Interview: Inaugural Inauguration

Being a  Frugal Yankee is not only about spending less. Equally important is enjoying life. The following interview is with two septuagenarians who are enjoying life and their recent trip to watch Barack Obama sworn in as President of the United States.

Last week, America celebrated the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Tens of millions of people watched it on television and nearly 2 million braved cold temperatures to see it in person. Two of the people who made the journey were Peterborough, New Hampshire residents Harold (Hal) and Charlotte (Char) White. The Frugal Yankee sat down with them about their journey.

Why did you decide to go to Barack Obama's inauguration?

CHARLOTTE: I was very active in the Obama campaign in Peterborough. As a result I was getting emails from David Plouffe who was keeping all the volunteers and supporters of Obama abreast of the inaugural plans. I became increasingly interested in going. I have a son living in Silver Springs, Maryland, just a hop skip and jump from Washington D.C. The idea of going began to grow. Around the same time, Representative Hodes started a lottery for inaugural tickets. We didn't win, but they did let us know there would be plenty of space for people to attend with large jumbotron screens on the Mall.

Had you ever been to a Presidential inauguration before?

CHAR: No.

Why not?

CHAR: I was never inspired before. This was the most I have ever been involved in an election. I had heard Obama early on in Keene. One of America’s biggest problem is race. We could not become a truly democratic country until significant steps to resolve the problem are realized. As his candidacy took shape, I saw him reshaping how America is viewed in the world and perhaps more importantly, reshaping how all people in this country could realize their dreams.

Obama finally wins the election. When did the light bulb go off and you decided to go to Washington?

HAROLD: When I read about the inauguration, 2 million people were expected to attend.. Obviously they were not 2 million tickets. It meant people could attend without them. We were fortunate to have a son living in the area. The biggest problem, having a place to stay, wasn’t an issue.  We could take the Metro into DC and walk to the inauguration. That was the light bulb moment.

Tell us about the trip into Washington on inauguration day.

CHAR: We were driven to the Metro station. We boarded a very packed train. Everyone was so polite and courteous. I soon as I got on, someone stood up and offered me their seat. It was amazing. People were laughing, talking with one another. It was like a celebration. It was a joyous occasion. Everyone was so happy.

HAL: I was struck by how many families were bringing their children. It was a younger crowd than I imagined, but it was well behaved. When the train stopped, we were about two miles from the Mall. We had to walk a fair amount. Streets were blocked off. As parts of the Mall filled up, they were closed.  We kept moving until we found one that had space for us. We ended up near the Washington Monument. We were pretty far away from the Capitol steps, but the big screens were easily seen. We situated ourselves near one with a decent picture and excellent sound. We wanted to be sure we could hear.

When Obama said, “So help me God” and had been sworn in as President, how did the crowd feel?

CHAR: People were crying. They were hugging each other. It was truly beautiful.

HAL: We had three generations with us, Matt our son and his son Everett. We had a group hug. Four people. Three generations. One moment in history. An impressive moment was the closing prayer. When asked for everyone to say ‘Amen’, everyone did. I never respond to those types of exhortations, but this time it seemed right.

Was this a religious sentiment?

HAL: Perhaps, but it felt more like that by saying “Amen”, all of us, all 2 million or so, were part of the ceremony. Our Amen was a unified declaration affirming the strength as a people.

So what happened next?

CHAR: It was over. Crowds flooded the streets. Inching their way to hotels, crossing bridges or making their way they came. It was time to go home.

It’s over. Barack Obama is the president of the United States and you saw and heard him being sworn in. When you think about it, what are your memories?

HAL: This was distinct from anything we every attended. It left us almost speechless. Anyone could attend this inauguration, and millions did. People understood that this was THEIR election, THEIR inauguration.  It was a tremendous demonstration of America’s greatness.

CHAR: There were so many people waving flags. I think it was Matt who said:  “I think we took our flag back.”  When the National Anthem was sung, when America the Beautiful was sung, you truly felt it. It was truly patriotic. America had become the America we dreamed of.

Next week the Frugal Yankee will return to being thrifty with an article entitled: V-Day Frugality, ways to show someone one you care and not break the bank.

From traditional tips to savvy perspectives, the Frugal Yankee knows how to enjoy life and spend less. Find out more by going to FrugalYankee.com. Be sure to check out Hollywood Breakdown in Gather's Movie Essential for some smart takes on the film business.