Elon students, alumni a presence at inauguration

Olivia Hubert-Allen
Senior Reporter

Washington, D.C. – Given a long weekend, a beige minivan and a free place to stay in Washington, D.C., Marshall Sharpe and Shane Morris knew what they had to do: pack up the van, spend some quality time on Interstate 95 and see America’s 44th President get sworn into office.

It’s not the typical way that Elon students spend Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, but it is one that many say they will fondly remember. Elon made a definite mark at the inauguration this year, as students and alumni made small sacrifices of time, gas money or bedtime comfort to attend the event.

“I think it’s one of those once in a lifetime opportunities,” said Megan Farrell a 2008 graduate. “I live right in the middle of it all.”

Farrell walked from her apartment in nearby L’Enfant Plaza to the national mall at 3 a.m. Tuesday morning to stake out a good spot. Her efforts paid off and she got as close to the stage as a non-ticked spectator was able.

Other students weren’t in such a convenient location, but were glad to attend anyway. Sharpe and Morris drove their van from Elon to Trinidad, a neighborhood in the northeastern part of the city. They stayed with Sharpe’s sister and were able to make a long, 6 a.m. hike to get to the inauguration on time.

“Being young and in college, you have to take an opportunity to be a part of this,” Marshall said.

A few Elon students showed up at Sen. Kay Hagan’s (D-NC) office to try and get one of the leftover inauguration tickets that her staff was handing out. Juniors Brandy Sparks and Iris Versmissen spent several hours in the hallway outside of Hagan’s office on Monday. The two were in D.C. with the teaching fellows program, and have marveled at how the city had transformed during their two weeks there.

“Everyone is so excited here. The energy is just crazy,” Brandy Sparks said. “It’s just exciting to be a part of something so big.”

Brad Hartland, a 2008 graduate also tried to get tickets from Hagan, but gave up quickly after he learned they were no longer accepting names for the waiting list. In the end his roommate pulled through with an extra ticket and he was able to get a close-up view of the inauguration. Hartland says that having recently moved to the area, he has a unique take on the three-day celebration.

“I feel like I’m getting to see it from the perspective of a resident because I live here now, but also as a tourist because it’s my first time being here for an inauguration,” he said.

No matter what Elon students or alumni went through to see the inauguration, they were all pleased to be a part of a moment that will live on in American history.

“For our generation, a lot of things have happened, but very few things have happened that we’ve been able to be a part of, especially politically,” Farrell said. “I feel a responsibility to my children and grandchildren to go.”

Inauguration concert sets tone for festivities

By Olivia Hubert-Allen
Posted to elon.edu last night

Bundled head to toe in mittens, long underwear, scarves and hats, thousands swarmed the National Mall on Sunday for an unprecedented inaugural concert that set the tone for the three-day inauguration party in Washington, D.C. Spectators clustered together from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to beyond the Washington Monument to witness a star-studded event that felt part pep rally, part Woodstock with a hint of a history lesson in the mix.

President-elect Barack Obama’s entrance drew cheers, applause and tears from the audience that has come from around the world to see him become America’s first black president.

“Robert Kennedy once said ‘Forty years from now there will be an African American president of these United States … well Barack Obama is the fulfillment of that prophecy and that dream,” said Ruthie Stevenson of Mount Clemens, Mich. who serves as president of the Macomb County Branch of the NAACP. The 62-year-old said she never thought she would see this day.

A host of artists performed songs, beginning with Bruce Springsteen who opened the concert with “The Rising,” which he wrote as a tribute to firefighters following Sept. 11, 2001. Between musical performances politicians, celebrities and everyday people spoke about past presidents, service and unity, serving the concert’s theme, “We Are One.”

Audience members hung from trees, sat on each other’s shoulders and climbed on top of portable toilets to get a better view of flag adorned stage. At the chorus of “Ain’t that America,” by John Mellencamp or “Lean On Me,” by Mary J. Blige viewers sang along, dancing to the familiar tunes. James Taylor joined together with John Legend to perform Taylor’s hit, “Shower the People,” and Sheryl Crow and Will.i.am collaborated to cover Bob Marley’s famous, “One Love.”

Though many came for the music, the highlight of the night for many was Obama’s speech which addressed the hardships that the country faces. Speaking with a sense of purpose and resolve Obama explained his hopes for the future.

“Despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead — I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure — that the dream of our founders will live on in our time,” Obama said, noting the things about America that make him hopeful.

Despite the turmoil in the world’s economic markets, the Iraq War or the situation in Gaza, few people spoke about the problems that will certainly plaque the first months and years of the Obama administration. Instead conversations took an optimistic tone as attendees reveled at the historic moment they were witnessing.

About 400,000 spectators looked up at Obama, their cheeks red and chapped from the cold, but their eyes bright and eager. The enthusiasm of the masses made it clear that this party will go on – no matter what.

“I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see a black president in the United States,” said Gregory Floyd of Germantown, Md. “There’s so many people coming out to see this. It’s wonderful, just wonderful.”

For Pepsi, inauguration means $$$

Pepsi is taking over the inauguration.

It may seem unlikely, and it may be hard to believe, but I saw it for myself today on the streets of D.C.

The banners on the right are above the entrance to Union Station.  Do they look familiar?  Do they look like they fit right in here at inauguration?  That’s because they do.  Pepsi’s new advertising campaign is startlingly similar to that of Obama’s, meaning the ads like those at Union Station are practically camoulflaged into the rest of the pro-Obama messages around the city.  It’s only when you look a little harder that you realize the sign is a Pepsi ad.

Take, for instance, the new Pepsi logo.

Remind you of the Obama logo on the right?

Walking on the mall today, a man in Pepsi gear shoved six small buttons into my hand, all with the word “JOY” on them with the Pepsi logo.  Some of my friends got Pepsi hats and stickers with similar messages.

Printing an Obama-like logo alongside Obama-reminiscent words such as “Hope” and “Joy” in a font strikingly similar to that used in old Obama ads?  Sounds like Pepsi has found itself a recipe for big checks…er…success.

-Alyse Knorr

Tourists vs. Residents

For me, one of the most trying aspects of covering the inauguration this weekend has been answering the question everyone asks everyone else during the long lines, waits and metro rides: “Where are you from?

It’s not that I’m ashamed of my Elon residence, and it’s not that I don’t love my hometown of Atlanta, either. The problem is that hailing from anywhere other than D.C. this weekend makes me, undeniably, that breed of spectator considered by true D.C.-ites to be both cluless and annoying, constantly disoriented and constantly in the way

I am a tourist.

The shame I feel at my non-D.C.-resident status is rooted in the fact that I spent three months living in the city over the summer doing an internship. By the end of my stay, I considered myself a true resident – at least true enough to get as annoyed at confused tourists as the rest of the Washington crowd.

During my weekend in D.C., I’ve been staying with two residents in the Van Ness neighborhood who have already expressed their annoyance at the tourists sweeping in, taking over their city, and leaving immediately after.

“I don’t even like the word ‘tourist,’” said Kale, a neighbor of the friends I’m staying with, last night as we drove to the only spot in Dupont Circle where we thought we could avoid tourists.

So what is it about them? The crowds they create, for one thing – tourists tend to flock to certain areas together, and they can create thick throngs on the regular routes D.C. residents use every day.

Then there’s the metro issue. There is a certain etiquette to the D.C. metro: a set of unspoken rules such as staying to the right when riding the escalator, standing to the side of the doors of an unloading car and keeping quiet and respectful on the trains themselves. Tourists, of course, don’t know these rules. This annoys D.C.-ers to no end.

Julie, one of the friends I’m staying with in D.C., missed a train today because tourists on the escalator wouldn’t move to the right while standing on an escalator.

“I said excuse me and they didn’t move to one side, they just moved to either side and I had to just squeeze through the middle,” Julie said. “It’s not something they would know, but I just got so mad.”

Ultimately, the tourist pest isn’t something that’s disgusting or enraging to D.C. residents – just a mild annoyance they already put up with during summer field trips and Fourth of July festivities.

Being so annoyed at the tourists isn’t a personal thing – honestly. It’s more of a way of life for D.C. residents. It’s a common, uniting that all residents share, and it’s a way of proving one’s true loyalty to the thread city.

In the end, the tourists will all leave and the escalators and metro cars will be free for true-blue D.C.-ites to claim their own again. But until then, they will gripe about them to make themselves feel better – feel more at home in their city, that is.

Catch one metro rider on a crowded train of tourists rolling her eyes at another metro rider and the other smiling back – you’ve just found two D.C. residents showing, in their own protective way, how much they love their city.

-Alyse Knorr

Hubert-Allen: My first impression, Saturday

It is three days before Barack Obama is scheduled to be sworn in as the 44^th President of the United States, and Washington, D.C. is already abuzz with excitement. Tourists stroll around The Mall with a newfound vigor and purpose as they snap photos of the empty space where millions will soon watch the historic event. Couples stand with cameras and outstretched arms in front of the thousands of chairs set up before the stage. Children run around happily, unaware and unbothered by the significance of their geography. And police officers answer visitor’s questions about Tuesday’s security measures – no bags, no pets.

Perhaps it is the frigid temperatures, or the anticipation of a crowd, but there are not as many people visiting the U.S. Capitol this Saturday as I might have expected. Those who are here just want to get a glimpse of the stage that they know they will be far from when Tuesday rolls around. Authorities are expecting as many as 2 million visitors. Most inaugurations draw about 1 million, with the largest inauguration, Lyndon B. Johnson’s, drawing 1.2 million. But for now, the Mall is mostly empty. Even the bicycle taxi drivers complain about the low numbers.

For those who are surrounding the Capitol, the feeling in the air is one of unity and calmness – like just before the storm. It’s a similar feeling to going to the grocery store just before a hurricane – everybody’s a tad excited, a little anxious and nobody knows what to expect. Electricity fills each empty space.

It’s going to be an interesting weekend.

N&R Reporter Kicked by Palin Supporter after Speech

A reporter from the Greensboro News & Record was kicked following Sarah Palin’s speech Thursday. Read more about it here:

http://blog.news-record.com/staff/capblog/archives/2008/10/report_from_pal.shtml

Palin at Elon

A group of Palin supporters show their support in football stadium fashion. Photo by Shelley Russell.

Palin supporters have hit the university campus with their own sense of fashion. A sea of red shirts, blouses and ties doesn’t look too far awry from the Phoenix color palette — but they’re here for no football game. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spoke for 30 minutes under the 75 degree heat of a Carolina blue sky. She began her speech focusing on the economy, which is a given considering the Dow took about 700 point hit yesterday. She promised that if McCain and here were elected they would have a balanced budget by the end of the first term.

Next, Palin turned her attention to the war. She accused Obama of not having the drive to “win” the war, but being too concerned with pulling out. Noting John McCain’s extensive history in the military, she said that she would want him to be her Commander-in-Chief, not Obama.

In one of the most popular topics among the largely college-aged crowd, Palin spoke about what her and McCain would do to make college more affordable for all people to take part in. She didn’t linger on it too long though before transitioning into how to fix the 10 Trillion dollar national debt.

Energy has been a repeated talking point for Palin, and today was no exception. She spoke about responsible drilling and using more coal. She also mentioned having more nuclear facilities (and for the record, she pronounced nuclear correctly.)

Palin finished her speech on an issue that she says is very close to her heart — special needs children. We need to make them a priority. A few soundbites carried anti-aborition undertones as she stressed the importance of protecting our children and allowing them to flourish.

She concluded saying, “There is only one man in this race who has ever really fought for you … that man is John McCain.”

The crowd reacted well to Palin’s speech chanting things like “Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!” or “USA! USA! USA!” Country music blared from giant speakers when country star Hank Williams Jr. wasn’t singing. Viewers watched on with with dark blue and gold “Country First” signs in their hands. Disinterested children played football and tag in the backfield of the baseball stadium.

The Obama voice was lingering just outside of the gate in most cases. Rally attenders walked by a slew of Obama supporters who held signs as the entered the stadium. Elon College Democrats were not here today — they went instead to knock on doors and campaign for their candidate in nearby neighborhoods.

Penn emphasizes importance of One-Stop Early Voting

Kal Penn has visited Elon twice, once in May and once in September, to talk to students about the importance of voting. Photo by Alexa Milan.

Alexa Milan
A&E Editor

Actor Kal Penn took a break from filming “House” Wednesday to give a conference call encouraging college students and young voters to take advantage of One-Stop Early Voting opportunities in North Carolina.

Early voting will take place Oct. 16 – Nov. 1 at 368 one-stop voting sites throughout the state.

Penn has been an avid campaigner for Barack Obama and served as the floor manager for the Virginia delegation at the Democratic National Convention. Along with Jason Green, Obama’s national voter registration director, Penn emphasized North Carolina’s key role as a battleground state in this election. Penn said North Carolina’s 480,000 college students could very well decide which candidate gets North Carolina’s 15 electoral college votes.

“One stop early voting is essentially the best and most effective way to make sure that young people’s votes are counted,” Penn said.

Penn, a registered independent, said that One-Stop Early Voting is important because it allows voters to register and vote at the same time, no matter what party they are affiliated with.

“These are resources available to folks whether they are democrats, republicans or independents,” Penn said.

People can vote at any One-Stop Early Voting location in their county, and they can still register there even if they missed North Carolina’s Oct. 10 voter registration deadline. Voting at a One-Stop Early Voting site is the same thing as voting on election day, and Green said it is a great way to make sure everyone gets the chance to vote.

“Early voting is truly the best, most effective and easiest way to make sure your vote is counted,” Green said.

If voters have registered and voted before, they do not need to show an ID. If voters have registered but have not voted before, they need to bring a valid photo ID and a document showing their current residence. If voters have not registered, they need to bring a North Carolina driver’s license or student ID and a document stating their name and physical address in North Carolina.

For a complete list of documents to bring to the polls, students should visit www.nc.barackobama.com/ncstudents. Green said that information will be added to the Web site by early Oct. 16 at the latest. People can also call the One-Stop Early Voting hotline at 1-888-NCEARLY for more information.

“There’s this feeling and this understanding that if folks in positiosn of power, if they wanted us to have a fair shot at voting, then election day would be a national holiday and it’s not yet,” Penn said. “This is one step to make sure everyone’s votes are fairly cast and counted.”

Alamance County early voting locations:

Youth Service Building, 201 W. Elm St., Graham, N.C.

Oct. 16 – Nov. 1, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday Oct. 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday Nov. 1, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

May Memorial Library, 342 S. Spring St., Burlington, N.C.

Oct. 16 – Nov. 1, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday Oct. 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday Nov. 1, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Mebane Arts and Community Center, 622 Corrigidor Road, Mebane, N.C.

Oct. 20 – Nov. 1, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday Oct. 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday Nov. 1, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m

Related Links:
-Early Voting Information
Barack Obama’s Web site for North Carolina students will go live Oct. 16 with information about One-Stop Early Voting

-Vote for Change
The Vote for Change Web site will also have information about One-Stop Early Voting

Palin most likely to be late, extra tickets being distributed on campus

Palin is set to speak at Elon University at noon today.

It’s 10:30 a.m. and Palin is currently giving a live speech in Maine, where she was scheduled to speak at 8 a.m. this morning. She still has a stop in Pennsylvania, which was set for 10 a.m. Many people have already begun arriving on campus and have made their way over towards the stadium to be first in line when the gates open at noon.

Dean of Students Smith Jackson said a limited number of tickets will be available today at the Athletics Box Office in the Koury Athletic Center from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The McCain-Palin campaign said due to overwhelming demand more tickets will be distributed at the gates this afternoon.

Sarah Palin to speak on campus Thursday; Elon community prepares for vice presidential candidate’s appearance

Ticket distribution started at moon on Tuesday, but students were lined up before opening to ensure their place at Palin

Andie Diemer
News Editor

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and country star Hank Williams Jr., are scheduled to hold a “Road to Victory Rally” at 3 p.m. Thursday at Latham Park baseball stadium at Elon University, according to a statement from the McCain-Palin campaign.

Tickets will be distributed in Koury Athletics Center beginning at noon Tuesday and from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Can’t make it? Keep up with the pendulum Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/elonpendulum

Only students and Elon faculty and staff will be able to receive tickets at this location. They can be picked up starting at noon on Tuesday and are limited to one per person with a valid Phoenix card.

Gates will open at noon for the free, ticketed Palin speech.

Tickets for non-university members can be picked up at McCain-Palin “Victory” offices in Greensboro, High Point, Durham, Goldsboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Rocky Mount and Winston-Salem or more locations here.

They will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis and no bags or signs will be permitted inside the venue.

Parking will be available at Firehouse Field on Williamson Avenue.

Nick Ochsner, president of College Republicans, said he excited to have someone of Palin’s magnitude present on campus.

“It’s exciting to use this as an opportunity to invite people from all across the state to take part in the political process,” he said. “This will provide not only some good excuse for Elon but will also be a good experience for Elon community to interact together and really have a conversation about this election.”

Ochsner said volunteers were already being rounded up Sunday night to staff the event.

He said he expects the community to be eager to hear what the Alaska governor has to say, to listen to her plan for the future of the country and to experience such a big person on campus.

Student Government Association President Chase Rumley said Palin’s visit reflects very positively on Elon, especially considering former President Bill Clinton visited in the spring.

“It will be interesting to see if her speech is more student or community focused and who her message speaks to more,” he said. “I think everyone will be respectful.”

Palin will also speak on Thursday at 8 a.m. at Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine, and again at 10 a.m. at United Sports Training Center in Chester County, Pa.

Both events are open to the public and free.

She will also be making an appearance at an event in Greensboro later that evening.

Click HERE to see a slideshow of preparation for Palin’s visit.

Click HERE to see student reactions to Palin’s visit or watch below: