Around Spokane
Brian Birren didn't vote for Barack Obama in November, but he was so happy the 44th president was being sworn in Tuesday that he handed out small American flags in the doorway of the Lincoln Barber Shop in the downtown Spokane Skywalk where he works.
Birren, who has worked at the shop for about 15 years, said he knew more about Republican Sen. John McCain on Election Day. But since then, he's read or heard some of Obama's speeches, and likes what he heard.
"It seems in my heart, I should've vote for him," Birren said of Obama.
Last night he went to Wal-Mart and bought 100 small flags. About an hour after Obama finished his speech, Birren had given out nearly 60 to people passing through the Skywalk system.
"Today's a great event," he said.
Chris Haggberg at the nearby Daily Bread Cafe said she watched parts of the speech with some of the breakfast "regulars" on a television monitor in the seating area across the hall, and listened to the rest of it on the radio in the cafe's kitchen.
"I thought it was a great speech," she said ...
"I'm anxious to see what he can do. Just seeing all those people was phenomenal"
Scott Haggberg, her husband, got to watch the speech at home, before coming in to handle the luncheon rush. He agreed that it was amazing to see a sea of peaceful people on the mall. He was part of a Promise Keeper's march in 1996, which reportedly brought an estimated 1 million to the Mall, but this crowd was even bigger he said.
"I've been a big Obama supporter, even though I'm a Republican," he said. "He seems ready to lead."
Ths inauguration reminded him of Ronald Reagan's 1981, because both seemed to be ushering in a new era, but with one switch, Scott Haggberg said. Reagan seemed to be calling for tearing down exterior walls, such as the Berlin Wall that separated East and West Germany. Obama seemed to be calling for tearing down interior walls, for people to look inside themselves and take actions to help others.
Marcus Riccelli of Spokane watched the speech with a slightly different perspective than most other residents. While most citizens cast a ballot on Nov. 4 for Obama or McCain, it was Riccelli's vote on Dec. 15 that helped put Obama in the White House.
Riccelli was the representative to Washington State's Electoral College from Eastern Washington's 5th District. Although he thinks he may regret some day that he wasn't in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, he'll never forget casting that ballot on Dec. 15.
An aide to Sen. Maria Cantwell and a veteran of many local campaigns, Riccelli has heard more political speeches than most Spokane residents. He recalls listening to President Clinton's inaugural speech in college, and Reagan's speech as a youngster. He rated Obama's inaugural address as exceptional.
"There's just so much hope and now there's a real call to action to back that up," he said. "I think this is going to translate into action. I personally was looking for that message, and my ears heard it, loud and clear."
Curt Fackler, the outgoing chairman of the Spokane County Republican Party, also gave the speech high marks. He worked hard for John McCain and other GOP candidates for the year leading up to the Nov. 4, but that didn't matter on Tuesday.
"I love politics. I love the country. To see all of those people so happy, it's like when Reagan came in, there's going to be a change in the country," Fackler said.
In 1981, Fackler watched Reagan's speech as a young Air Force captain, a navigator for a B-52 pulling ground alert at a Strategic Air Command base in Maine, "Things were not good then, and I remember getting a new commander-in-chief."
On Tuesday he looked at all the young faces in the crowd on the National Mall and thought "this is their time in history."
He also was happy to see the Obamas and the Bushes giving each other hugs and handshakes. Some countries change leaders with guns in hands and tanks in the streets. America changes leaders with millions in the National Mall and a parade through the capital.
"We're the only country in the world where that happens," he said.
