Watching Obama’s inauguration at home
Don’t worry if you aren’t brave – or lucky – enough to attend the historic presidential inauguration. There will be plenty of media coverage. Here’s a guide to making the most of watching the big event, and the little events leading up to it.
The theme
“Renewing America’s Promise.” Full details on the history of inaugurations and this year’s events can be found at the inaugural committee’s Web site, www.pic2009.org.
The big day
On Inauguration Day, if tradition holds, the Obamas will visit the White House in the morning before President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama ride to Capitol Hill together for the swearing-in ceremony.
The inaugural program begins at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time, and includes musical selections, an invocation, the swearing-in of the president and vice president, the inaugural address, a benediction and the playing of the national anthem, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee Web site. Obama will be sworn in at 9 a.m. Pacific time.
He will take the Oath of Office, then escort Bush to a departure ceremony and go to a luncheon in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.
The departure
Bush and his wife will leave the Capitol in a helicopter. Look for the wave.
The inaugural parade
The parade will begin after Obama’s lunch.
The weather
The National Weather Service was expecting morning clouds and afternoon sun with highs in the upper 30s and a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
The television coverage
Today
“We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.”
The free concert features top performers, including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Garth Brooks. Obama and his family are due to attend, with Obama expected to speak. The special will air tonight night on HBO. Cable and satellite subscribers who don’t have HBO will be able to watch free.
Monday
The Disney Channel will air a concert honoring military families, “Kids’ Inaugural: We Are the Future,” expected to be hosted by Michelle Obama. Entertainers include the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.
During the day, Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in community service activities.
Tuesday
Expect coverage all day Tuesday on the major networks. At night, many are planning specials. NBC’s Brian Williams will anchor a one-hour special that visits several inaugural balls. ABC will be on site at the “Neighborhood Inaugural Ball,” covering musical performances and the new president and first lady’s first dance of the night. CBS’ Katie Couric will anchor a special on Obama’s journey to the White House, then do a live Webcast reviewing the day’s events on CBSNews.com and CNET.com.
MTV will be broadcasting from the “Youth Inaugural Ball.”
Nick Cannon hosts “Yes We Will!: BET’s Inauguration Celebration,” featuring live shots from BET’s first inaugural ball.
On Fox News Channel, the inauguration will be the first big political event in years not anchored by Brit Hume, who has taken on a part-time role. Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith will be the main anchors.
The day after
The president, vice president and their families will participate in a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.
Pay attention to:
•The inaugural address. Obama’s speech probably won’t come near the length of William Henry Harrison, who spoke for about an hour and 45 minutes. (He caught a cold, and one month later he died of pneumonia.) Top inaugural speeches include those by John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
•The crowd reaction. Bush navigated the largest inaugural protests since Richard Nixon in his 2001 inauguration. Most were upset about the Florida election controversy. Four years later, thousands of people in dozens of cities across the nation protested, motivated by the war in Iraq.
•The trip from the Capitol to the White House. Jimmy Carter was the first president to walk all the way from the Capitol to the White House after the ceremony. What will Obama do, or what will the Secret Service allow him to do?
•Michelle Obama. Whether she wears a full-on ballgown or a sparse sheath – which seems to be her favorite silhouette – to the balls, it’s sure to influence what the rest of us will wear. She’s the darling of the fashion world right now, and the color, style and designer she chooses will probably enjoy a surge of popularity.