Monday, January 17th
Departed Nashville for my SECOND President Bush Inauguration visit. This time, I won’t have to “work” the balls from 3 pm in the afternoon until 3 am in the morning. Will be there with Karri Turner from CBS JAG TV show. Much better.
It was extremely windy and I was on one of those little jets. NOT how I like to fly anyway and certainly not when wind is involved. My friend “Snort” who is an F-16 pilot that a I met in Kunsan, Korea (Wolf Pack) a few years ago picked me up at the airport. I also ran into Doug Plank when I landed. Doug is the person who coordinates the “Salute America’s Heroes” convention for our wounded soldiers and families of those killed in action. While I was in baggage claim talking to Doug, some lady came up and “commandeered” Snort. Started asking him dozens of questions and had him get her lugaagge for her. I think she thought he was an airline employee because he had on a “badge”. He was the perfect gentleman and assisted her without complaint.
He gave me a little “mini-tour” of the D.C. area on the ride to the hotel. Beautiful hotel – Hilton only a few blocks from the Capitol. And, all expenses PAID…absolutely different from last Inauguration.
Karri came in later that evening and was picked up by our “limo”. Learned that we have him and the “champagne-colored” limo for the week. Such a sweetheart. His name is Wayne and he’s just helping out a buddy by driving this week. He has a pool cleaning service. All restaurants were closed by the time she got there so we ordered room service and had a “midnight feast” in my room.
Tuesday, January 18th
Up early to go to a huge military salute at the MCI Center. Darryl Worley and lots of other country music stars are participating. My friend who is a secret service agent is the “lead” for the Presidential Inauguration, so I got to see him when the President arrived. President Bush and Barbara, President Bush and Laura, VP Dick and Lynn Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld and his wife were in attendance. The program consisted of each artist reading a letter from a former service member – going all the way back to the Confederate War! It was awesome. Former President Bush read a letter that “W” sent him when he was serving and there were lots of tears during that one.
Karri had on really high heels and nearly tripped going on the stage but made a great recovery. She got pretty choked up several times just trying to read her part.
There was a REALLY cute SWAT team backstage and I got Karri’s photo made with them. Also got to see the new “cars” that are used to transport the President and VP.
Rushed back to the hotel to change for dinner with a Lobbyist who is a friend of Karri’s. He had two women with him who are from Nashville. It was a great dinner at a fabulous Japanese restaurant. We got trapped in traffic on the way to the restaurant and it took us over an hour to get there. Found out it was because of a bomb scare at the White House!!!!
Wednesday, January 19th
Went jogging with Denny – my friend from Northwest airlines. It was FREEZING and he brought me some “under armor” to wear. I went in the lobby restroom and took off my silk underwear top and put it on. Since I didn’t want to go back up to my room, I tied it around my neck. He took me on a fabulous jog around the parade route and all the inauguration site plus the World War II Memorial. My silk underwear flew off and he had to go back and retrieve it for me and it started snowing before we got back.
Karri and I had lunch with Cpt. Josh Anderson from AFE. It was great for those two to meet and lunch was at a really good restaurant. Talked about my upcoming SFS tours.
We went to the Texas Ball and hung out backstage with Asleep at the Wheel. Made the rounds of all the dozens of other balls taking place and ran into several of my friends. M
Went to Texas Ball – a nightmare
Thursday, January 20th
We stood in line for TWO hours to clear security into the Swearing-in Ceremony this morning. It was still freezing but the snow had stopped. We finally got in and made our way to our “Section”. Although the “Sections” are reserved, the seats in the Sections are not reserved. We settled in and the ceremony began. About two minutes into the President’s speech, the ladies in front of us, beside us and behind us stood up in their chairs, ripped these silk banners (that looked like scarves) off, and started yelling “Bring our Troops Home”. The people around us were ready to attack them and security had to be called. I moved Karri across the aisle because I was seriously afraid of them. The police talked to them, took the signs away from them, but didn’t remove them. They sat down for about 5 minutes and then jumped up, ripped some more signs off their clothing and started yelling again. This time, security had to physically remove them. They did NOT go willingly. What are the chances of us sitting in the section where the only protestors in the entire hundreds of thousands of spectators were sitting? I couldn’t understand how they could afford the tickets and later found out that some Democrats in LA and NYC had purchased the seats for them and paid them to “demonstrate”!
We left the Swearing-in Ceremony and took our limo to my attorneys office to watch the parade. We had a special little sticker that allowed us to go down streets that were closed (thanks to my secret service buddies). BUT, we got right in the middle of a demonstration and people started throwing things at the limo, flipping us off, and yelling “go home rich people”. I told Karri to roll down the window and tell the we aren’t rich!
My dear friend John Vigiano and his wife Jan met us at my attorneys office and watched the parade with us. I met John in Iraq in 2003. He lost both his sons – one a fireman and one a policeman – in the Twin Towers on 9/11. He and I stay in constant contact. He is also a retired marine and retired firefighter. I have the nicest attorneys anywhere – so supportive of Stars for Stripes. We had a “front row” seat to viewing the parade. It was awesome.
We had to leave the parade early because Karri had to emcee a ball. But, when we got ready to leave, the building had been closed off because the police had to use tear gas on some protestors.
Karri hosted the reception for the Medal of Honor recipients. It was very impressive and I got to meet a lot of these exception men. Plus all the top brass for the military were present. They seated me at a table near the dias where Karri was sitting and my “seat mate” was very interesting. He is a Secret Service Agent who spent a year in Iraq hunting down the most-wanted. And his entire family (lots of brothers and sisters) are Secret Service Agents and Navy Seals, too. President Bush and Laura and VP Cheney and Lynn all attended the event.
Lindsey came in tonight and our limo driver picked her up. We had a little gossip session in my room after she arrived.
Friday, January 21st
Karri left today but I was staying over to sightsee with Lindsey. We shopped and went to the Spy Museum. I found the museum “boring” because I’ve seen the real thing!
Saturday, January 22nd
Got up early and walked down to the World War II Memorial but it started snowing really hard before we got there. Decided to take a taxi to the Mall. Halfway to the Mall, the taxi driver announced that we had to pay the “snow fare” which is DOUBLE the normal fare. It was a $70 taxi ride. We had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and then shopped. But, when we got ready to leave, we found that we were “snowed” in. We called for a taxi but after an hour, it had not arrived. We went out to wait for the bus, but one never came. FINALLY, we hiked across a major 6 lane highway, stepping in snow banks up to our knees, and caught a bus to the Metro stop. Then we went to the Pentagon so my friend could give Lindsey an after-hours tour. He gave her a 4 hour tour (including the basement of the Pentagon) and then we took him out to dinner at California Pizza kitchen. Quite an evening.
Sunday, January 23rd
Flew back to Nashville.today with no “problems. It was a great week!