Reagan National Airport Jammed with Post-Inaugural Travelers

Posted by Caitlin Myers, 9:10 a.m. CST

Update from Reagan National Airport: Lines are out the door for some airlines. Everyone is trying to get out of the city ASAP. Luckily, US Airways isn’t too bad.

Daily Campus Inaugural Coverage

Meredith Shamburger of the Daily Campus filed a story and column from Tuesday’s inaugural festivities. Other Daily Campus coverage includes a story about SMU students gathering at Hughes-Trigg to watch the inauguration and a guest column by Daily Mustang managing editor Caitlin Myers.

Student Checks in From D.C. in Webcam Interview

Journalism student Elisabeth Brubaker checked in for a webcam interview from D.C. early Tuesday morning with SMU-TV’s Daily Update. (The interview begins at the 2:50 mark.) Check back Wednesday afternoon for a wrap-up interview with Elisabeth.

Parade Running Late, But Crowd Still Giddy

Posted by Elisabeth Brubaker, 3:04 p.m. CST

The parade is almost an hour behind schedule but everyone is still crowding Pennsylvania Avenue. I would pay big bucks to be one of the lucky few to see Obama get out of the car and wave directly at them. Wouldn’t anyone be excited?

It’s freezing outside but everyone is excited. It’s a new day, it’s a new year, and it’s a new president.

Parade Crowd Upbeat after Obama’s Speech

Daily Mustang staffers are now lining the parade route. Their latest text reports:

Caitlin Myers, 12:59 p.m. CST: The streets have lightened up and it’s amazing how peoples’ attitudes have changed since Obama’s speech…it’s as if everyone just needed a reminder of why we are all really here.
Caitlin Myers, 1:24 p.m. CST: People dressed in bear costumes are dancing in the street.

Mall Crowd’s Enthusiasm Inspires Student

Student Kaci Koviak found a spot in the very back of the Reflection Pond. Her latest text updates:

Kaci Koviak, 11:09 a.m.: You could never tell that it was freezing outside by the amount of cheering and enthusiasm from the crowds. I’ve never seen anything like it! Amazing.
Kaci Koviak, 11:16 a.m.: People are crying with joy. They truly believe that Obama will help make the quality of their life better. He’s officially been the president for five minutes.
Kaci Koviak, 11:34 a.m.: For some people, the cold and dread of insanely huge crowds at the Metro have already prompted them to start to filter out. One woman joked that the poem was better than Obama’s speech. Mostly, everyone seems to be having a good time.

Student Finds Spot on Mall

Posted by Elisabeth Brubaker, 10:35 a.m.

Mall is in gridlock, but most people are in good spirits. Found a spot on the mall. Wind is blowing, so we’re trying to use the crowd.

Teeming Crowds May Keep Some Students From Using Tickets

Posted at 9:24 a.m.
The huge crowds flooding the Capitol and Mall are making some SMU students change their plans. Caitlin Myers, who has a ticket to the standing-room section at the Capitol, called a few minutes ago and said the lines to get in aren’t moving. She and a companion may simply head for the Mall instead. Elisabeth Brubaker already has been turned away, while Jia Thomas says she still expects to get in because she has a ticket in the Governors Section. More text updates:

Caitlin Myers, 8:35 a.m.: Lines to get in to ticketed section haven’t moved in an hour and a half. Ambulances keep trying to get through packed streets.
Caitlin Myers, 9:13 a.m.: A 68-year-old lady got hit by a Metro and they have shut down the Red Line. And there was a terrorist threat yesterday, so that’s why lines are so backed up.
Elisabeth Brubaker, 9:16 a.m.: They turned us away with tickets. We’re watching from the TV, just like you.
Jia Thomas, 9:18 a.m.: Right now is insane. Rachel Russell and I have seated tickets. We went to the wrong side. We met some nice women who have seats where we do. It took us almost an hour to get where we needed to be.
Jia Thomas, 9:21 a.m.: We are currently having to walk the long way to our section. All direct routes are closed. The mall is completely shut down!
Jia Thomas, 9:24 a.m.: Just ran into Jesse Jackson in police escort.

First Dispatches From the Front Lines

Daily Mustang staffers are making their way to the Inauguration. Here are a few of their text reports:

Caitlin Myers, 7:41 a.m.: Walking through the city now. It’s constant police sirens and motorcades. Pretty much just mass chaos.
Caitlin Myers, 7:43 a.m.: Some streets are closed off, and it’s so weird to see people just walking everywhere.
Alan Rose, 7:54 a.m.: They will be scrambling the cell phone service before the ceremony starts. There are lines wrapped around street corners for people who have tickets. I have a yellow ticket and waited just around an hour to get it.
Caitlin Myers, 8:07 a.m.: Crowds are getting restless. There is zero crowd control. People are quickly losing their peace/love/Obama attitude.
Caitlin Myers, 8:30 a.m.: Overheard in the crowd: “If someone had a heart attack, they’d pretty much be a goner in this mess.”

Daily Campus Reporter Excited to Witness History

Posted at 7:45 a.m.

SMU journalism student Meredith Shamburger, news editor for The Daily Campus, reflects on her chance to take part in a historic moment in her dispatch for today’s DC. The student paper also has stories about the presidential oath and Lincoln Bible, as well as more details on the official SMU group taking part in the festivities.

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