On Tuesday, Jan. 20, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. I've collected some resources to help you cover the historic event.
Facts and firsts in inaugurations throughout history, including:
March 4, 1861
| Abraham Lincoln | Lincoln's cavalry escort to the Capitol was heavily armed, providing unprecedented protection for the President-elect. |
| March 4, 1865 | Abraham Lincoln | African Americans participated in the Inaugural parade for the first time. |
| March 4, 1873 | Ulysses S. Grant | Coldest March 4 Inauguration Day; the noon temperature was 16�F, with wind gusts up to 40 mph. |
| March 4, 1909 | William H. Taft | Inauguration took place in the Senate chamber because of blizzard; first time President's wife rode with President in the procession from the Capitol to the White House after Inauguration. |
| January 20, 1997 | William J. Clinton | First Inaugural ceremony broadcast live on the Internet. |
(Source: The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies)
Details about the big day, as listed on the official inaugural blog:
Festivities will commence at 10 a.m. on the west front of the U.S. Capitol and will include:
-- Musical Selections: The United States Marine Band, followed by The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus
-- Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
-- Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
-- Musical Selection: Aretha Franklin
-- Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will be sworn into office by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honorable John Paul Stevens
-- Musical Selection: John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet)
-- President-elect Barack H. Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln�s Inaugural Bible, administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
-- Inaugural Address
-- Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
-- Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
-- The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band �Sea Chanters�
After Obama gives his Inaugural Address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall. The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House with groups traveling from all over the country to participate.
There will be an inauguration feed on Twitter that will "post official logistical and scheduling information," including "the latest transportation, weather, and event information on Jan. 20, to help facilitate the best inauguration experience possible for you."
D.C. media coverageSome newspapers are planning to print increased copies and extra editions. Poynter's Steve Myers reports
The Washington Post's inauguration challenge is to deliver 1.72 million newspapers to the record crowd gathered in D.C.Covering the inauguration LIVE online
Newteevee.com reports:
C-SPAN will have the most extensive live Web coverage. It's using Mogulus to webcast a multichannel grid of inauguration activities from Saturday through Tuesday -- everything from events with the families of the President-elect and Vice President-elect to Bush departing the White House to the many inaugural balls.
Another interesting only-on-the-Web way to watch is through P2P app Livestation, where you can switch between a variety of international perspectives on the inauguration, including Al Jazeera English, the BBC World News, C-SPAN, euronews, and France 24. Info here.
The Hispanic-focused outlet Terra will show both Spanish and English Webcasts of the proceedings.
Hulu will also be streaming coverage, using Fox Broadcast's stream from 12-2 p.m. EST. The site's player is embedded above. Bonus: the inauguration will be available on-demand after it ends.
Some networks will include
inaugural Facebook features in their coverage. Newteevee.com, for example, says:
Fox News will show its "The Strategy Room" webcast "throughout the day," according to FOXNews.com, and it will be hosting a discussion of the day's events on its Facebook page.
CNN will be streaming the Inauguration on CNN Live, and it will incorporate Facebook status updates from users logged onto Facebook Connect at CNN.com. It will also feature an on-camera anchor live at the Facebook offices to report on trends and anecdotes from users' inauguration-related activities.
Advertisers have been busy preparing for the inauguration, too.
USA Today reports:
- Pepsi. Pepsi crews will hit the streets of D.C with product samples, as well as scarves, hats and buttons that read "Hope" and "Change." Ads with the new Pepsi logo appear in outdoor ads with such Obama-isms as "Yes, you can." [See logo comparisons]
- Dunkin' Donuts. Red-white-and-blue-sprinkled "Stars & Stripes" doughnuts will be sold in the chain's stores nationwide through Jan. 23 for 89 cents. The brand's blogger, Dunkin' Dave, also will tout the doughnuts on social-networking site Twitter.
- QVC. The TV shopping network has paid a fee to broadcast live on Inauguration Night from a glitzy ball hosted by The Creative Coalition, a political advocacy group founded by TV star Alec Baldwin, and sponsored by Pepsi.
Stuff to buyAdditional resources
