I was fortunate enough recently to have attended the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama. The good people at the Tuscaloosa News sponsored my trip and offered me a chance to write a full article about the event.
While I can't post it verbatim, that article can be found on this page. The photo to the right was taken near the Washington monument where we were standing; I think this shows fairly well what the situation was. The Mall was filled with people, nearly two million according to some sources. It was truly a powerful sight to see so many people coming together to witness a single event.
