http://www.statenews.com Current and former State News reporters blog about their preparation and coverage of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20. en-us Gryphon 2.2.3b-tsn (woodward)/Foundry5 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:32:39 -0500 webmaster@statenews.com http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/history_is_here Washington – I realized today how much the election meant to people. Not only because Barack Obama is black, not only because George W. Bush was an unpopular president, not only because Obama has promised to revive America’s downward spiraling economy. Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:32:39 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/history_is_here http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/inauguration_crowd_are_no_hype Washington – My prediction that the inauguration crowds were a little over-hyped was off — by a long shot. Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:11:36 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/inauguration_crowd_are_no_hype http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/lansing_pastor_visits_with_future_congregation_in_dc Washington – Sunday morning, before heading out into the crazy crowds of Washington, D.C., we decided to head over to Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ in northwestern D.C., to catch up with the Rev. Michael Murphy. Murphy, the founding pastor of St. Stephen’s, in Lansing, will become the ninth pastor of the 118-year-old church in February. Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:55:36 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/lansing_pastor_visits_with_future_congregation_in_dc http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/swearing-in_ceremony_will_be_mayhem Washington D.C. — Tomorrow’s the big day. Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:38:02 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/swearing-in_ceremony_will_be_mayhem http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/solidarity_peacefulness_emminate_among_dc_crowds Washington, D.C. – Sunday officially kicked off inauguration week. And although the crowds only accounted for a fraction of the numbers that are expected to pour into D.C. by Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony, the scene in downtown D.C. was something like an MSU tailgate, times 100. The interesting thing about the crowd, which usually isn’t the case at Spartan tailgates, was the solidarity and peacefulness. Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:17:21 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/solidarity_peacefulness_emminate_among_dc_crowds http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/advertisers_play_off_obama_success Washington, D.C. – Is it just me, or is Pepsi’s new logo oddly similar to Barack Obama’s campaign logo of a blue “O” with red and white stripes through the middle, reminiscent of the American heartland? Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:37:03 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/advertisers_play_off_obama_success http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/unity_among_strangers_in_an_unfamiliar_city Washington, D.C. – There’s definitely something to be said for the term “safety in numbers.” Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:55:58 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/unity_among_strangers_in_an_unfamiliar_city http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/inaugural_balls_abound_but_not_all_are_official Washington, D.C. — Considering hotels for the inauguration are booked as far away as Philadelphia, I thought it would be impossible at this late date to find a ticket to an inaugural ball – but then I turned on the TV. Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:58:26 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/inaugural_balls_abound_but_not_all_are_official http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/security_preparations_visible Washington, D.C. — I walked over to the White House on my lunch break to see how parade preparations were coming along. Before the familiar landmark came into view I was met with barriers, gates and police tape. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:42:10 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/security_preparations_visible http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/inaugurations_historical_value_merits_hype_celebration The Presidential Inauguration Committee may have cut back on expenditures for this inauguration to avoid the risk of seeming overindulgent in a tight economy — but that’s not changing the tone of what is expected to be the most widely attended and televised inaugural ceremony in history. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:08:23 -0500 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/blog/inauguration_blog/2009/01/inaugurations_historical_value_merits_hype_celebration