UWIRE at the Inauguration

Obama on inauguration night

UWIRE's Jason Zone Fisher catches a glimpse of President Barack Obama at one of the several balls Tuesday evening.

Inauguration reaction

Students from across the country and around the world react to President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Iowa State students, Iowa National Guard help secure D.C. event, streets

By Heather Johnson & Rashah McChesney, Iowa State Daily

WASHINGTON D.C. — Iowa State University students were among 10,000 National Guard members called to duty in Washington D.C. for President Barack Obama’s inauguration Tuesday.

Members of the National Guard from across Iowa began patrolling the streets of D.C. at 11 p.m. Monday and expected to remain at that post until well into the evening Tuesday, if not early into Wednesday morning.

Specialist Sunjo Chang, sophomore in pre-business, said he arrived in Washington D.C. after being called to duty a week prior.

“We’re just helping out local authorities and making sure the inauguration goes smoothly and safely,” he said of his responsibilities this week and the tightened security for the event.

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Talking history with Louis Stokes

UWIRE's Jason Zone Fisher talks with Louis Stokes about what Tuesday's inauguration means to African Americans. History Comment: Web Alerts: Web Alert Settings: Web Alerts are disabled.   Email From Address not specified.   Default Message not specified.   Unsubscribe Message not specified.   Opt Out message not specified.   No subscriptions are enabled on the folder.

Pedestrians pile up outside D.C. Metro

By Gabrielle Bluestone and Lexi Dagan, The GW Hatchet

Lines outside the Foggy Bottom Metro stop were stretching around the station and more than 50 feet down the block as of around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The long lines began around 1 p.m. as revelers began departing the National Mall, Metro worker Jibril Baith said.

“The platforms are filling up faster than the trains can pick people up,” he said.

Though crowds waiting for the Metro have overflown into the street, blocking the hospital, National Guardsman Brendan Swanson said security hasn’t been a problem.

Welcoming Barack Obama

 
Nick Gingold/The GW Hatchet

Inauguration impacts universities’ schedules

By Laura Hoffman, Cavalier Daily

The University of Virginia’s decision to cancel classes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday reflects a compromise between the challenge to continue regular course schedules and to allow participation in today’s inauguration ceremonies. University of Virginia is not the only higher education institution facing these schedule challenges; some colleges and universities had to determine whether inauguration would affect exam schedules.

At Harvard University, for example, a revised schedule of exams will continue today despite some students’ protests.

Harvard sophomore Jason Shah created an online petition and Facebook group “Petition for Make-Ups of Harvard College Exams on Inauguration Day 2009.” The petition proposed to allow students to take exams Sunday before today’s inauguration or offer students the opportunity to do alternative projects instead of a traditional in-class exam, Shah said.

Although about 600 people signed the online petition and almost 300 joined the Facebook group, Shah said the efforts were ultimately unsuccessful because administrative officials did not allow the requested alternatives.

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Moving the Obama family into 1600 Penn. Ave.

UWIRE's Jason Zone Fisher talks with Mark Lindsay of Barack Obama's Executive Office transition team about the move on Tuesday.

Working the (social networking) room at inauguration '09

By Laurie White, UWIRE correspondent

WASHINGTON - The president-elect who sent a text message to supporters on the night of his victory saying "all of this happened because of you, Barack" has been called the social media president months before his swearing-in. His inauguration - a Twittered, YouTubed, blogged and Flickrd celebration - has turned into a social networker's days-long dream.  

The Obama campaign used interactive technology like text messages and blogs early on to connect with voters, culminating in "my.barackobama.com," a site where users could post their own page with links to local events and volunteer efforts. During inauguration week, Obama's team has continued to send text messages, this time centered around Monday's National Day of Service that coincided with the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday's message said "Thank you for volunteering today. It's time to wake up," and encouraged folks to dress warmly and smile because, again, "we are making history."

The Obama team isn't the only communications driver, picking up its tech-savvy focus from millions of people who communicate with an array of devices and software applications. The masses gathered in D.C for the occasion and millions across the world are chiming in as only the Internet can allow.

Stanford student raps to inauguration

By Megan Doheny, Stanford Daily

For most, getting tickets to the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama can depend on a first-come-first-served basis, but Amani Green, Stanford Univeristy ‘12, is going based on a creative rap video she made in her dorm room.

Inspired by the way in which Obama engaged the public over the Internet, Congressman Mike Honda of California’s 15th District (which encompasses Silicon Valley) decided to allocate tickets to constituents through two online programs. One program focused on educational initiatives and another on Facebook, which Green won by submitting her video.

“Originally, I had planned on granting a pair of tickets to the most deserving entry from each of the two programs,” Honda said in a letter to constituents published on his Web site. “As the creativity and thoughtfulness of these submissions from my Silicon Valley constituents became evident, I realized it would be impossible to choose just one entry from each program. In the end, I provided tickets to 10 constituents who submitted entries.”

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