OMB!

Yay yay yay! Today's the day! I don't think many people are doing much of anything at work. However, usual procrastination has been replaced by livestreams and CNN updates. There's a feeling of anxiousness and excitement, hope and emotion. I started with Hulu.com, which was providing live coverage. Even this normally intolerable station was enraptured by the spirit of the day, and the implication of history. I've since switched to MSNBC, and it's kind of hysterical. Matthews, Olberman, and Maddow are just no holds barred. My favorite line thus far was when Matthews said, "I think GWB is not interesting, and people will not want to hear about him after his presidency." I will be updating this through the day. And hopefully providing more photo updates care of equity partner, j-moad, and pumpernickle princess. Get excited kids because the change is gonna come...

Ongoing updates to follow...

• "There's a reason old people go South, the cold and the north is tough on the elderly" -Chris Matthews on G. HW. Bush looking quite old
• They get an embargoed copy of the speech. Off camera, Matthews can't contain himself..."Oh, it's so good! Look at it! Look!"
• The girls looks fabulous and age appropriate. Loves them. Malia is going to be so gorgeous, and Sasha is just too damn cute. How can I become the presidential nanny?
• Matthews just compared the scene to a Chia Pet. Um, what? Olberman can't hide his disgust..."Where are you going with this?"
• Rachel Maddow loves the ladies of the administration. "Jill Biden has her Ph.D. in education, and Michelle Obama, obviously, a high powered lawyer in Chicago."
  
• The crowd is singing "Goodbye" a la 8th grade basketball game. Hmmm, don't know how I feel about that.
• My office gathered in our main conference room, and it was a really great event. Just intense silence and a tangible sentiment of excitement.
• Some quick thoughts on the event: anyone else totally creeped out by Warren's "Sash-aaaah and Mali-yaaaaah"? We all giggled awkwardly.
• Aretha killed it. Her hat was certainly the most amazing thing about her. Also, I was really happy her cleavage was covered.
• There's a Hail to the Chief for VP's? Who knew?
• Michelle's brother is repping Princeton HARD with that scarf. Also, man, those Robinson kids look an awful lot like their mother.
  
• During the swearing in, couldn't you hear Michelle thinking, "C'mon Bar...you can do this. Pull it together." Update: Turns out that Justice Roberts is the one who dropped the ball and didn't say faithfully, and Barack gave him a chance to rectify himself, and then was a little thrown off for the rest of the oath taking.
  
• All in all fabulous and incredible. A proud moment. When the stock shots of the flags came up, I actually felt proud for the first time in a long time.
  
• When he finished his speech, President Obama didn't smile. You could see in his face that he was taking it all in, reflecting--if only for a hot second--as to what he just took on. As soon as he turned around and saw his family, the familiar smile crept back, and he was able to revel for a sec.
  
• The benediction was awesome, perhaps the best part of the whole affair.
• Tuning into the parade: Al Roker is standing on the parade route, and FREAKS out when Obama goes by. Mr. President just looks at him, and goes "It's warm!" Classic.
• The visual of Biden jogging at some points on the parade route are a pretty incredible juxtaposition to the Cheney being wheeled in to the earlier festivities. Also, Jill Biden is so sassy. Loves her.
  

After the inauguration was complete, I grabbed lunch with a friend on 130th street. Walking down 125th was amazing. People young and old alike--and literally all races, I think a bunch of tourists came to "Historic Harlem" to take in the scene--walked with flags and Obama gear. The sounds of his speeches have replaced the deafening raggaeton or rap that generally come from the guerrilla stereos that line the blocks. A guy jokingly hawked "Obama breathmints." There was just a sentiment of collective achievement and a sense of hope. This will fade over time, I'm sure, but the impact was palpable, and there is an element that core structure of race and politics has changed, and there's something truly amazing about that, you can't deny it, no one can.