people looking to make a few dollars. All across the city, locals with an entrepreneurial spirit sold everything they could tack the 44th president’s name on:

Obama T-shirts, Obama binoculars, Obama pretzels, Obama air fresheners – anything that would cost $1 sold for $5 as the National Mall gradually turned into an open-air market. “It’s a good hustle,” one vender in front of Union Station said.

I spent most of the day literally covering the event from the sidelines — not just because of the biting winds, but because there was nowhere to go. Most of the action was at the edges of the crowds, where people paced back and forth looking for easy entrances.

I found a good spot on the Mall near the Smithsonian Castle, where the onlookers had room to walk. Miniature American flags and children sitting on their parents’ shoulders popped up above the sea of heads. Behind me, gulls circled the Washington Monument, where countless more stood. Those old enough to remember compared the event’s magnitude to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Others compared it to Woodstock.

Despite endless lines, dangerously crowded trains, and masses of people from all 50 states pressed cheek by jowl next to total strangers, there were no arrests or reports of violence. I saw faces of eagerness, impatience, and weariness, but not one of anger, even if the hassles some tourists suffered really justified it. The event was a powerful argument that American people are basically decent, and I was glad to be a witness to it.

Mainers squeeze into Washington to witness history in the making

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 – Maine residents walked, squeezed and jostled their way among record crowds Tuesday to catch a glimpse of Barack Obama’s becoming the 44th president of the United States. 

Link to All Stories by Drew Fitzgerald

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sarah Gantz interviews a high school choir member in D.C.

for the inauguration.

Sarah Gantz

I watched and listened to the ceremony from a spot in front of the Capitol, where I was surrounded by people crying, hugging, holding cameras over their heads to snap photos, and lifting children onto their shoulders to get a better view.

“Overwhelming” is the only word to describe the feeling: a crowd of thousands of people who are so euphorically happy that they are unfazed by the discomforts of cold and tight spaces. As a journalist, I felt incredibly unqualified to summarize (in 800 words or less) the emotion they experienced at this event they had waited for so long.

54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry makes history again 

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 — Eli Biddle lied about his age. He was 16 in 1863, not 17, as he told the recruiters he met on the street. Mr. Biddle had been booted out of class for refusing to sing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” While wandering around Boston, he decided to join the army, even though he was one year shy of the age requirement.

Link to All Stories by Sarah Gantz

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jillian Jorgensen, left, and

Aoife Connors on the way

to the Grits and Granite

Ball on the night of the

Inauguration

Jillian Jorgensen

I had a local angle: as a correspondent for the New Hampshire Union Leader, I just needed to focus on New Hampshire folks in Washington for the big day. All I had to do was catch up with a handful of Granite Staters in a mob of well over a million. Easy as pie, right? Not quite, but with the help of a double-sided sign that asked, “Are you from New Hampshire?” and my own loud voice, I managed to find a few.

Despite the cold, the stress of finding New Hampshire residents to interview, and the long, long walk home through massive crowds, it was worth it to witness such a historic moment surrounded by hundreds of thousands of excited people.

Every moment — from the traditional playing of “Hail to the Chief” following the swearing-in to the chant “Nah nah nah nah, good-bye!” that rose from the crowd, directed at the outgoing president — will stay with me for a lifetime. (Not to mention the man who walked across a row of Porta-Potties to beat the crowd!)

N.H. Episcopal Bishop delivers invocation at inaugural kick-off

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18–V. Gene Robinson, the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, led a crowd of hundreds of thousands in prayer at the opening concert of the presidential inauguration at the Lincoln Memorial Sunday, calling on a “God of our many understandings” to bless the country, its people, and its president and asking for unity. 

Link to All Stories by Jillian Jorgensen

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katie Koch

I left for the Capitol at 6 a.m. to make it to the silver ticket area, just behind the reflecting pool on the National Mall. Crowd control was virtually nonexistent — there were no signs or blockades to direct the flow of traffic, and the very few police officers must have forgotten their megaphones, making their instructions all but worthless.

Naturally, huge human traffic jams formed everywhere, but people took the morning in stride. The camaraderie of the crowd was unbelievable. People occasionally started up cheers of “Obama!” When the wait became ridiculous, they switched to “Let us in!” Jammed into a crowd of what seemed like thousands, I started chatting with the woman whose elbow was three inches into my ribcage. It turns out she was Sasha Obama’s new science teacher at Sidwell Friends. She wouldn’t give me anything too juicy, but she did assure me that “Sasha seems to be adjusting just fine.” I felt better knowing my favorite Obama was doing all right.

For Conn. College student, a long journey from Colombia to D.C.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 – It took Alexandra Felfle nearly two days to travel from her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, to the Hilton Washington. Still, she arrived at the hotel Saturday smiling and poised, ready to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama. 

Link to All Stories by Katie Koch

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tait Militana

I’m not sure I have ever seen a time when complete strangers were as friendly, welcoming, and gracious towards each other as they were during the inauguration weekend. It was like the holidays. Everybody was so excited. During the swearing-in ceremony, I stood next to an Aussie on one side and a Canadian on the other. It felt like the whole world was watching.

A long road to Pennsylvania Avenue for Trumbull’s band

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 —For Dan Connolly, drum major of the Trumbull High School marching band, the hardest part about preparing for the inaugural parade was staying focused through all of the attention.

Link to All Stories by Tait Militana

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindsay Perna

There is nothing like inching through 6 miles of the District with 1.5 million other people in below freezing temperatures to make you feel like you've already been written into the history books. The logistics were out of this world, but what was even more surprising was the kind demeanor that the crowds kept in almost terrifying mob scenarios. I saw the inauguration of the first African American president. More importantly, I also saw people picking up disabled in wheelchairs over curbs, heard individuals of every color join in song and chant, felt someone holding me up on the jam packed Metro so I would not fall to their feet. I will never forget the humanity that I witnessed on January 20th, 2009.

Rep. Dahlkemper sees 'a lot of hope for this country'

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 —Since Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper's swearing-in ceremony two weeks ago, the new freshman on campus has been acclimating herself to a Capitol more complex and staggering than her predecessors could imagine.

Link to All Stories by Lindsay Perna