America's Inauguration (Part 3 of 6)

Two enormous mugshot-like photographs stared across the south lawn of the White House from the façade of the Corcoran gallery. Reagan and Obama. White and black bookends to a contemporary middle-aged life. Inside, the Avedon exhibit began with images from the tumultuous 1960s and marched through a stunning five decade parade of American diversity. Visitors to the exhibit could not escape feeling that they were somehow about to witness a climax of that procession.

Celebrities of all stripes were determined to be at ground zero and the hoi polloi responded. Cottage industries sprang up around star sightings and speculation about WWOB (Where Will Oprah Be?)

A measly few hundred thousand folks showed up at the Lincoln Memorial the Sunday before the inauguration for a concert featuring A list musical performances of all genres interspersed by inspirational readings from mostly A list actors and, somewhat strangely, comedians. (“George Lopez?” gasped some in the masses assembled far back in the shadow of the Washington Monument. Was that the highest ranking Latino to be found? And what was with selection of that noted patriot Jack Black?)

People of all ages, shapes and colors swayed back and forth in the cold as they sang along to the likes of Garth Brooks and Stevie Wonder projected on the giant screen video monitors scattered across the National Mall. The biggest reactions were saved for the occasional shot of Obama himself seated in the front row, head bobbing to the vibe. The mounting spirit of conviviality was so strong that when Bono – the only performer to stray from what was clearly a carefully choreographed script – uttered something brief about injustice and Palestinians, the crowd reaction was a collective sigh as if to say: “What? Are you trying to spoil the party?”

Even that most ubiquitous of species – the Washington DC protestor – was in short supply. A small band with a sign warning “baby killing women, porno freaks, sports nuts, drunks, homos, Jesus mockers, and Mormons” that judgment is coming was overwhelmingly reviled by the passing masses

Indeed, good will quickly became the norm. Lines and inconveniences that would ordinarily incite road rage were largely greeted with good humor by visitors who appeared just happy to be there for something like this. There was one exception: Any mention of the word “Bush” was nearly certain to elicit displays of visceral partisanship. It would appear that the new politics of inclusion were not quite ready to include authors of the politics of division that preceded them. As the former president’s helicopter lifted off from the Capitol building after the inauguration, some of the salutes offered by the dispersing throng were not suitable for a family newspaper.