Get a glimpse behind the curtain of presidential inaugurations with AP reporters Sagar Meghani and Darlene Superville. They share insights into the traditions, symbolism, and unique experiences of covering these historic events.
Every four years on January 20th, Washington, D.C., braces for the start of a new presidency. The part that’s fascinating to me is that the Constitution only prescribes two things for an inauguration: It’s the date and it’s the oath that the incoming president has to recite. For people watching from home and even for people who are on the (National) Mall or at the Capitol for the ceremony itself, it’s probably one of the oldest traditions in the United States.
It’s symbolic of the peaceful transfer of power, which we’ve been hearing so much about these last couple of years, four or five years or so. There’s a lot of pomp and pageantry associated with inaugurations, seeing one president depart and end his term and a new president coming in and taking over the reins of government. The presidents perhaps riding together to the Capitol, to seeing former presidents there watching one of their successors take the oath of office, the luncheon that they have, and then the parade after that. And, presidents getting out and walking down from the Capitol toward the White House. It’s so steeped in tradition from when George Washington first took that oath in 1789. We complain about it being cold and a very long day with a lot of security in Washington. I’ve gotten to be at four of them. It remains fascinating to watch how it all plays out. The one inauguration that sticks most vividly in my mind was 2009, when Barack Obama was inaugurated president. He became the country’s first ever Black president. It was super cold outside that January day, and my assignment was to be up on the lawn of the Capitol, the west front of the Capitol, which is where all the guests traditionally sit to watch the ceremony, which takes place on the west front. And so, you’re out there kind of roaming around looking for color, looking for celebrities, looking for faces that you recognize that you can, and any interesting things that are happening that you can contribute to the reporting. I just remember it being so cold. I usually don’t wear a hat. So when you do see me wearing a hat, you know it’s cold. Yeah, I was right there with Darlene on the west front as well. It was the first time that the AP did a live video show, a streaming show with the inauguration. So I was one of the two co-hosts. I was standing on metal bleachers with a local government professor for several hours just kind of watching. And in the awaiting the pageantry, as Darlene said, it’s fun to look down on to that set-up on the west front and watch the dignitaries come in, whether it’s the former presidents, whether it’s Supreme Court justices or notable lawmakers. And as Darlene said, very, very, very cold and windy that day, especially when you’re standing on metal bleachers for several hours at a time. The first Donald Trump inauguration back in 2017, it started out like so many of the others have. He went to the White House, where he was greeted by the outgoing first family. Barack and Michelle Obama were there. They rode to the Capitol, and from there, it all took a bit of a turn. It was just, it was a darker mood, if you will. And Donald Trump’s speech, what became known as the American Carnage speech, talking about moms and kids in inner-city poverty and rusted-out factories around the American landscape looking like tombstones. That’s what it became remembered for. The Trump team wanted it to be remembered for his main message, which was that that was the day that power was taken from the ruling class in Washington and was given back to the American people. The inauguration Americans watched four years ago was different to inaugurations in the past, since the world was still in the midst of a pandemic
PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATIONS TRADITIONS WASHINGTON D.C. UNITED STATES HISTORY POLITICAL EVENTS CONSTITUTION POWER TRANSFER
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