Today is a good day to be a conservative in D.C. (Photo by AFP)
Not only do I have the day off, I get to spend it watching inauguration coverage on TV and online, smiling and very glad that it won’t be John Kerry up on that podium taking the oath of office. While Democrats have fled to parts unknown this week, conservative Washingtonians can take comfort in knowing their (our) measly 9 percent Bush vote counts in a big way today.
Imagine how you’d feel right now if John Kerry had won. Yeah, me too. Unbearably gloomy.
This post will be updated throughout the day with links from around the web. By the way, I’m a contributor to GOPbloggers. Check out the new blog.
See Washington Post (reg. req.), Yahoo! and Washington Times inauguration coverage.
Bloggers: Power Line, Polipundit…
9:23 a.m.: This is so cool. I just looked out the window and saw a large group of protestors walking by carrying signs. According to a weather report, it feels like 24 degrees out there and the wind is kicking at 15-20 mph. I hope they’re wearing thermal underwear.
10:02 a.m.: The inaugural ceremony has begun, and Bush will take his oath at noon. The main difference between 2000 and now is that Bush won decisively this time. And Republicans picked up seats in the House and the Senate. Now matter how liberals try to spin it, Bush really does have a mandate this term. I just hope he does the right thing. He can start by dumping that amnesty-for-illegal-aliens plan.
The protestors I saw were headed to Meredian Hill Park, which is a block behind my apartment building. Wouldn’t it be a coup to head over there with a tape recorder for interviews? Since I’m black, they’d never guess I’m a Bush supporter!
The requisite black choir is singing in the cold.
10:47 a.m.: The camera’s panning the crowd, and I think I saw Rudy Guiliani. Haven’t seen Kerry or Obama. Bill and Hillary!
11:07 a.m.: The announcers (or whatever they’re called) have to fill up air time talking about something, so they’re chattering about differences of opinion on whether Bush’s inauguration should be so lavish, especially during wartime. The only time liberals care about national defense and tax dollars is when they aren’t in power. They’re anti-killing now, for example, but they had no problem when Clinton killed Serbians or bombed an aspirin factory (wrong target) to knock the Lewinsky scandal off the front pages. It was an undeclared war, you see, so it didn’t count.
OK. Back to the ceremony. Some man is singing now. He’s not wearing a coat.
11:24 a.m.: Check out Frank J.’s inauguration drawing. 
Paul at Wizbang is semi-live blogging.
The lovely Lady Laura is decked out in a white coat. Bush is about to appear. Maybe it’s just me, but why aren’t these people wearing hats? It’s cold and the wind is blowing.
Bush has to be feeling really good right now. Whether they like him or not, the world watches.
11:32 a.m.: The president of the United States takes his place at the podium.
11:44 a.m.: Actually, Bush hasn’t taken the podium yet. Trent Lott just gave a speech and now he’s announced that Chief Justice Rehnquist, suffering from cancer, is in attendance. The crowd gives him a stand ovation as he slowly makes his way to his seat.
Vice President Cheney is being sworn in, reciting the same oath Bush will take:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
[Correction 1/21: A commenter points out that the president takes a different oath than the Vice President, which is found in Article II, Section I of the Constitution.]
One of my favorite opera singers, Denyce Graves, is singing. Beautiful.
Rehnquist is about to administer the oath of office to Bush. I hear a lot of noise outside, police sirens and such. I thought I heard gunshots, too (!). The protestors must be coordinating their “protest” with the events. The new term has begun.
12:00 p.m.: Sorry to interrupt coverage, but you have to see Cox and Forkum’s latest.
Great tagline from Bush; “[O]ppression, which is always wrong; freedom, which is morally right.” I’m too lazy to do running commentary on the speech. I’ll post a link as soon as it’s up. [Update: That was "freedom, which is eternally right," although it's morally right, too.]
12:24 p.m.: The text of Bush’s speech. It is done!
Read David Limbaugh’s comments on the speech. Joel White lists a few memorable lines from the speech. Captain Ed share his thoughts. It was really a great speech. Very lofty, idealist and philosophical.
Not excited about the inauguration? Neither is Steve.
Joe Gandelman has a round-up of bloggers’ reactions to the speech.
Michelle Malkin has protest pics.
Look at these people.
Austin Bay: “The President’s inaugural speech said in spades what I wish he would say every day. When I returned from Iraq I said our biggest mistake was failing to “ideologize” the war. This war is truly a fight for the future — a struggle between liberty and tyranny.”
