Inauguration Day (David Cahill)
(With apologies to William Shakespeare, King Henry V, and St. Crispin)
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Those who are here this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast their neighbors,
And say “Tomorrow is Inauguration Day.”
Then they will strip their sleeves and show their scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Inauguration Day.”
This story shall they teach their children,
And Inauguration Day shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
Be we in it shall be remembered –
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers and sisters,
Two million strong,
For they today who are with me
Shall be my brothers and sisters, be they ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle their condition;
And those in this nation now abed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That were with us upon Inauguration Day.
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Obama Inauguration: The address. (Photo by Sabra Briere)

Obama Inauguration, before the oath. (Photo by Sabra Briere)

Obama Inauguration: The ticket line. (Photo by Sabra Briere)

Obama Inauguration: The fur coat after "Fur Coat, Sit Down!" (Photo by Sabra Briere)

Toasting President Barack Obama at a gathering at Marsha Chamberlin's downtown Ann Arbor home just after the swearing-in ceremony.

When people ask “Where were you when Barack Obama was inaugurated?” The Chronicle will say “At Marsha Chamberlin’s home.”

Chamberlin, president of the Ann Arbor Art Center, hosted a small gathering at her Liberty Lofts condo to watch Obama’s inauguration on CNN.

The dozen or so women raised a toast to the new president after he was sworn into office. Someone in the group gave this toast as well: “To the Constitution – welcome back!” They laughed when the TV camera showed George Bush during Obama’s inauguration speech, looking more than a little uncomfortable. And when the band played the national anthem at the end of the ceremony, everyone in the room softly sang along.

There was a sense of history, in many ways. Chamberlin had hung a flag from her fourth-floor balcony, saying she’d never felt like flying one before today. It was the flag from the funeral of her husband’s father, a World War II veteran.

The wind blew an American flag hung on Marsha and John Chamberlin's Liberty Lofts balcony, marking the inauguration of Barack Obama.

The crowd she characterized as “definitely intimate” but with everyone bundled up against the cold, not awkwardly so. One woman’s outerwear of choice was a fur coat. And because she was standing on a raised seating area, blocking the view of those behind her, it elicited a repeated plea, “Fur Coat, Sit Down!” Only when someone got her a chair, did she sit. That contrasted with a guy wearing San Francisco Giants apparel, who complied quickly with the directive of his fellow inauguration attendees.

The view in question was from roughly a quarter-mile away. Briere said that if she had it to do over again, she would have brought along her bird-watching binoculars. She speculated that there would not have been an issue bringing them through security, because people were bringing through all manner of items. This, after word had spread that no bags larger than 2 x 4 x 9 inches would be permitted through security – which proved to be incorrect. Though she was prepared psychologically to take off her shoes and coat for the security check, Briere said they just asked people to open their coats. Shoes stayed on.

Briere said there were a wide range of geographies represented amongst the crowd, having chatted with people from Louisiana, Texas, and California. One woman, when asked where she was from, said, “Here.” And when Briere identified herself as hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, came the clarification, “Oh, I’m from Northville (Michigan).” The D.C. resident was a manager at the Shakespeare Theater.

As far as the inauguration itself, Briere reported that a low rumble of a boo could be heard when George Bush was introduced, and led to speculation amongst the crowd that it would not be broadcast. But generally, Briere said, it was a happy and friendly crowd. Briere said that when Obama spoke, people were positively rapt with attention.

Before Obama spoke, Briere reported that the invocation was followed by the Lord’s Prayer, and that people in the crowd joined in (the “trespasses version”).

After the ceremonies, people were ready to leave, but the Metro stations where people had arrived had been closed. It wasn’t clear how they were supposed to get out of the area. Briere said they had taken refuge in the Freer Gallery at the Smithsonian Institute, along with several hundred other people. The problem of warmth was solved, but food still needed to be tracked down.

Because they drove, Briere said, they were not in the same situation as many people who wondered how they would be able to catch their flights. But they’d been hoping to get on the road back to Ann Arbor to get part of the drive out of the way yet tonight – Briere has to return to work on Thursday. The longer they had to remain in the area of the Capitol mall, the smaller the chances that plan would be realized.

Jan 20 3:10 p.m. A whole block of idling dump trucks along D Street southwest of White House. Security or emergency prep?

Jan 20 12:47 p.m. All done now. Unbelievable. Looks like the right person. Now the hard part. Shared the moment with folks from OK, VA, MD, OH, MI

Jan 20 8:45 a.m. We are in place @ Washington Monument. Full from here to the east. Arrived here to Springsteen singing The Rising. Sunrise too.

Jan 20 8:00 a.m. (approx) 18th St. heading south is like Hoover on football Saturday, but more so.

Jan 20 7:00 a.m. We are leaving for the National Mall right now. We stayed in Potomac. Getting on the Metro to head in. From a glance at the TV in the lobby, we won’t be the first ones there. MLK Day on the mall was a beautiful thing.

Jan 19 4:00 p.m. (approx) Muggin’ for the boom camera on MSNBC set on the mall.

Jan. 19 3:00 p.m. (approx) Loads of people checking out the Capitol Building where Obama will become prez tomorrow. Security barriers make moving very difficult.

Jan. 19 12:00 p.m. (approx) At the Michigan party. Granholm, Levin, Stabenow. Out of hot chocolate and coffee. Now off to find food.

Jan. 19 11:00 a.m. (approx) Capitol South Metro stop a madhouse – with happy people – all escalators just all switched to exit mode.

Jan 18 6:42 p.m. Sorry, got it wrong. It is: National Union of Friendly Americans. Now meeting more friendly people near the White House.

Jan 18 5:33 p.m. On the mall. Good feelings. Griendly people. Witnessed founding of: National Union of Friendly People.

Pizza, said Briere, was the only item on offer at the cafeteria by the time they arrived, having spent an hour and a half in line waiting to pick up their tickets to the inauguration tomorrow.  When they had queued up for the tickets around noon, she said, the line was already well-formed.  People had until 4:00 p.m. to pick up their tickets.

They’ll be leaving for the inauguration itself at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow, in order to get through security by 8:00 a.m. Weather forecast in D.C. for the festivities is for 17-23 F°. They’re prepared with long underwear and chemical handwarmers.  Briere said she’d had no previous experience using the handwarmers, but thought they were the kind that needed to be broken so that the two chemicals could react.  They’re supposed to provide heat for 5 hours.

Earlier today, Briere reported, they’d attended a reception for all Michiganders, whether they had inauguration tickets or not.  She said they’d seen fellow councilmember Tony Derezinski there, along with Janis Bobrin (Washtenaw County Water Resources Commisioner – a title that was recently changed from Drain Commissioner), and Jerry Lax (former city attorney).  Briere said she had taken pictures of anybody she could get to hold still.  Mark Schauer, representative for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, was there, she said, along with Debbie Stabenow, senator for Michigan.

Plans for later this afternoon included a reception hosted by  John Dingell, congressman for Michigan’s 15th district.  As far as the various lavish balls and banquets, Briere said they’d be giving those a pass.  She was “too frugal,” she allowed.

So how was the pizza at the Congressional cafeteria as compared to local Ann Arbor standards?  Briere gave it a C-minus – edible but not much to recommend it beyond that.