This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

As Washington Gears Up For A Really Big Show, Historians And CBS' Bob Schieffer Look At Past Inaugurations

(CBS)  "Washington takes large gatherings, pageantry, the important and even the self-important in stride," says CBS News Chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer, "but Washington is getting ready for something remarkable - even for this town."

And it's not just the crowds, though the capital is bracing for as many as three million people, 10 times the number who came to the last presidential inauguration.

Washington's young mayor Adrian Fenty says for him, the swearing-in of Barack Obama will mean one thing, and for his children, another.

"For all of us as adults, he will be the first black president. But for his kids, and for kids like mine from all different races and backgrounds, he will just be the president," Fenty said. "They will not know a country that has never elected a black man as president. And so ... you won't grow up wondering whether or not this country is going to accept everyone at every position. You'll already know it."

The inaugural parade will pass just blocks from where riots broke out following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 - the same place where crowds celebrated Obama's election 40 years later. In a city where history is around every corner, this inauguration stirs thoughts of both the past and the days ahead.

There will be more people than have been seen before in Washington. Is that daunting?

"Daunting is a good word. Yes, it's daunting," said Linda Douglass, the spokesperson for Obama's inaugural committee, the group that coordinates everything from parade routes to port-a-potties.

"In this attempt to make the whole inauguration more open, we've opened up the National Mall for the first time in history, in anticipation of so many people coming to Washington ... who want to be part of this historical event, and want to be part of the sense of coming together," Douglass said.

For all the coverage that the Internet and television will provide, thousands upon thousands are determined not to be turned away, even though Mr. Obama himself has actually gone online to suggest people watch from home.

"You don't need to come," he says in a YouTube video.

"If anyone is paying attention to that, there's no sign of it yet," said CBS News presidential historian Douglas Brinkley.

"Who wouldn't want to say, 'I was there when Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.' Who doesn't want to be there when Barack Obama gave his inaugural?"

Brinkley said the mark that Mr. Obama made as an orator during the campaign has raised expectations sky-high.

"If you watch horse races, you like to see the horse you're betting on get out of the gate fast. And so, inaugurals are just that," Brinkley said. "You don't want to stumble out of the gate. That's the pressure on Obama."

Back in 1961, another young president felt similar pressure.

John F. Kennedy won the presidency by a whisker and faced many skeptics, but his memorable speech set the skeptics on their heels.

"We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage - and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

"This much we pledge - and more."

There have been 11 inaugural speeches at the Capitol since Kennedy; none has really matched the rhetoric of his speech.

According to William Safire, who helped write one of Richard Nixon's inaugural speeches, President-elect Obama should also be studying Franklin Roosevelt's 1933 address.

"'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself' blasts the unreasoning terror that was around. And you read that whole paragraph - that was a grabber. You had to listen to the rest of that speech," Safire said. "It's not the actual phrase, not the words. It's the moment in history that you seize."

More often than not, the greatest inaugural addresses have been delivered when the nation was in crisis, when the nation turns to the president for leadership.

In such times, policy statements have taken a backseat to presidential poetry. Think of the crisis Abraham Lincoln faced in 1861. National division was not just a metaphor; seven states had already broken away from the Union.

Yet Lincoln appealed to what he called "our better angels." The phrase did not stop the war, but it set the tone for his presidency.

"That's a poet at work," Safire said. "He was a great president, not only because he was a great writer, but (because he was) a great thinker, who could think those thoughts."

But if Lincoln's inauguration was a presidential highlight, history has seen more than its share of lowlights as well.

William Henry Harrison's speech is remembered mainly for its length. He spoke more than two hours in a driving rain, caught pneumonia and died after only a month in office.

Andrew Jackson's inauguration is famous for the drunken riot that erupted afterwards at the White House.

Writer Jim Bendat says some inaugurations were just embarrassing.

"James Buchanan had to have a doctor by his side at all times," Bendat said. "There was a little disease running around Washington at the time. They were calling it the Hotel Disease. Poor Buchanan had diarrhea on his Inauguration Day."

The ceremonies have evolved over time: even the origin of the closing line of the oath, "So help me God," is in dispute.

"The legend or the myth is that George Washington added those words following the inaugural oath in 1789. Yet no one ever wrote that he said those words until 65 years later, in 1854," Bendat said. "Maybe he said them, maybe he didn't."

Both Washington and Thomas Jefferson spoke at their inaugurations of their anxiety about taking the job, a position they said they were unworthy to hold. Don't expect such words to cross the lips of Mr. Obama or any other modern politician.

But Jefferson did express one thought in 1801 that any president would do well to remember: He said, "We may belong to different parties but we are all Americans."

That seems to be a common sentiment here in Washington - and that alone is a sign that change really may be coming to this town.

[lightnin001]

The least experienced, least qualified, least accomplished President-elect in history, with racist, anti-American, abortion extremist, and criminal associates, will be sworn in with the Bible of the greatest President this country ever had. This is truly an Obamanation and a desecration, a violation of the posessions of the dead. Obamanation is a term that will live for a hundred years or more. Just wanted to take a moment to remind everybody that the President-elect couldn''t have gotten a government job that required a security clearance otherwise because of some of his closest long-term associates. Yeah, I know, a lot of people don''t care, but I''m displaying my American Flag at half-staff today for the dishonor being done to President Lincoln and this country.

[tincup356]

It is something big all right,,,,,it will be the biggest crash ever ...happens right after another biggest ever.......robbery known to mankind.....The great Congresspiracy of America.....treason brought to you by the two parties you THOUGHT were against each other,,,,,,surprise...its bipartisan big time fraud aimed at breaking the middle class,,,,,,,something bigger will follow,,,,,the second revolution of America to return her to her rightful owners,,,,the people.

[tincup356]

140 million wasted dollars when we need to watch every penny......why are we wasting this kind of money,,,,if they can waste this like chump change....but they feel like we are getting rich off a 5oo dollar tax write off,,,,while they hand out billions like Halloween candy to their lobby dollar cronies.Washington is plumb full of high rolling airhead idiots who do not care about this country or her people,,,,,Yes you better Obama,,,,but so far it appears you are going to take the same route as everyone else has......grab all you can and scr*w the people.......the middle class is taking a huge hit Obama......I personally would not want to answer to those people if you dont come through,,,,,,,millions of mad broke homeless former middle class citizens might just want to talk to all of Washington....UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.....if ya know what I mean.

[lightnin001]

Can we pass a law right now to make Obama President for Life? Can''t we get the Pope to make him a saint? Isn''t it possible that he is the REAL Messiah? He''s bigger than Jesus! Yes, he can!!

[duffyn]

The media is giving this a lot of attention because the people are - dummies! Wake up, pay attention!

[marshall65]

"What is going on with the media? They are treating the inauguration of Barack Obama like it was the televised second coming of Jesus Christ! Its embarrassing"....That''s sour grapes. After 8 years of mis-guided, failed policies with a minimal number of successes, the U.S. needs to re-launch itself. A winning team does not take the field with sour expressions and feelings of ''we''re going to lose'', it needs to get hyped and positive with a Lombardi attitude. We''re going out there to win. Period.

[daffy64]

Why does everyone ignore the fact that he is 1/2 white and call him the first black president?
HIS MOTHER WAS A WHITE WOMAN!!


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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yawn. We know.

[daffy64]

If "the media" hypes this inauguration up anymore, my head is going to explode. I''''m going to watch the official inauguration and nothing else. Honestly, this is pissing me off. I hope President-Elect Obama does a great job, but I don''''t give a *** about the hoopla.

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I know. But let people have their party. After eight year of Bush, they need it.

[tripster101]

It was nice to watch the clip of Obama%u2019s train ride. Now, I wonder, if Bush rode out of Washington on a rail, which he should, Ha Ha I have to wonder how many people would be waving at him on his way to Texas.

[ballpen1]

Posted by blaesch at 11:38 AM : Jan 18, 2009

Yeah, it''s a bit thick, but that''s just the way we do things in our society, hyperbole is part of our lifestyle. I only hope we, the people, and the media don''t expect too much of him. Being on the cover of Spider-Man doesn''t mean you''re a superhero yourself :-)

BHO has the literaly "Thoughest Job Ever" ahead of him. If he turns out to be as good as we all hope they should really think about making room at Mt. Rushmore...