Swear Words

When I heard that Obama was sworn in a second time, my first thought was: "What good will that do? Bush took the oath twice, and that didn't exactly force him to uphold the constitution." Nevertheless, there are a few brazen idiots out there who suggested that John Roberts's bungle meant that Obama wasn't president, and all federal employees weren't required to report to him (as if everyone would spontaneously demand that Bush still be in charge). This claim is singularly absurd; however, I support him taking a second oath just to set aside any doubts, particularly since it requires so little effort. However, there's one saving grace, as it were, to this whole affair. Nonbelievers, who Obama went far enough to actually acknowledge in his inaugural speech (gasp!), were dealt a blow when their court case to remove "God" from the inaugural ceremonies failed, but they can take heart in the fact that Obama's second oath didn't involve a Bible. How's that for an acknowledgment of nonbelievers?

The Day After

I woke up surprisingly early Wednesday morning, but my associate and I didn't leave until around noon since we spent some time gathering our things and chatting with our gracious hosts. We had no major plans after the inauguration, other than to eventually rendezvous with our family in Massachusetts in a couple of days. With a bit of extra time on our hands, we decided to head back to DC and check out the inaugural aftermath. We stopped for gas at a station just outside Bethesda; as I went in to pay I overheard some of the mechanics, an otherwise lowbrow looking group, bragging about all of the inaugural balls they had gone to the night before. My associate later overheard them talking about how angry they were at the possibility of one of their nephews being sent to Iraq.

We stopped off at the National Cathedral, which earlier that day had been the site of a prayer session which Obama had attended. The Cathedral itself was quite impressive, clearly having been designed by someone who was afraid of God. We snapped a few pictures of the impressive exterior, then went in. My first stop was the bathroom, which was inconveniently located at the end of a hall and down a flight of stairs. On my way down, I noticed one of the bricks in the wall was inscribed with the word "Gitmo", which made me think for a second that this cathedral might have its own torture facility - hey, with some churches, you never know.




Heading back up to the main level, we entered the main cathedral hall. A prominent sign suggested we donate $5, but being short for cash, we decided not to give money and keep our visit short. This may have offended God, but thankfully he decided not to smite us. The church was relatively empty, but I talked with a woman who had been outside the church earlier and she said the whole area was completely packed. Obama had apparently been whisked in and out through a secret side entrance so as to be minimally exposed to the proletariat. Oh well. At least his presidency is a bit holier now. LCD screens lining the aisles still displayed a "message of hope" for all to read. However, the woman I was talking with, a filmmaker from New York, actually recognized me from the blog. Hot damn, I'm famous!




We left the church after taking a photo for a young couple visiting the church. Afterward, we drove south to the center of town, which gave us a good reminder of why we don't usually drive through the center of town in DC. It took nearly half an hour to get from Thomas Circle to the south side of the Mall, a distance of roughly 10 blocks. At least that gave us a good look at the parade route and the mall. Many of the metal barriers and parade seats were still up, though much of the trash had miraculously been collected. The best part was that while we were doing this, we were also listening to news about Obama's first day on the radio. Not being political insiders, it was the best we could do.






And so we left the noble capitol city, taking the not-so-noble Baltimore Expressway out of town. On our way our, we caught one last glimpse of the Capitol Dome, silhouetted against the reddening dusk sky. While it would have been nice to stick around longer, we had our own lives to continue with, and we were reassured by the knowledge that that dome had a new employee who would do things differently, and better.

The Right Side of History

The words echoed, from the Capitol to the Potomac, from Washington DC to my home in LA, and around the world: America will not choose security over liberty. We are on the right side of history once more, and once more can we stand tall and call ourselves Americans. Our founding fathers created this nation more than two centuries ago, yet today we take a bold step away from the tyranny and oppression that have no place in this great land, and America is born anew. A new and capable leader has been elected in America, but let's not forget who the real power rests with: the people.

BHO and MLK

Yesterday, Obama addressed the nation on the Lincoln Memorial, referring to Dr. King's dream. Obama events have uncannily coincided with landmarks for Dr. King, with his acceptance happening on the anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech, and his inauguration happening the day after MLK Day. Yet today, as the administration urges us to celebrate with quiet service, the lack of deeper connections between MLK and Obama becomes more noticeable. Obama's role model for the transition period has been Lincoln, who ironically had some nasty things to say about black people. And while Obama may owe his oratory style to Lincoln, he is generally considered a moderate while King was something of a radical. Some have observed that "Obama is a viable African American candidate because he has steadfastly refused to deal with the issues Dr. King was dealing with at the end of his life, even though they are just as relevant today as they were forty years ago." While the election of a black man is certainly a good thing, we must remember that it isn't some magic wand that makes racism disappear. And while it's foolish to suggest that Obama become a King-style radical, there will be times when he must take actions which stray from his moderate tendencies. As Obama said in his speech last night, "never forget that the true character of our nation is revealed not during times of comfort and ease, but by the right we do when the moment is hard."

Highballin' On the Obama Express

We didn't get a chance to see the Obama Express blow through town; had they chosen to start 200 miles away on the other side of Washington, things might have been different. Our late Grandpa used to work for CSX railways, so had the train passed through Richmond, it would have been nice to carry on his tradition (mechanically if not politically).

Obama is now the first president-elect to travel by train since Eisenhower. While some may deride the train trip as unnecessary pomp, there's something to the idea that traveling in by train is more inclusive. In the 19th century, train traveling was the only way to campaign, and the only way candidates could connect with people; William Jennings Bryan gave 500 speeches in 100 days from the back of his train car. While Obama didn't do that yesterday, it was certainly constructive for more of the populace to see their president.

It's too bad we didn't get to see Obama's train go by. But we plan to make up for it two days from now.

Obama and the Boss

Unfortunately, Obamathon Man is spending time with his family in Richmond and won't be able to attend the massive free concert at the Lincoln Memorial. For those of you in town, the fun begins at 2:30, and if I'm not mistaken, Obama will be there to start things off, followed by performances by Bruce Springsteen, Mary J Blige, Stevie Wonder, and others. Maybe if the Boss can get Obama to sing backup on "Born in the USA", all those rumors about him being born in Indonesia will be put to rest. Those of you outside Washington can also catch the festivities live on HBO. Or if you're like me, you'll watch them later on youtube.

We'll be in DC Tomorrow, though! There's plenty of cool service projects in the DC area. No word as to which service events Obama and Biden will be at, at least no news that I could find on google. It has been revealed that the Obamas are going to a number of exclusive dinners in the evening, none of which normal people can attend. You can always opt to see the free Jonas Bros. Concert though. Me, I'd rather go swim in the Potomac.

THE OBAMATHON GUIDE.™ Part 6: Got Balls?

So, you made it into DC, watched the inauguration and parade, and ate a hearty meal. What's next? Partaaay! On the night of January 20, DC will look something like Marti Gras with good manners. Well, at least all the places where Obama's going to show up will. For those looking to keep things on the lowbrow, you'll have plenty of options as well. Here's a brief guide to getting your groove on, inauguration style.

Balls: There are balls representing every state, region, and interest group. For me to publish a full list of inaugural balls would take way too long, but here's a pretty comprehensive list to check out. Ticket prices vary widely, but can go from $50 to as much as $2000. For If balling is your thing, you probably know all about what to wear. But just in case, here's a quick refresher on dress codes.

Men's Dress Codes - from least formal to most formal:

(No dressing specification)

Wear whatever you like, although it's recommended that you wash it first.

Black tie invited/optional

In this case, it is not mandatory to wear a tuxedo, however you will probably see more tuxedos than dark suits at these affairs. Black tuxedos and white or ivory dinner jackets with black trousers are appropriate. However, dinner jackets are out of season during the inauguration.

Black tie preferred

This means the host of the party prefers to see all guests in formalwear. You could wear a dark suit, but tuxedos are preferred.

Black tie

If the event you are attending is “black tie” and the invitation says the same, you are expected to wear a tuxedo. All guests invited to this function are required and expected to wear formalwear.

White tie

This is the creme de la classy. You must wear black tails with black trousers and a white pique formal shirt, bow tie, and vest. This ensemble is know as the “ultra formal look,” and if your event calls for it, you should not wear anything else. Guests not in adherence to the dress code will be sneered to death.

While similar dress codes don't apply directly to what women should wear, they serve as cues as to the level of formality at the event. Besides, if you're a woman, you probably have a sixth sense for what and what not to wear. And if you're worried about someone wearing the same dress as you, register yours at the Dress Registry.

For those of you not classy enough to attend balls, there's always the bar scene in DC. The latest outlook is that bars will stay open until 4. Check this site for a complete listing of DC bars, or just head to the Adams Morgan or Dupont Circle areas.

Many of you will simply want to head home after the inauguration. But for those looking to party after the inauguration, you have good reason to do so, and plenty of places to cut loose. Rock on, DC.

THE OBAMATHON GUIDE.™
Introduction (history, crowd density)
Part 1: Is It Safe? (safety, prohibited items, law enforcement, crime)
Part 2: Crush Hour(Transportation, Getting to DC, Getting to the Mall, the Metro)
Part 3: When Nature Calls (restrooms, sanitation)
Part 4: Phone Frenzy (Cell phones, texting, finding lost friends)
Part 5: Food for Thought (Food, sack lunches, vendors, restaurants)
Part 6: Got Balls?

Slow Day

Obamathon Man was about to let loose with a brilliant post today when the power cut out, sending him and his associate back to the dark ages, or some other time period when they didn't have internet. Rest assured, I'll be posting later on tonight.

Some updates related to Colorado's pioneering role in renewable energy: we sold a bed today, and the buyer turned out to be a contractor. He told us how he was able to build a house which averaged $8 in monthly utility bills, using photovoltaic cells and solar water heating, which also could be used to heat the house itself - schweet! Onward Colorado, the future is bright with the gleam of solar cells.

New Years in Denver

Obamathon Man and his associate chose to ring in the New Year in Downtown Denver. It was nice, a big crowd filled the length of the 16th Street Mall and waited eagerly for midnight. There was no big digital clock to watch, but at ten seconds before midnight people in nearby bars began to count down and it spread to the crowd on the street. The fireworks were about a second early, but it was still a good show, and they were fired on both sides of the mall. Friends hugged, couples kissed, and a group of young kids ran up and down the street with a 90s era boombox blaring Daft Punk, prompting spontaneous dancing. A man poured champagne for someone he'd never met before. Ah, the mile high life.



Eventually the fireworks stopped, and we went home. On the way, we passed two girls in carnival outfits, and a man in a white suit with a plastic hat. It was fun.