Looking back, Looking forward

I was just reading an article on CNN about how most of the hotel rooms in D.C. are already completely booked for the Obama Inauguration (or as I like to call it "The Rapture"). The article instantly transported me back to a time of hopelessness and darkness. The year was 2005, the month January. It was a bitterly cold and snowy week in our nation's capital. I found myself standing on the lawn of the Capitol Building surrounded by thousands of screaming and cheering lunatics. No, I wasn't at a rock and roll show; I was at the Inauguration of George W. Bush. How does a bleeding heart liberal such as myself find themself at a Republican lovefest? Well, first of all I never say no to a party. Secondly, it was a chance to go undercover into the dark underbelly of the Republican Party. I wanted to see how Bush and his crew really operated. Questions flew through my mind: Could Rove pull off a killer party as well as he pulled off that killer campaign? Would Ashcroft serenade the crowd with "Let the Eagle Soar"?, would the Bush twins get so drunk that they appear in a Girls Gone Wild film? Serious questions need serious answers and I was prepared to find out the truth.

I had an invitation and a date. My dear college friend Kevin was working for Rep. Fred Upton at his D.C. office and asked me to fly down for the long weekend and experience history first hand. Not only did he have tickets to the actual Inauguration, he also had tickets to the Inaugural Ball! Thoughts of Cinderella and glass slippers raced through my mind -- I had never been to an actual Ball before! And a Republican Ball is still a Ball...just maybe a tad more conservative. The pressure was on to find the perfect ball gown. Kevin instructed me to purchase something long and extremely formal, so I knew that next to my wedding dress this was going to be the fanciest gown I ever wore. I was seeing sparkles and beads and satin and big poofy skirts! I was clearly on crack. I decided to purchase a large, satin, beaded, violet colored gown -- witness the photo.

I don't think I have to tell you that that dress in the dress bag weighed at least 10 pounds. I was wholly unprepared to lug that thing through two of the nation's busiest airports, onto a very small airplane and across the city lines to Virginia. The friendly flight attendant struggled for 10 minutes to fit the bag into the airplane closet to no avail. Finally, she relented and gave it back so I could prop it up on the empty seat next to me. The dress and I had a very comfortable flight and I was shocked to find it in one piece when I finally arrived at my destination in Alexandria. Kevin and I had a great time exploring Alexandria and D.C. for a couple days before the main event. It was actually incredibly cool to be there during a major historical event such as an Inauguration. I had a hard time shaking that creepy feeling that any large group of Republicans gives me, but after a couple days I was fitting right in. Rep. Fred Upton welcomed me into his offices and even gave me an autographed photo. Kevin took me on a really cool tour of the Rayburn House Office Building and the underground tunnel that connects it to the Senate building. We saw all the Senate offices and walked through the Library of Congress as well as the Senate Chamber. It was a whirlwind of American history. That night I went to bed early with plans to wake up before dawn so we could get the best spot on the Capitol lawn.

It was freezing and I was wearing a goofy hat, but nonetheless the Inauguration went on as planned. I might have been the only person in attendance who didn't brutily boo John Kerry as he was announced as a Senator to the crowd. At some point I think the temperature overtook my body and I completely froze standing up. All I remember of Bush's speech are the words "freedom" and "liberty" used over and over again. He could have been reciting the Pledge of Allegiance for an hour for all I know. Once that was over it was on to a private brunch for Fred Upton. Swanky food and swanky company followed by a few swanky mimosas. I tried to be a good Democrat and not act too excited as the day progressed, but I couldn't pretend not to be excited about my first real life Ball that evening. Back in Alexandria I must have spent two hours getting into the dress and doing my own hair (the horror!)...poor Kevin was ready to go in 10 minutes. Our car arrived and we headed to the National Museum of American History. I'll never forget the feeling of walking up those museum stairs, snow falling all around, and my giant violet ball gown swishing as I tried not to trip on it. It was a magical moment. Maybe the Republicans really weren't so bad after all. Maybe they really knew how to throw a party and maybe I was going to have the best night of my life! That's when I saw Donald Rumsfeld. The guest of honor was Rummy. I was suddenly snapped back from the brink of letting this whole conservative gala get to my head...reality came back into focus. I was there on a covert operation and the rest of the night must be spent snickering at all the greed and excess I was witnessing with my own two eyes. So what if I had 10 free top shelf drinks and a plate of shrimp cocktail so high I could barely see over it. I was sabotaging their party by drinking all of their booze! I did my best party frown during Rumsfeld's speech and tried hard not to shake my booty to the live band. It was an exercise in self control.

Looking back I realize how fortunate I was to attend a Presidential Inauguration, no matter who was being inaugurated. It was a fun-filled long weekend in D.C. and one that I'm sure I'll never forget. My only regret is that I can't relive the experience for a President that I actually voted for. Now that would be a party!