1-20-09

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!!! I never thought that 1-20-09 would arrive. I remember when I first started seeing bumper stickers with that date and wanted time to fly by. I am so excited that America will have a new president. I plan on watching the inauguration from big screen TV's at the university and will be glued to my tv when I get home.

The picture above was taken January 7, 2008 when I took the day off from work and traveled to NH to listen to Obama speak. The traffic jam was unbelievable, the crowds were overflowing. Two young men protected me against the stampede of people going in through doors of the auditorium. Because I am older and mentioned I had driven several hours, I was given a front row seat reserved for VIPs in the balcony. Downstairs was standing room only. At the time, unbeknownst to me, there were protesters gathering in the balcony as well and were very disruptive before being kindly escorted out. It was such a thrill to be there!!

I wish I could be in Washington, D.C., to see history in the making but that is not possible. I envy those that are in spite of the huge crowds, etc. There will be a sense of unity. Today, Obama has a 77% approval rating.

I had already gone to listen to John Edwards (and who knew how that would fall!), as well as Hillary Clinton on two other days in my neighboring State of New Hampshire. I was an avid Clinton supporter but I must say that Obama has won me over with his plans on getting us out of the economic mess that we are in. I like his choice of cabinet members though he did diss Vermont's former governor and Democratic Chairman, Howard Dean, who in my opinion has gotten a bum rap.

It's been somewhat sad to see Bush on tv the last couple of weeks. He looks like he has aged so much, is very sad and especially lonely. I'm disappointed that in his eight years in office, Vermont is the only state in the U.S. that he has not visited. We were the forgotten people.