Laura Sky Brown and Henry Brown in Washington D.C. in front of the Washington monument Jan. 20, 2013.

This year they’ve headed back to our nation’s capital to watch the public inauguration ceremony on Jan. 21.  The 20th amendment to the U.S. Constitution set the end of each presidential term at noon on Jan. 20. So President Obama took the actual oath of office on Jan. 20 in a private ceremony.

Laura and Henry are filing brief updates along the way, in the spirit of The Chronicle’s traditional Election Day coverage of the polls. 

19 January 10:44 p.m. (Toledo, Ohio Amtrak Station): Henry and I are waiting inside a festive station full of travelers en route to the inauguration. Cameraman from Channel 13 Toledo is doing a little video reporting in the waiting area. Train will leave at 11:15 p.m.

20 January noon (Washington, D.C. Union Station): We came in by Amtrak train from Toledo, which left at 11:15 p.m. and arrived just past noon at Washington’s Union Station. Among the other passengers, most of whom were on their way here for the inauguration, there was a group of 28 people traveling together who were mostly older, very well-dressed African American women from Toledo. A news reporter from the Toledo ABC affiliate was there with a camera doing some interviews.

 20 January (Rayburn House Office Building, Dingell’s Office): On arrival at Union Station, we walked over to the Rayburn House Office Building. Along the way we passed other Congressional office buildings (they are behind the capitol in the Capitol Hill neighborhood), each with a small line of people waiting to go through metal detectors to go in and get Inauguration tickets, which are handed out by members of Congress to constituents.

I got our tickets, basically, by calling Rep. Dingell’s office nearly every day since November and e-mailing regularly. It paid off in that, when we walked in the door, two aides welcomed us with, “You must be Laura Sky Brown and her son Henry,” and they walked us in to Rep. Dingell’s office and let us sit in his chairs. 

I interrogated an aide, Derek Dobies, hoping Henry would find his story interesting and perhaps inspiring: 2008 graduate from MSU in political theory, worked on the Dingell campaign and managed it in East Lansing. Took his picture in Rep. Dingell’s office.

We also saw the health care reform gavel (I touched it) and Rep. Dingell’s motorized scooter in the corner of the office. I was interested to see that his desk was covered with papers. Unfortunately he was not in the offices at the time.

Along with the tickets, which admit us to the Yellow zone for the ceremony, we were handed an over-the-top large engraved commemorative invitation to the ceremony with gold braid on it, and mechanically signed photos of the President and VP.  Planning to frame the invitation.

20 January (Lincoln Memorial): Henry’s one unmissable sight for today was to go pay a visit to the Lincoln Second Inaugural speech, which is carved into the wall up at the Lincoln Memorial. The walk took about 90 minutes among large crowds, and it was totally worth the walk to stand under the famous lines as well as to see the statue again.

“Let us strive on to finish the work we are in … “

20 January (Union Station):  Getting back to Union Station at the end of the day was a challenge involving walking, a taxi, running, the subway system, and more running, as the streets were being closed off one by one all around the Capitol just as we reached them. We made the last train of the day as it was starting to pull out of the station.

We are taking the commuter train back in this morning (Monday) from Harpers Ferry West Virginia, where we’re staying with friends. It doesn’t arrive at Union Station until 9:15 a.m. by which time the crowds should be peaking.

We are anticipating the same major difficulty getting where we want to be for the inaugural ceremony as we had four years ago.

Will keep you posted as the day goes on!

21 January early morning (Union Station): The crowds begin.

Crowds in Union Station

Obama bags for $5

Demonstrator in Washington D.C. on Jan. 21, 2013

Crowds are fraction of what they were four years ago. Can move! And text!

Four years ago this tunnel was a teeming mass of humanity and we were scared of being trapped and turned back! Today nobody walking through at all and street above almost walkable.

Long but friendly line to go through security.

21 January 10:10 a.m. (Security Checkpoint): Big crowd but nobody pushing. In sight of entry gates but too close and dark for photo.

21 January 10:29 a.m. (Security Checkpoint): Gate temporarily closed for crowd control; we are very close to getting through.

Getting through security.

21 January 11:29 a.m. (Mall): We are on left as we face the Capitol. Weather cool but pleasant. Crowd cheerful and we can hear though not see below the dome from here . People have climbed nearby trees. Henry wanted to but I nixed idea. Chuck Schumer speaking. Crowd goes wild when he says name of Barack Obama.

People around us in crowd posing for pictures holding their tickets while Sen. Schumer speaks

Laura Sky Brown, Jan. 21, 2013 presidential inauguration ceremony. Hearing Hail to the Chief we are really up close! Boehner is announced to boos from all around us, Obama to cheers.

21 January 11:50 a.m. (Mall): Biden sworn in. We can sort of see even. James Taylor singing America the Beautiful.

21 January 11:52 a.m. (Mall): Here comes presidential oath. Hush over crowd.

21 January 11:54 a.m. (Mall): Crowd chanting O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!

Crowd cheers Obama taking oath.

Listening to Barack Obama’s inaugural address on Jan. 21, 2013. “Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm. That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American.”

A transcript of President Obama’s full inaugural address is posted on the White House website.

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