Obama's Second Inauguration; And they came for various reasons

President Barack Obama waves to the crowd

  President Barack Obama’s second inauguration did not have the same size crowds that gathered at the Capitol to watch him sworn in four years ago.

More than 1.2 million people gathered on the Mall and along Pennsylvania Avenue between the Capitol and the White House in 2009. Even though that number dropped, the crowd that turned up was significant enough, and they spoke.

And so people from all walks of life attended Obama’s second inauguration, albeit not in the millions as they did in 2009 but enough to make Capitol and the National Mall feel small.

Lisa Fisher and her daughters, Kate, Samantha, Grace and Roxanne

Lisa Fisher, 45, from Alexandra, Virginia, was attending her second inauguration. She came to Obama’s first inauguration in 2009. This year, she brought her four daughters including triplets.

Fisher said it was very important to bring her daughters to be part of history. “I want them to listen to the speech and absorb it. It will help them in future,” she said.
Two of Fisher’s children, Roxanne and Grace, followed their mum, not only to watch but also to document. Roxanne, 12, and Grace, 11, brought their small camera and were shooting a documentary. They initially wanted to enter the documentary into a competition but decided against it because they would lose the rights to their work if they entered. “We want to keep it for the future,” Roxanne said. Grace said she was surprised to see the huge number of people. The girls, who are being home schooled by their mother, said they were excited to be asking everyday Americans about the inauguration and what they were expecting. Asked whether she intends to become a journalist in the future, Grace said, “Maybe, I don’t know”.

Grace Fisher, 11 and Sister Roxanne,12, interview Brian Bressler

Brian Bressler form Portland, Oregon, who came with his wife, Leskie, said he was giving himself a good 80th birthday gift. Bressler turned 80 on Inauguration Day and said he could not have given himself a better birthday gift than attending the inauguration. The comedian, who flew in from a business trip to Brussels to the inauguration, said he was given the ticket by his representative, Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon. He said he was very excited to be at his first inauguration. “The funniest thing that was special and important to me was being interviewed by two kids,” he said, referring to Roxanne and Grace.

Nelson Troche and daughter Brooklyn Michelle

Nelson Troche, 35, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said it was important for his 5-month-old baby to be a part of history. Troche was at the inauguration to support a president who supports gay marriages and believes it is important to raise children in an environment of equality.

Troche came with his gay partner, Tiyale Hayes, and their adopted daughter, Brooklyn Michelle.

Daniel Kuol, 25, from South Sudan, said he was at the inauguration to be a part of history. The government and international relations student at Bunker Hill College in Boston, Massachusetts, expects Obama to use his high office to promote world peace. “For someone who comes from a war-torn continent, all I can ask from the president is for him bring peace to Africa,” he said.  Kuol flew from Boston to D.C a week before the inauguration and spent much of the time exploring the city and its rich history.