Republicans stand proud on Inauguration Day
Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States Jan. 20, and Delaware Rep. Timothy Dukes said he had to be in Washington, D.C., for the event.
Standing among the crowd with his nephew Kolby, both dressed for predicted rain showers, Dukes said he had been a big Trump supporter from the very beginning. He said Trump has ignited a feeling of unity among Republicans across the country in a way that no politician has since Ronald Reagan did it 1984. Look, he said pointing to four men he was speaking with next to him, two are from New York and two from a part of Alaska that’s 1,200 miles north of Juneau, he said.
“I really wanted to be here for this,” said Dukes, a Republican who represents the 40th Representative District. “It’s an honor.”
The morning of the inauguration was gray and chilly, with off-and-on spitting and drizzling rain – nothing unusual for January in Washington, D.C. With temperatures in the mid-40s, the weather was warmer than during many previous inaugurations.
Hundreds of thousands of people spread across the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol to witness the historic and regal ceremony. Before the ceremony, the U.S. Marine Corps Band played patriotic music for about 45 minutes. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s angelic voices filled the air. Those too far away to see the players up close and personal heard remarkably audible sound and watched jumbo video screens placed on either side of the Capitol building and at various places along the National Mall.
Vendors selling Trump T-shirts, pennants, buttons and other souvenirs staked out profitable corners for blocks and blocks around the Capitol. With people wearing their colors, carrying signs to unroll at the proper moments, cheering and jeering when one political play or another unfolded on the jumbotrons, the feeling up to, during and after the ceremony felt a whole lot like a major league sporting event.
Washington D.C. is never easy to get around, but security was at a maximum and navigating around the Capitol involved making way through lots of human and hardware security. The National Guard, D.C. Police, border patrol and folks who were undoubtedly out-of-uniform personnel couldn’t be missed. Their presence was felt from the moment a person stepped off a metro stop. A 9-foot-tall steel wall made for an immovable barrier for about two blocks around the Capitol. In areas just outside that wall, buses, large dump trucks, snowplows and other large immovable vehicles had been set up to limit vehicle access to a select few. Snipers could be seen perched from the Capitol’s rooftop. Not everyone in uniform was there for security – medical personnel were strategically located.
The number of people at the inauguration may still be debated, but what can’t be debated is that eyes across the world were on the event. From across the Capitol grounds, media outlet tents could be seen on top of buildings. Dozens of folks, speaking many languages, were walking around taking photos and jotting names down on reporters’ notebooks.
Reportedly, not all the surrounding parts of the city had a peaceful experience – anarchists dressed in black were arrested after burning a limousine, skirmishing with police, smashing plate glass windows at a Starbucks and harassing customers at an adjacent McDonald’s – for the most part the crowds were generally courteous and well behaved.
Ruth Roldan, from South Carolina, was standing against the temporary fencing as close to the podium as allowed. She fell in the courteous crowd.
An enthusiastic, “Oh, yes,” was her reply when asked if she was a Trump supporter. She was dressed in an American flag-themed top hat, scarf and sweater, with a Trump pin proudly secured for all to see.
Roldan said she won a $3 raffle ticket from a local radio station and couldn’t have been more excited to see Trump take office.
“I’m one of those adorable deplorables,” she said, with a big smile, her husband laughing behind her.
Kyle Favaloro, of St. Louis, and his father-in-law Joe Bowers, of Manhattan, Kan., were standing near the back of the ticketed area. They had on matching red hats and scarves – clear indicators of supporting Trump. For both, it was the first inauguration they attended. Favaloro said he got the tickets through his senator.
Laughing, Bowers said his son-in-law was getting major brownie points for inviting him to the inauguration.
Favaloro said he was just praying his wife, who was due the day of the inauguration, didn’t go into labor until they got back home.
“I’m just going to have to make sure I bring something good back for her,” he said with a big smile on his face when asked if the brownie points earned from the father-in-law was worth risk. “It’ll make a great push present.”
