Good Morning!
The bagels are here, I'm wearing my "Vagina is for Lovers" t-shirt and pajama bottoms— I am READY for LIVE-BLOG-INAUG-ACTION!
—Watching Laura Bush's plastic frozen smile walking down the hall... holy shit. These people must not be able to go out for gas without a cloud of contempt following them everywhere.
The arrivals are so much more interesting than I expected. Did you see Ted Kennedy? Just made you cry to see him walk in, unaided, his same "let's get this done" walk. And meanwhile, Dick Cheney arrives in a wheelchair!
Lately I've been watching these costume dramas about the English and British courts of ye olde days,and this arrival/fashion parade has that same continuity-- the royalty display, the people's eyes upon them.
Okay, so my friend Jill just said Michelle is wearing a dress the color of her new "batter bowl—" but Jill! My dear, this color is the new Pantone Color of the Year; it's called Mimosa; it's sort of India Yellow, which you see on vivid display in Slumdog Millionaire.
Oh my god, here's REX. It's Obama, but he's not smiling and his eyes are RED. We're all screaming, "He's on the bong! He's been crying! He hasn't slept!" C'mon he can enjoy this! He thinks he has to be solemn, oh no, I want him to realize this is the one day he can really just have a WHALE of a time!
It's happening! How many people are here? How many showed up in previous inaugurations? You can see, I am way behind on my research. I know that for the first time in history, all the CAMPSITES in Maryland are booked up for the winter months.
Check out the big bulletproof glass screen.
And here comes Di-Fi. This is her party, she organized it— if you don't like the place-mats, you know which office to go to.
Rick Warren... I hate it already. I hope everyone understands at this point, it isn't just the sex thing, the gay thing; it's EVERYTHING. He is a deranged apocalyptic Baptist-rhetoric charlatan. And here's the new twist today: he's bombing on stage.
Speaking of phony, he's being introduced by Diane as a "Doctor." Now he is talking about FATHER, and how everything comes through his mumbo-jumbo. GOD THE FATHER loves everyone in his Mercy... that's his first gay-bait. Don't want any of your "mercy," you big-check hustler.
Now Warren's talking about how god made it possible for a black man to become president. How patronizing. Now god is going to give Obama wisdom, 'cause we can't expect him to think for himself. Heavens, bless-bless, American commitment to FREEDOM... do you want fries with that? Forgive us, oh Great White Father... fuck you, RICK WARREN!
Did you hear Pastor Gene Robinson yesterday, by comparison?
As for his prayer to a "God of our many understandings," Robinson said that was entirely deliberate. He told the Union Leader that he'd researched previous inaugural invocations and prayers and found them to be "aggressively Christian." He preferred a more inclusive route: "All I could think about when I read them was, 'My goodness, what does a Jew think hearing this? What does a Muslim think? What does a Sikh or a Hindu think?' Having been not included, as a gay man, in so many instances, the last thing I want to do is exclude any American from this."
He wanted to include everyone, for real, not this Christian TeePee Soaking. Icky Warren is So Full of Himself. Hardly anyone is clapping.
Whew— Aretha Franklin is next. BEST HAT. The first notes... I have goose bumps.
Joe Biden just took a man's face and kissed him on the lips. Wow. He is so happy.
This classical quintet is lovely, and they are the COOLEST people, the most hip performers on stage thus far. They are so happy, and it just shines! Aaron Copeland would be so proud.
Justice Stevens just blew the oath script! How funny! Obama has to put up with all these white bozos who can't even get the door open! But at least Barack relaxed. He realizes he's doing fine... little Mr. Homework is ready.
I want one of those little cannons to blow things up in my front yard! I saw them for sale at Restoration Hardware last 4th of July.
My living room posse is toasting Obama now; we have champagne glasses in hand!
Barack speaks...
Uh oh, I'm already a touch let down. This isn't going to be charismatic.
I, for one, do NOT thank George Bush for his "service to this office." It was a very nice Hawaiian-style thing to say. Aloha and good riddance.
O. just referred to war, and how we are fighting a "wide network of hate." Brother, Please. We are "fighting" a historical tradition of imperialism, machismo, and bigotry; and someone needs to pull the plug before Mother Nature washes her hands of us.
Is O. going to lighten up now? He just talked about the horrible economy without pinning any blame on the banking donkeys. It's as if this disaster just "happened" to us, like a thunderstorm.
Oh dear...It's not a "god-given" idea that men are equal; Mr. President; it is an idea of revolutionaries, human beings who had democratic ideals they died for. One more word about God and I'm going to throw up.
Whoa, he just made a reference to Vietnam— Khe Sanh...
View of surviving Tuskeegee Airman... goose bumps for me again.
"We will return science to its rightful place—" that's my favorite line so far. I'm putting on my School Cap right now!
Now he's talking about how we're the friend of any country who wants peace... like there isn't anyone who wants that. He says we, the U.S., are ready to "lead" the world again.
Oh, no. I am so done with the U.S. bossing around the world. "Slaughtering innocents"? We're neck deep in blood! Now he's baiting Hamas. I don't appreciate this Hawk-Talk. This whole Gaza experience is a disgrace with our country's name written all over the white phosphorous.
Wheee... Barack makes his first shout-out to atheists, although he can't bring himself to say that word. The "non-believers."
"Humility" is the big word today; it's been said about twenty times. Is this Orwellian word play, or prescient?
Now he's talking to "poor" nations... You know, we are half-banana-republic right now. The education system is shot. The roads are crumbling. Everyone is sick. Our food is poisoned. Give me a break. You go to other countries and realize this superior air is a complete fraud.
There is so much more talk in Obama's speech about war and battle than I expected. And religion. I guess you can tell I haven't been to many inaugurations. Everytime he says something in "God's name," I cringe. I don't want his blessing, or God's blessing, thank you very much. Opiate of the People, baby!
I doubt anyone will say Barack did anything wrong on this speech—it will be well-regarded— but this was a crap speech for him, and nothing memorable. No special catch phase, nothing that built, no climax. In that sense, disappointing. His speech on "Race in America" during the campaign was much more meaningful than this.
Now for the poet: Elizabeth Alexander. There was a hue and cry among poets over her... it was the "Rick Warren" freakout in poetry circles. I don't know her; but she is not considered "transcendant" among the poetry people.
Uh, now I can see why.
Her poem is a Big Nothing. Boy, was that crap. Paging Hallmark Cards!
Didn't upstage Barack's speech, which is saying something.
Joseph Lowery! So small, hunched— oh my goodness, his voice is amazing. His very tenor is more moving than anyone who's been on stage so far. He is also appealing to God, but he is poetic, he is artistic, if this is divinity, I I don't mind! Go ahead, be a Christian, but thrill in your lyric, and you'll have me!
Wow, Lowery is by far the best speaker today. He brings the words to what we felt in the classical musician's performance.
Lowery is spelling out poverty, the dispossessed and exploited, the greed and chicanery. He is beautiful. He is giving the love speech, he is speaking to the love crowd, as Otis Redding said. We go now to walk together, children.... no shit. We've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
"When yellow will be mellow!" He's getting all HIPPIE ON ME, BABY!
Finally, someone we can love. Even Barack has broken into a real smile. This is the kind of Christian leadership, and poetry, we can get behind! Fuck it, this guy was the Stealth Socialist.
The Navy Choir, now? Their square version of "The Star Spangled Banner" is not what I need right now! Swing is needed.
Note: I am sitting in my living room for the former Conga Player For this same Navy Band, 53-57, Casey Sonnabend. He needs to be in this group, today, he is just the bop this group needs! Anchors Aweigh!
The camera pans the celebrities in the crowd again. Hillary is happy, closeup on her blond highlights and blue coat with the Bolshevik collar.
And then, a CNN shot of someone with a sign that says: "Obama Must Speak in Morocco! Peace Now!" Huh? I've always wanted to visit Morocco, though, so I will agree with this sentiment.
The Sunday concert and events were more inspiring, a real good cry, compared to today... interesting. More communing with the people with the artists, less lecture. Philosophical instead of pedantic. It was anti-climatic today. Does it have to be stuffy? Is that the requirement for such ceremonies?
AFTERWARD:
Cheney is being wheeled away like Dr. Evil. It almost seems like he's being driven away in the limo to the funeral home. GOODBYE, YOU PSYCHOPATH.
George is doing his Yale Football Cheerleader thing! He gets through this regalia by treating it all like a sporting event. Off they go to Texas, don't let the flight suit hit you on the way out. The helicopter is lifting off. Wouldn't it be great if "God" dropped a giant shoe on them right now? It's amazing that this much time is being spent looking at Bush's ass disappearing into the sky.
The signing ceremony: Left-Handers are sobbing everywhere.
Hey, you patient readers, I just ran over to publish all your comments. I definitely needed some staff for this project; I'm so sorry to keep you waiting! They're all up now. Now I'm going to go run to the phones and publish the phoned-in comments.
Bart Dollhead, with sound effects:
Steve Harsin, who should be on national TV instead of the usual anchormen:
Anonymous, you are such a sweetheart; thank you:
Jon; on the Christian Over-Arch:
Chance; Enjoy it, babe!:
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Just heard news of Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd's sudden attacks... both whisked to hospital. This is seismic. The most eloquent men in our Senate, the last of a breed.
I have been shocked at Kennedy's ability to keep going, because the nature of brain tumors is that your "will" doesn't really come into it. The seizures are dramatic and the disintegration swift.
I believe Caroline Kennedy's interest in the Senate seat was set into motion by the impending death of her father-figure, Uncle Ted. I don't even think it's a matter of logic or grasping; it's simply that her grief over her father, mother, brother— and now uncle— leads her to do anything to fill this seat. Psychologically it "keeps them alive," and herself sane.
Of course, she's not the perfect choice.. although when you think of who's in the Senate, she's heads and shoulders above many. She's certainly no Ted or Byrd. But she is powered by these demons from the grave; this is how she is keeping her loved ones alive when the last of her immediate family is being extinguished as we speak. I have a dread that Mr. Kennedy will not make it through today.
Kimi; my girlhood sister-friend:
Todd; A Mighty Fine Day:
Mark; "The Best Thing Was That Helicopter Flying Away":
Reading Obama's speech brought one part into focus for me; this is the crux:
"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."
