Tuesday, January 20, 2009
For a brief moment, Sara Shannon panicked.
As she stood by the side of a lonely, middle-of-nowhere road, her participation in a moment of tremendous national history — a moment she felt she was part of — was threatened. After months of hard work and emotional investment, for a moment, she wasn’t sure she would make it.
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Inauguration Information
The inauguration ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Central time. CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS will provide live coverage of the event.
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies will broadcast the ceremony at its Web site, inaugural.senate.gov.
The Granada Theater, 1020 Massachusetts St., will host Inauguration Bash with local bands The Dactyls, The Noise FM, Andrew Morgan and Hidden Pictures at 7 p.m.
— Sources: TVGuide.com, thegranada.com, inaugural.senate.gov
Shannon’s car had broken down on the way from Lawrence to Washington, D.C., where she had hoped to attend the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama.
“I was worried I would have to come back to Kansas with my tail between my legs,” said Shannon, who worked on Obama’s campaign. “But I had worked hard and I wasn’t going to give up.”
Shannon, Ottawa senior, eventually made it — with a little help from a friendly stranger and a friend who let her borrow a car.
Shannon was among the University students, faculty and Lawrence residents who traveled more than 1,000 miles to the nation’s capital to witness the swearing-in of the new president.
Jonathan Earle, associate director for programming at the Dole Institute of Politics, said from Washington that there were crowds of people celebrating with “huge smiles on their faces” interested in watching the “momentous” event.
“They understand the kind of change that this transition of power represents,” he said.
Chelsea Mertz, Topeka junior, was also involved in Obama’s campaign and wanted to be present at his inauguration.
“A big part of me has been in the campaign,” Mertz said. “I wanted to see it start to finish.”
Mertz said the lead-up to the inauguration was an emotional “commencement” for Obama supporters excited for his term.
“It’s the end to one period and the beginning of another,” she said.
But it wasn’t just students heavily involved in the campaign — or even in politics in general — who decided to travel to Washington.
Alex Murnan, Pittsburg junior, decided last Sunday to rent a car and make the 19-hour drive with her roommate.
Murnan described herself as someone interested in current events, but not heavily invested in political campaigns. But she said Obama’s inauguration was a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.
“I couldn’t not do it,” she said.
Murnan said she expected to spend $200 to $300 on travel and souvenirs but said it was worth it.
“We all know that this is a historic moment — a step towards equality, change and a change in how the world views us,” she said.
Earle said he thought so many people were making journeys such as Murnan’s and Shannon’s because Obama’s campaign made people feel like it was a political movement more than just a presidential campaign.
“People feel a part of what he’s about,” Earle said.
Several students — even some who did not support Obama’s campaign — found ways to get politically active on Inauguration Day right here at home.
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"We all know that this is a historic moment — a step towards equality, change and a change in how the world views us."
— Alex Murnan, Pittsburg junior
The political group Lawrencians for Liberty organized a rally on Massachusetts Street today to raise awareness of its smaller-government cause.
Sally Fink, a former student and member of the group, said the event wasn’t for or against Obama so much as an opportunity to use the current political interest to get students and Lawrence residents involved in politics at the local level.
Students also participated in community service events yesterday in a national drive led by Obama.
“I was extremely happy to be a part of the National Day of Service and, after some brainstorming, to have made it to the inauguration,” she said.
— — Edited by Casey Miles
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