WASHINGTON: Some Ohioans in town Friday for the inauguration described President Donald Trump as the embodiment of their hopes, while others in the crowd met the watershed moment with wariness and protest.
“He’s our voice. We’ve been invisible these past eight years,” said Mary Conkey, who lives near Cleveland with her husband Mike, a retiree from the Plain Dealer’s accounting department.
The couple, married for 33 years, have a police officer for a son and a teacher for a daughter. The son told them “Trump has his back,” Mike said while eating lunch at a taco joint east of the White House.
Asked about division in America, Mary said Barack Obama was better positioned than any president to close the racial gap. “And he didn’t. It’s worse now than it was before.”
“No.” America is not unified, Mike said. “That’s why we voted for [Trump]. The person who was in the White House split this country apart.”
Americans from all walks of life intermingled in the nation’s capital for the emotionally charged event.
With a president whose favorability ratings shatter record lows, according to Gallup Polls, and a nation more divided than ever recorded, according to Pew Research, Inauguration Day capped the heightened polarization in America.
The morning brought excitement and anxiety in lines that stretched for city blocks. Thousands waited three hours or more to pass through checkpoints.
Some gave up and turned back after driving for hours to be there, angry that protesters had blocked their way. Others celebrated free speech and diverse opinions, using the moment to teach their children about the First Amendment or challenging liberals to heated discussions.
Promises restated
By noon, as Trump took the dais, patriotism swept over the National Mall. His fans adorned the star-spangled memorabilia bearing his name and campaign slogans. They graciously shook the hands of uniformed military patrolling the security zone wrapping White House and the Capitol Building.
After taking the presidential oath, Trump gave a speech that covered major promises made on the campaign trail. Putting America first in international trade. Securing the border. Destroying “radical Islamic terrorism”. Reviving long lost-factory jobs. Even unlocking the mysteries of space, freeing the Earth of disease and discovering yet-unknown industries.
He ended with a call for unity.
“Whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots,” he told a crowd seated on the west lawn steps of the Capital Building and spread more thinly along the National Mall. “We all enjoy the same glorious freedoms and we all salute the same great American flag.”
But the mood outside the celebration soured within hours as protesters marched through the streets.
Some rallies remained peaceful. Others turned violent and destructive. Protesters sometimes mistook each other for Trump supporters, turning their rage and frustration on each other or the police. They started a fire and smashed out the windows of a limousine and a Starbucks on K Street before scores were arrested.
Mixed reviews
In the non-ticketed standing room along the National Mall, a sea of late-arriving Trump supporters mingled with a smattering of mostly quiet protesters.
As dignitaries and their families were called onto the east staircase of the Capitol Building, the crowd reacted to the faces that appeared on giant screens.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who was defeated for the Democratic nomination, received a hearty reception. So did first lady Michelle Obama.
Hillary and Bill Clinton drew criticism. Barack Obama, emerging for the last time as the nation’s president, elicited potently positive and negative reactions.
“Ew,” said Emily Matejik.
“You’re fired,” said Tori Saylor.
The 18-year-old girls, who live nearby in Maryland, came to see Melania Trump as much as their new president. Saylor’s disdain for Obama centered on the economy, a topic Trump rode to victory.
“I think it’s just been an accumulation of things. But seeing my mom [who owns a demolition contracting company] struggle,” she said, “It’s been disappointing. And seeing Trump come in, there’s a lot of hope now for my family.”
A few feet away, Liz Briones gave Obama more appreciation than she had eight years ago when she attended his first of two inaugurations. The third-year law student at Georgetown University has grown to respect Obama for shifting on LGBT and other issues.
“I might not agree with him on all policies, but I respect him. I can’t say that about the incoming president.” said Briones, who wore a shirt that said a woman’s place is in the house — and the Senate.
Briones, the 25-year-old daughter of a Mexican immigrant, charged Trump’s movement with legitimizing xenophobia, homophobia and racism — concerns echoed by more boisterous voices throughout the day.
Coming together
The Tegals arrived about an hour before showtime.
Dave Tegal is a Buckeyes fan. He grew up in Ohio but now lives near Chicago with his wife, Esther, a Wisconsin Badgers fan.
Dave preferred the more conservative Texas Sen. Ted Cruz over Trump in the Republican primary. Esther liked Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who she thought “made sense [and] wasn’t extreme.”
Walking out on the National Mall with their two children to celebrate the man who beat both their favorite candidates, the Tegals considered their support for soon-to-be President Donald Trump.
“We’re diehard,” said Dave.
“No we’re not,” said Esther, who voted more against Clinton than for Trump. “I would say you are. I’m here for history.”
Proud Trumpists
Trump wasted no time reminding the crowd that it was a day for them, and them alone.
“We are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people,” said Trump, who fought Democrats, Republicans and their parties to win.
“I’ve never been more proud of my country,” said Ron Conway, reflecting on the election. “I am a firm believer that we need to start taking politics out of the presidency.”
“Even the Republican Party didn’t want him,” the 50-year-old Jacksonville man said, standing beside his friend, Larry Swink, 40.
The men removed their hats respectfully for the many prayers that preceded Trump’s vision of a new American democracy. Swink stood close to his 12-year-old son, Carter, also in a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
He remembered Obama’s inauguration fondly. “I was very excited that it was the first African-American president because it showed that the system worked. Now, I’m proud because it wasn’t a party that elected the president; it was the people.”
Doug Livingston can be reached at 330-996-3792 or dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @ABJDoug .