Inauguration Day

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Aretha: World Will Be Dancing in the Streets

Diva fired up to give Obama R-E-S-P-E-C-T at biggest gig of her life

(Newser) - Aretha Franklin is psyched to sing to the biggest audience of her life in Washington today, she tells the Times of London. When she thinks of Obama she thinks of "jubilation all over the world," the Queen of Soul says. "Dancing in Africa, dancing in London, dancing...

Obamas Head to Church
 Obamas Head to Church 
UPDATED
Jan 20, 2009 8:24 AM CST

Obamas Head to Church

Prez-elect follows presidential tradition

(Newser) - As massive crowds swarmed the National Mall to witness Barack Obama's inauguration as president, the man at the center of the maelstrom began the day with his wife at a private service at St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from the White House, a tradition for those about...

America Is Now Truly the Land of Lincoln: Durbin

Obama's election makes the dream of the Founding Fathers more real than ever

(Newser) - Abraham Lincoln's dream of extending the liberty set out by the Founding Fathers to all Americans comes one step closer to reality with Barack Obama's inauguration today, Sen. Dick Durbin writes in the Hill. Obama's election represents a “new summit” in America's long struggle to be "one nation,...

Protestants Hold Inauguration Monopoly
Protestants Hold Inauguration Monopoly
ANALYSIS
Jan 20, 2009 7:42 AM CST

Protestants Hold Inauguration Monopoly

Priests, rabbis have been missing from ceremony for 20 years

(Newser) - Barack Obama's swearing-in will be the sixth straight inauguration where rabbis and Catholic priests will be absent from the dais, reports Time. For decades it was traditional to have Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish representatives at the ceremony, but Billy Graham’s invocation (and benediction) at George Bush’s 1989 inauguration...

Eager Crowds Swarm Before Dawn
 Eager Crowds 
 Swarm Before Dawn 
INAUGURATION SLIDESHOW
Jan 20, 2009 7:04 AM CST

Eager Crowds Swarm Before Dawn

Rush hour at 4:30am; thousands flood mall

(Newser) - As late night became early morning in Washington, eager crowds were already forming outside Metro stops, the Washington Post reports. By 4:30am, some trains were reminiscent of rush hour; by 5:30, the line outside one station was 2 miles long. Meanwhile, thousands poured into the Mall, bundled into...

Houseguests Descend for DC Slumber Party

Couch space at a premium as friends and family flock to capital

(Newser) - Thousands of homes across the nation’s capital are jam-packed with out-of-town guests who've arrived to witness history, the Los Angeles Times reports. Guest bedrooms, sofas, and dorm room floors have been turned over to friends and family. "Every surface space, every comforter, every drop of hot water is...

Little Rock Desegregation Heroes Mark New Era

Former students who helped pave way for Obama presidency to attend inauguration

(Newser) - Five decades ago, nine teenagers walked into their new high school through screaming mobs who spat at them and shouted racist abuse. They were the first black students to desegregate Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., and became known as the Little Rock Nine. Seven of them will attend...

Obama Team Won't Promote Him as Racial Pioneer

Obama team focuses on message of unity, not historic status

(Newser) - Barack Obama's inauguration as the first black president tomorrow will make history, but don't expect him to dwell on that point, Politico reports. The president-elect's team is weaving a narrative not about a racial milestone, but about unity—just look at the diversity of yesterday's We Are One festivities.

In Free Inaugural Doughnuts, Abortion Foes See Ploy

In hailing Americans' 'freedom of choice,' Krispy Kreme really promotes abortion

(Newser) - Krispy Kreme stores will honor Barack Obama’s inauguration and Americans’ “freedom of choice” with free doughnuts tomorrow, to the dismay of at least one anti-abortion group, the Chicago Tribune reports. “Celebration of ‘freedom of choice’ is a tacit endorsement of abortion rights on demand,” the...

What the Concert Cameras Missed

Rooftop snipers, the vice president sprinting, Denzel in action, and more

(Newser) - Yesterday’s all-star concert on the National Mall put the super in supergroup, but the HBO broadcast didn’t catch everything. Here’s some of what went down off-camera, as seen by Jada Yuan of New York:
  • Black-clad Secret Service snipers trolled the Lincoln Memorial’s rooftop, packing binocs and
...

'Designated Successor' Gates Will Skip Inauguration

Pentagon boss would take over in worst case

(Newser) - Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will sit out the inauguration at a secure location and be available to take over the government in case of disaster, CBS reports. The White House designated Gates with the approval of the incoming administration, which he will serve in the same post. The move...

Obama's Inaugural Speech to Urge Responsibility

Government, banks, citizens must do their part to fix US

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s inaugural speech will highlight the need  for responsibility—among government, financial institutions, and the citizenry, the Washington Post reports as the incoming press secretary described what we can expect in tomorrow. “We need more responsibility and accountability, certainly, in the way our government acts,” Robert...

Heady Times for DC Hookers, Coke Dealers

Both are booming as tourists flock to inauguration

(Newser) - Barack Obama has already done his part to boost the economy—for Washington’s prostitutes and drug dealers, who tell New York they’re experiencing quite the boom in business thanks to inauguration travelers. Some prostitutes came into town specifically for the event and are already “pretty booked up;...

Randy Inaugural Crowds Lookin' for Love on Craigslist

Craigslist users offer suites, invitations for kink

(Newser) - Frisky Democrats are angling for more than just ringside seats at tomorrow's inauguration—they're flooding Craigslist in search of a little side action, reports Gawker. One poster first thanks his congresswoman for tickets, then pleads: "I want to make this even better by getting kinky," hopefully in a...

Big Day a Windfall for Newspapers

Huge demand for special editions

(Newser) - Newspapers expect a multi-million-dollar windfall in extra sales to people who want a keepsake of Inauguration Day, and publishers are gearing up to make the most of it, Bloomberg reports. The Washington Post is  jacking up its price to $2, and the New York Times, USA Today and other publications...

DC Cell Phone Calls: Maybe We Can
DC Cell Phone Calls:
Maybe We Can
Jan 19, 2009 3:40 AM CST

DC Cell Phone Calls: Maybe We Can

Inauguration throngs threaten to overwhelm networks

(Newser) - Throngs of people at the inauguration threaten to overwhelm the cell phone system with a massive number of calls, texts, tweets and emails, reports the New York Times. Major cell phone companies are scrambling to upgrade and add capacity, but no one knows how the system will respond to the...

Inauguration Becomes De Facto Holiday

Experts say celebrations will boost worker morale

(Newser) - Employers nationwide are bracing for a new slowdown, but they're excited about this one, reports USA Today. Thousands of workers nationwide are expected to take the day off tomorrow to watch the inauguration—or watch with co-workers in office parties. Companies are wise to grant the time off, since the...

Obama Has Met Only Half of Rick Warren
Obama Has Met
Only Half of Rick Warren
Opinion
Jan 19, 2009 1:51 AM CST

Obama Has Met Only Half of Rick Warren

Evangelical's split personality includes 'bland Pastor Rick' and arch conservative

(Newser) - Evangelical Rick Warren has fooled many Americans, Barack Obama included, with his lifelong attempt at creating a double personality, Amy Sullivan writes in Time. There's Pastor Rick—the apparently progressive anti-poverty, concerned-about-AIDS persona Obama invited to deliver the inaugural invocation, and there's the divisive staunch conservative the president-elect should quickly...

In DC, Rash of Wary Tux Renters Ahead of Inaugural

(Newser) - Uninitiated DC men are scrambling to procure tuxedos for the inauguration, and they, luckily, have a few seasoned resources, the Washington Post reports. While inveterate ball-goers frequent Brooks Brothers and such, a younger class of invitees is flocking to the capital’s rental shops, where veteran tailors calm their jitters....

Fear of Crowds, Cold Deter Inauguration-Goers

Organizers scale back crowd estimations as Obama supporters heed warnings

(Newser) - The biggest gathering in Washington DC's history may be a little smaller than expected, the New York Times reports. Would-be visitors for Inauguration Day are starting to take heed of warning about crowds and cold, and many have decided to celebrate in their hometown instead. Officials still expect a logistical...

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