Volunteering on
the mall for the 2009 inauguration ceremony with Karen, Sharon and Brigid, although
meaningful and wonderful, was so bitterly cold, that I opt to watch from my
living room this time.
Photo: Business Insider
“Being true to our founding
documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not
mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same
precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long
debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to
act in our time. “
Nancy Pelosi’s comments
are remarkable for their lack of coherence.
We managed to snag
some time with Donna Shalala, President of the University of Miami and former
HHS Secretary who was immensely supportive of the Human Genome Project during
her tenure.
True
to predictions, this is a bare-bones ball.
Held in the basically undecorated, cement-floored exhibit hall in the
lower level of the Convention Center. This
food station provides the only decorative elements along with unlimited Cheese
Nips and pretzels. Francis and I arrive
late, the President and First Lady have already danced and left, but the
entertainment is amazing and the crowd ready to party!
- Barack Obama 1/21/2013
Francis and I were
fortunate to receive tickets to an inaugural ball and also an invitation to a
pre-ball dinner hosted by Eli and Edy Broad of the Broad Foundation.
Zoe finds my ball
outfit (jacket and pants) oh-so-boring and I know I it will be oh-so-warm.
We head out as a
gentle sunset blesses the day’s events.
Arriving at the dinner
we run into 3/5 of the Lander clan, Eric, Daniel and David. Eric was the wrap-up speaker and knocked it
out of the park encouraging the room, included several Cabinet members, to model
Lincoln’s example -- respond to
urgencies, but also plan for the long-term.
We head over to the ball
at the convention center, stopping by the Chinatown gate and passing lots of
security.
I
can’t actually see Stevie Wonder, but I can watch him on the video screen.
What I can see is the
fabulous discarded footwear -- these folks stood in long, cold lines and once
inside were invited to stand on cement!
My favorite necklace
and my favorite dress.
Dancing broke out
everywhere – in this case, tango
A tableau that played
out throughout the building.
We eventually head to
the metro with thousands of happy, sore-footed revelers. I’m in flats, but Francis wore his ‘mean
shoes’.
“Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy,
what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with
passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an
uncertain future that precious light of freedom.”
Inauguration Speech,
Barack Obama, January, 2013
