Kelly Jacob on Obama Inauguration
by Kelly Jacobs
Mississippi Code Pink
Writers block has prevented me from sending this accounting of my week in DC for Obama's inauguration until now, on the 2 month anniversary. It's a long read, I squished in "action" all 5 days that I was there and share most of it below, but it's like a book, which chapters and everything, and if I don't stop fiddling with it, I'll never send it..... So for those who are interested, Here are some pics and stories about my trip to Washington DC for Barack Obama's Inauguration. It's really long, so if you want to read it all, I suggest doing it in chapters.
The Chapters:
1. Pursuing Hillary
1.5 The Code Pink House
2. Congressman Childer's office is in a Van down by the River (you have to know the Saturday Night live Skit with Chris Farley to get this one)
3. Dancing the Can Can on Stage
4. Throwing Shoes at Bush/the White House
5. Obama Freezing his face off
6. The Wedding (The Inauguration)
6.5 The Booing of GW Bush and singing na na na nah!
7. The Eagle
8. The Southern Reception
9. The General's Luncheon
10. Hillary's Swearing
11. The Invisible Obama Blankets
Gertrude Bridgeforth (her trip was written about in the Washington Post: click 4 Washington Post article )and I left Southaven at 6:30 AM on Sat, Jan 18th in a very Festively decorated Obama Mama car/prius.. . Everyone else who might have driven in the car with us towards DC hadn't worked out, so we traveled together for 14 hours and I introduced her to McDonalds fruit and walnuts and chewing gum. Yeah, 85 and she'd never chewed gum because her school teacher mother hated gum. Gertrude's sister Bertha picked her up in DC at the CodePink Women for Peace house (5th and G Streets) where I was going to be staying right after we arrived so she didn't even get to see inside this amazing house....and took her to her home in Maryland to stay for the week. Sadly I didn't get to see Gertrude again until Thursday night, when I was invited to come and stay at Bertha's house so we could leave real early the next morning to drive back home to Mississippi. The picture of us above is when we got home from DC.
I had borrowed my son Graham's GPS for the trip, having never used one before... and I think that it's not very reliable... to start off it gave us a very convoluted way to get to the Pink House in DC that I didn't use last October when I first visited, then it did more leading me astray than helping during my stay.
1. Pursuing Hillary On Sunday January 19th I used that GPS to get to the Hilton Hotel for the Emily's List Luncheon ($150.00) and I was so very grateful to have it because DC was under a PLAGUE of sirens and emergency vehicles and road blocks. They were everywhere - stopping traffic and screaming - EVERY DAY in DC there were sirens and cars speeding behind them to get places. ... so whenever I couldn't turn at the "right place" the GPS gave me an alternate route until I found a parking garage (absolutely no parking to be found on the street) who charged $20.00 and I had to be out by 3PM. Since lunch started at 11AM I wasn't worried, surely we'd be all done by 2PM?? That Sunday was also the opening day of the Inauguration and Barack Obama attended a big concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial, but I missed it to pursue Hillary to get "our picture" (from Denver) autographed. Inside the Hilton, the room for the luncheon was JYNORMOUS and I realized I should have brought my binoculars, thankfully they had 3 big screen TV's for us to see the speakers. If you know a woman who wants to run for political office, this is the most inspirational woman's luncheon she can attend~ Emily's List. Women Governors, Senators, Congressmen, all wonderful inspiring speakers... it was riveting. I was wearing my black button coat and peace dress, and happily meeting people and posing for pictures with my Barack Obama talking doll. I brought my blown up Hillary/Kelly pic from the Dem Convention and was asking the Emily's list staff for pointers to find Hillary's staff so I could get the picture autographed.
I was in pursuit of a Hillary autograph and security was so tight! I've learned that if you want a personalized autograph, put a sticky note onto your item with your name and why you want it, that way you get something that's more than just a signature. I was told by the Emily's List staff ..NO WAY would Hillary have any time to meet anyone or sign anything.
So I asked other staff members.....NO, Hillary will be too rushed, sorry no autographs, pics, etc's. NO... no.... no way. . . OK so I didn't believe any of them because the Clinton's are the biggest smoozers, this is how they have so many unwavering supporters. I went in search of a person who could say more than no. I just kept asking until I found a Secret Service agent guarding a door (Robin) who said she recognized me (my dress) took my picture with the note, gave me her cell phone number and said that of course she'd get my picture signed by Hillary after lunch!... so then lunch started, but I didn't see Hillary sitting up at the front.
The President of Emily's List, Ellen Malcolm spoke, telling the huge luncheon crowd that 8 million more women than men voted for Barack Obama! She also said the landscape for women's issues will change dramatically not just because of President Obama's new administration, but also because of the women who won seats in the House, Senate and State Legislatures in 2008. "Our pro-choice Democratic women won critical races to build the political force that will change the direction of our country," The 2008 elections was one of the best years for female candidates (executive branch excluded) in 16 years. During the 2007-2008 election cycle, Emily's List raised more than $43 million to recruit and support liberal women candidates. Twelve new pro-choice Democratic women joined the House of Representatives, plus Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire and Kay Hagan in North Carolina both won former Republican seats in the Senate, becoming the first Democratic women to represent their states! Our Luncheon began with the food, which was a yummy salad, then salmon and a cupcake that was already on the table, A video started that told the story of this election, with Barack Obama's various speeches and noting our women's victories. When Hillary Clinton was shown endorsing Barack Obama and Joe Biden WE CHEERED. But I didn't see her sitting up front.
< I was grateful that they didn't "hide Hillary" like I thought they did in Denver at the Federation of Democratic Women's Luncheon did, when they wouldn't even mention her name.>
When Ellen said "George W. Bush is going back to Texas and Barack Obama is president of the United States," Wohooo! Boy did we cheer for that factoid! "Make no mistake ... for every woman in Congress there are still more than five men," the room was gushing with happy women eager to hear about - the Lily Ledbetter equal pay legislation, and the SCHIP program that will insure millions of American children. I tell you this was a Wonderful, uplifting luncheon because of the inspiring speakers... but my favorite, Hillary Clinton had not arrived when more speakers started stepping up to the podium.
Some of the luncheon speakers were: Labor Secretary nominee Hilda Solis, Homeland Security Secretary nominee Janet Napolitano, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, White House Communications Director Ellen Moran, Governor of North Carolina Bev Perdue, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Kay Hagen and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee; the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress from Wisconsin, who referred to Speaker Pelosi as "the lady in satin and steel. ... General Nancy Pelosi." She praised Pelosi's efforts to push the pay-equity bill through the House. "She's not just stomping out injustice but stomping it out in four inch heels," she roared, taking off one of her own shoes and banging it on the podium while we all stood up and cheered her gumption. But I worried....Still no arrival of Hilary for Lunch!
Brand new North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue told us about some media interest in her: "the first pro-choice female governor in the South since Ann Richards," and in a state where the first bill proposing to give women the right to vote, in 1897, "was consigned to the committee on insane asylums." At inaugural festivities, Perdue told us, a member of the press "had the audacity to ask me about the redecorating plans." She told us that there's a plaque hanging outside of the Governor's Mansion that "welcomes visitors to the home that was recently renovated for the Governors and First Ladies of North Carolina.... I intend to redecorate that plaque." Yeah, speeches with funnies in them are really easy to listen too.
The speakers were all really good/interesting, but none of the 2000 of us were leaving until Hillary got there, no matter what kind of "camping stories" we were threatened with (from Ellen), we were all firmly planted in our seats until Hillary arrived. We were told that Hillary had to fly in from New York but the plane was delayed when it had to be de-iced. Then Governor Perdue announced that Hillary was stuck in DC traffic, trying to get to the Hilton. New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen told us she had to take more time talking to delay for Hillary, so she regaled us about how she used to make her state troopers carry her purse. North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan stalled by talking about how only men are allowed to swim in the Senate gym's swimming pool...then we were told that Hillary had ditched her stuck car and was walking to the Hotel, and then... there she was behind the pillar! Introducing our very late guest, Emily's List President Ellen Malcolm called Clinton "an exceptional figure in American life, a powerful role model for women for our country and for the world." We gave Hillary a standing ovation, applauding a future secretary of state, a woman who made history running for President, we were so happy to see her and tell her with out applause and cheering how grateful we were for her hard work. The room roared...I cried, and looking around I saw that I wasn't the only one crying.
I am so proud of how she's handled the whole defeat and tirelessly supported Obama regardless issue.
When Hillary spoke (at 2PM) she said that "Emily's List has been the original hammer that helped shatter so many glass ceilings," "Those 18 million cracks are very personal to me." I remembered when I was given a handkerchief at the Denver Convention that said 18 million cracks - Go Hillary! Clinton did acknowledge her own presidential hopes, calling it an "honor to run for president," and thanked Ellen Malcolm for having changed "the face of American politics ... and the wardrobe. Every year there are more pantsuits of all kinds." She also thanked those of us in the crowd, which obviously contained many of us die-hard supporters, for our kind wishes and messages. Hillary spoke about other ceilings holding back women and girls around the world: "When women are vulnerable to economic, political and social marginalization, the potential for advancing democracy, prosperity and security is also vulnerable. " This is our smart and fierce thinker who had moved into the White House with Bill and Chelsea in 1992 and immediately worked on a National healthcare plan that is now a model for healthcare reform. "I believe it is essential in renewing America's leadership around the world, that we renew America's leadership on behalf of women and girls," said Clinton. Speaking of the criticism she received from Taliban leaders for speaking out on behalf of women in Afghanistan in the '90s, Clinton said pointedly, "I wear that, along with much of the rest of the criticism I've received, as a badge of honor." We cheered when she finished up and said, "I am absolutely thrilled to stand with you in the fights we have waged together. We've won some and we've lost some." Afterwards she shook a few hands with those lucky people who had a close table, but then she immediately left. I figured that no way did Robin have time to get the autograph. So I called to get the picture back, but Robin said she'd have it signed in 10 minutes! Since it was almost 3PM, I tip-toed/RAN (I was in heels) 3 blocks to check on my car, I didn't want to be locked out of the expensive garage, and the garage guy demanded one of my Obama buttons so they wouldn't lock me out (extortion!) ... then I went back and happily received my autographed photo in the hotel lobby: It now reads across her orange pant suit.Kelly, You're the BEST. Thanks for the "300". Hillary. See!! I knew I could get it! Ha! The Clinton's ALWAYS make time for their supporters, Paul framed the pic of Hillary and I for my 50th birthday, and it is my happy memento from last year's political work. OK, now if you want to know what Hillary meant on the autograph... on my sticky note I wrote that I was Hillary's MS delegate to Denver and a signer of the "300 petition". At the Democratic Convention, Hillary name was NOT going to be allowed to be nominated from the convention floor unless no less than 300 of her delegates (no more than 50 from each state) signed/notarized a petition asking that she be nominated. More than 600 of us signed it and this forced the Convention to allow her nomination. Most of us got a little green button, that has the number 300 on it with a pen in the center zero, and on the back it says exactly which number you were in returning your notarized petition. I was 207 out of 600.
2. Congressman Childer's office is in
a Van down by the River (you have to know the Saturday Night live Skit with Chris Farley to get this one)
Dancing around because I was so happy I got Hillary's autograph, I engaged the GPS to take me from the Hilton to Congressman Childer's Congressional office so I could get my purple ticket for the inauguration. Gertrude already had my guest ticket, which her nephew had picked up a few days beforehand. I didn't have the street address for Childer's office, even though I'd asked for it. The young man who answered the phone told me: "it's across the street from the National Library". like I'm a local and know where that is. He didn't give me the address, just the name of the building, and when I gave him heck he finally told me the cross streets which I'd entered into the GPS. There were all kinds of road blocks and sirens all over DC, and I watched our lovely Capitol Building, which was decorated for the 20th celebration, rise up in front of me, then end up behind me,... and then I was wondering where the heck is my Congressman's office?? Now I'm driving in more of a residential type neighborhood so I knew this GPS was not working but decided to see where I'd end up... because maybe I was wrong. I drove around what looked like a huge stadium, got onto a busy street that turned into a bridge crossing over the PATOMIC RIVER WHEN THE GPS ANNOUNCED, ....RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE: ; DESTINATION ON THE RIGHT... DESTINATION ON THE RIGHT....DESTINATION ON THE RIGHT
That's when I discovered that our Congressman's office is in a VAN down by the RIVER!
I turned around and headed back towards the Capitol Building which I could see in the distance and called the Childer's office (the GPS kept wanting me to turn around and go back to the river...) and it took about 20 minutes for me to get to the real office, find an illegal parking space, bribe the security guy with an Obama button to let me park there, then run (IT WAS FREEZING OUTSIDE!) to the correct building ...stopping several times to pose for pictures with people who asked me to please stop because they liked my button decorated coat..... to face security for his building. They didn't like my coat, nor my box of home baked chocolate chip cookies, but eventually let me through. I couldn't believe that OUR Congressman's office was open at 4PM on a Sunday, wasn't that nice? He even personally welcomed me into his office and we had a little chat, (when I told him that now I'm telling everyone that his office is in a VAN down by the RIVER! and then I got
my purple inauguration ticket. Childers asked me what he could do for me and I asked him to talk to our new Dem Party Chairman, Jamie Franks because now that our State Party office has... one paid employee, now more than ever we needed to reach out and RECRUIIT people to participate in our party. I'm worried that the 1st district's representation are almost all coming from Lee county, and this will cause MORE resentment and distance from other counties who not only lack representation, but any knowledge of what the party is doing as they are NOT communicating (my opinion). I spoke about Childers re-election and how hard it will be without dedicated Dems to help so we'll see if anything changes. I doubt it. The good ole Boys still have the reigns in MS and secrecy seems to be their middle name.
After I got "home" to the CodePink house, (Thank-you GPS) I was too tired from the long drive to DC and the day's excitement to go to the "Olm Ball" that night so everyone else put on dancing clothes, left, and I went to bed... too bad it's hard to sleep with all the comings and goings of 21 women.
2.5 The Code Pink House (rental in DC) is a 3 story brownstone (plus a basement) that has been helped along by volunteers so that it has bunk beds and regular beds so that 21 of us ladies slept there.... with only 1 1/2 bathrooms! (Groups can rent it out for a short time.) That's right only one shower, but everyone was so congenial, they kept them short and there was just never an obvious line to use the facilities. Sleeping, however was difficult. There was snoring, talking, walking (upstairs/downstairs/hallway) and sleep talking. There were TWO other Kelly's in the CodePink house and another who stayed elsewhere but came to visit. One stayed in my room, and has a brother serving in Afghanistan, and she told me she won't be able to sleep well until he gets safely home in March. My bed was the top of a bunk bed, which I kid you not, was 7 feet off the ground. I couldn't even see the mattress by standing on top of the lower bed, so imagine creaking and wobbling and any movement from either person and you'll understand why sleeping/ getting up at night to go pee was difficult.
Around the corner from the CodePink House, CodePink had reserved a business spot where we could meet every day with some of the 150 other ladies who'd come to DC for the inauguration and we'd work on project like these lovely Pink Ribbons we handed out for free: Obama keep your promises for Peace! We also had a small flyer to hand them with the ribbons that said: Barack Obama has promised to:
1. End the war in Iraq
2. Shut Down Guantanamo
3. Reject the Military Commissions Act
4. Stop torture
5. Work to eliminate nuclear weapons
6. Hold direct, unconditional talks with Iran
7. Abide by Senate approved international treaties
After 8 long years of the Bush Administration’s lawless ways, we applaud Barack Obama’s vows to bring the United States back into compliance with international law. We ourselves pledge to hold President Obama accountable for fulfilling his promises. These are promises to keep and we will hold him to them! Join us in pledging to hold Obama accountable to his promises. TAKE YOUR VOTE TO THE NEXT LEVEL! www.REMINDOBAMA.ORG Sometimes we took their picture, with the ribbons for the website. www.codepinkalert.org CodePink volunteers passed out about 20,000 of those ribbons plus hung banners and was on so many news shows it was hard to keep up. (Very exciting was seeing Medea and Desi's appearance on National TV during the Inauguration right up front with a CodePink banner!)
I helped get a huge banner ready at one of these meetings... I taped sand filled condoms (non lubricated) to the bottom of the banner so it would have weight to keep it down
NON LUBRICATED!!
YES THEY DO STILL MAKE THEM, JUST ASK FOR NON LUBRICATED." I still laugh remembering it. You can see more pictures of the inauguration activities at this link by Paul Park of the banner drop on 15th NW, one block from the White House:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/codepinkalert/3216027125/in/set-72157612647235583/
3. Monday, January 19th Dancing the Can Can on Stage Monday was MLK day. I was up early and dressed in my CAN CAN outfit which was a full skirt (thanks Mom!) I added ruffles and bells to, so I jingled when I walked (since it was freezing outside I wore CodePink pants underneath). There was a big WAR PROTEST at 11AM at Dupont Circle Park (a ShoeBush action at Dupont Circle) and so we raced over there and were invited to do our CAN CAN dance on stage, (which we had to learn REAL QUICK before we got up there) with microphones, press and gobs of people - the song has 4 verses of complicated words, no pressure, just sing and dance in the freezing weather on the stage. I handed a guy my camera so we'd get a pic of our first dance together.
Yes We Can Can End War!
To the traditional can-can tune
By Dana Balicki, Rae Abileah, and Betsy Rose
Yes We Can Can
We can end the war war
It's what we voted for for
Bring our soldiers back
Obama lead us, will you?!
…Can Can
Start talking with Iran, ran
Leave Afghanistan, stan
And get out of Iraq
Can't win an occupation!
…Can Can
Close Guantana-mo, mo
Torture we say no, no
Tear the prison down!
Obama do it, will you?!
…Can Can
Build a world that's green, green
Coal power isn't clean, clean
And oil will run out
It’s time for wind and solar NOW!
There was press all around, photographing people throwing their SHOES at a 20 foot tall blow up figure of George Bush with a Pinocchio (huge/long) nose, wearing a flight suit, kind of like Bush wore aboard the "Mission Accomplished" aircraft carrier. When we finished dancing and throwing shoes at the inflated Bush, we picked up shoes (I grabbed a pink Crock) and proceeded to march in a parade all the way to the White House to throw them there at a planned/permitted event. We sang songs, and waved at the traffic that was stopped for us by the police, and sang more songs like "Hit the Road Bush" and "Bye Bye Georgie". I had a tambourine (from the Democratic convention that says Obama in 08!)
and I was banging on it when I didn't know the words to keep a tune going, as we marched along Connecticut Avenue. A big pink feather flopped around on the back of my head, Kylies stayed much better in hers. People honked and waved at us, I'd say there were about 200 of us marching along...as the police kindly stopped traffic while we walked and sang peace songs like "Hang down your head, George Bush/Hang down your head in shame, and "We're singing for a Peaceful World". In addition to our own Medea Benjamin for CodePink..., Jamilla El-Shafei, was a leader of this anti-war protest... for Shoebush.org, which sought to emulate the actions of Iraqi journalist Mutandar Al-Zaidi. There were also a lot of people there with The World Can't Wait, and I believe that I saw signs from Iraq Veterans Against the War. El-Shafei said she was grateful for that.we would be able to throw shoes at the White House without the threat of being arrested, even though there was heavy security for Tuesday's inauguration. "We were determined to make a statement and the police let us make it," she said.
The VIILLAGE VOICE wrote about us if you want to read it here with these pictures of Josie and I (she's from New Mexico) :
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/01/live_from_dc_th.php
Live from D.C.: Throwing Their Last Shoe at the White House
Posted by Elizabeth Dwoskin at 9:07 AM, January 20, 2009
Code Pink brought up the end of this "parade" so when we got to the White House we were at the back of the milling crowd...many people joined us along our march, so we waited to throw our shoes, singing songs while those in front threw their shoes and spoke to the hoard of press. When they were finished we heard them chanting: CODE PINK COME THOW YOUR SHOES! CODE PINK COME THROW YOUR SHOES.... so we started forward chanting We're Code Pink and we have shoes. Cutie Patootie, Josie was standing with me while we posed for about 8 reporters who were brave enough to stand between us and the fence/shoe repository/White House. I lobbed my pink crock over their heads, but Josie throws just like a girly girl and boinked a reporter on his head with her shoe - so funny! (This is Desi)
Once all the shoes had been tossed into "the White House", the officers collected them and piled them into the back of a small truck. "The next person who throws a shoe gets arrested," Later we heard the news report that someone else, did indeed throw another show and was arrested.
(Today I read that Bush made his first trip to Canada for a paid speech and they were throwing shoes outside.... that's going to follow him for the rest of his life, and probably further.)
After the parade/White House Shoe throwing we tried to get home using the underground train. When we got to the top of the escalator to exit the train station, there were so many people squished into the station that there was no room for us to get off the escalator, but it shoved us into people anyway where there was no room! We ended up going BACK DOWN the other escalator, the only place we fit, down into the downstairs area of the train station, and I asked security to do something. The guy told me that's out of his jurisdiction! It was packed and pushing and just heading for trouble, but out of his jurisdiction because he only has the area to the bottom of the escalators, someone else has the top. Meanwhile we'd tried to exit the train station using the downstairs mall door, but that area was totally closed because of... Secret Service who couldn't tell us but the rumor was Michelle Obama was there, or going to be there. So there was another line of people trying to exit that way and being turned back, WE WERE TRAPPED UNLESS WE WANTED TO BUY ANOTHER TRIN TICKET TO GET OUT! The police finally stopped the escalator from running, and then they let hundreds of us ALL back into the train area (without paying) of the station, so we could walk to another gate to exit. Outside again, we passed out more pink Obama keep your promises for peace ribbons to the milling crowd and here's Keisha with some of them below.
Back at the Pink House, after dinner we got ready to pass out our pink ribbons outside of the GREEN Ball (Pre-Inaugural hosted by The Huffington Post at the Newseum). So many women dressed up in expensive clothes, (I think the ticket price was $1,500.00) mostly black with lotza jewels, not too many furs (it was still FREEZING OUTSIDE and accompanied by their dates. About 1/2 of them took Obama keep your promises for Peace! ribbons from us, we danced the CAN CAN, held up a HOPE Banner, and sang but most of the attendees wouldn't pose for a picture and it was FREAKING COLD outside!!! There were PEOPLE WALKING AROUND EVERYWHERE IN WASHINGTON DC, crowding the sidewalks...and merchants selling stuff along every street. I told the other dancers that I would only stay for an hour, (until 8:30PM) because it was cold and I wanted to try to get some sleep. Desi snuck into the GREEN Ball and Medea (who looked spiffy and had a ticket) asked me if I wanted to try to get in, (I wanted to dance, since it was my 50th birthday, and I love to Dance I was looking forward to dancing whenever I could in DC because my Paul hates to dance..... but...) I told her I didn't want to go inside the Green Ball, I was getting up REAL EARLY for the inauguration and I didn't want to be tired. We rode the city bus to get to the Green Ball, but finding a bus to get home was impossible. After waiting and waiting,
the buses weren't showing up so we went to find a train, then had a long COLD walk home. I wrapped my cape around tiny Josie to try to keep us warmish.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20TH
5. Obama Freezing his face off By 4AM I was up, ate a good breakfast (but no water so I wouldn't have to pee), and was walking the 15 or so blocks to the purple gate for Obama's inauguration. I wore 2 pairs of tights, my peace dress, boots, long glove and (Mom's) cape. I didn't want to wear a hat, but it was so cold out I wore my fake fur hat with Obama buttons on it and of course, since it was only 12 degrees outside I still froze. I was interviewed by a reporter from Finland, who wrote about those of us WHO FROZE in line in his Finnish Newspaper. The line for the purple gate of the Inauguration wasn't too long when I arrived, and was 2 person's wide.. but people just kept CUTTING IN LINE, until at least 1000 more people were ahead of me when the line started moving than when I'd arrived. The line even had chants" DON'T CUT IN LINE! DON'T CUT IN LINE. STOP LINE CUTTERS!!! STOP THE LINE CUTTERS and other chants that were started by irate people who had yet another person cut into the line directly in front of them and were then told not to worry about it. There were some fun, young college type guys right behind me singing fun songs, like Gilligans Isle and Jingle Bells, but the line cutters eventually had them about 100 people behind me! I couldn't even see the end of the line... it went around the block, down another and into a tunnel. Those people who were in the tunnel, never did get out of it... and to this day are still waiting for the line to move so they can see the Obama inauguration. OK just kidding on that part, but they didn't get inside.
The POLICE refused to help us by forcing line cutters to the back of the line, they actually enabled line cutters to keep cutting further and further ahead because short of assault, they saw that there was nothing we could do to stop them. In addition to our frustration with the line cutters...It just kept getting colder and colder as we waited in the dark....and then OBAMA'S FACE FELL OFF! The Obama doll I had with me, The duct tape couldn't stand the cold so his face just kept falling off! Even my warm chewing gum didn't last long against the cold, and it all just lost it's stickiness so Obama's face refused to stick onto the Mr. Incredible doll I'd disguised as Obama because he says
" Iiiiiiitttttttzzzzzzzz's SHOWTIME!!". My cameras also stopped working ( right after this pic because the batteries got cold) and some people commented that their cell phones wouldn't work. When it warmed back up... at about 11AM Obama's face stuck back on, but please accept my whine here: IT WAS COLD!Here I am, it was about 8:10AM, and the Secret Service had stolen my brass school bell from me when I went through security... like I could throw it at Obama, way up there behind that tree! Yes that tree there is obscuring our view of the stage. I never did get used to the late hours the sun chose to shine on DC. I was happy to FINALLY be at the Inauguration, but the cold kept me doing squats and jumps and anything else to stay warm. I had some of those chemical warmers in my boots and both gloves but DANG.... IT WAS COLD!!! As soon as I secured my spot, I started to try to call Gertrude again, but her telephone wasn't working so all I could do was keep an eye out for her.
Gertrude and I had an agreement, she'd attach a helium balloon to her walker so it would stick up into the air and I'd save her a place and help her find me by looking for the balloon. Well, I saved her a place, and made sure everyone around me knew Ms. Gertrude was coming and we were ALL looking for the balloon but we never did see one. Vivica Fox was standing about 3 person's behind me but no balloon. It wasn't until later that I found out that some of the crowd, that had tickets but didn't get in line had RUSHED THE PURPLE GATE AND PUSHED IT DOWN so the secret service closed the entry gate for the purple section and didn't let anyone else in, including Gertrude. The ladies behind me bragged that they didn't get out of bed until 7:30AM and got into the gate at 8AM, so they must have been line cutters. That's why the line never moved for the people in the tunnel and why Gertrude ended up watching Obama's inauguration from the train station. (at least it was warm there). Gertrude got locked out, I felt so bad when her phone finally warmed up and we talked. Also closed were the silver and blue ticket areas, which means that thousands of people traveled all that way to Washington DC to see Obama's Inauguration, BECAUSE THEY HAD TICKETS... and were denied entry!
6. Tuesday, January 20th - The Wedding I had secured a spot at the front of the purple ticket area which was behind the <
Many of us didn't dress well for the cold weather, I kept doing squats, the lady next to me was saying not to call the paramedics unless she passed out (she kept squatting down and putting her head between her legs). Mariah Carey left before "the wedding" started (she was only wearing a miniskirt and a short jacket) and was accompanied by a uniformed guard and her husband. ... and many people where taken away in stretchers, sick from the cold. Ashley Judd walked back and forth in front of us, but the 15' separation made it too far away to get an autograph or anything. I saw Steven Spielberg and his wife, plus Jessica Alba, Will.i.am and MC Hammer. I'm sure there were many others that I knew, but people were wrapped up against the cold and only those who left their heads bare were easier to recognized ....and I was too cold to write them all down so I'd remember. It also helped to have people all around who spotted them, then called their names until they waved with recognizing them all. This picture was taken the next afternoon.. my hand is where Obama stood, they still had that area fenced off.
(I was located to the left of those trees you can see on the left during the inauguration.)
When THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY PART FINALLY STARTED... the security guard's supervisor came by to ask him how's he's holding up, is there any trouble, how's he feeling??? - IN A LOUD VOICE. We were all shushing him, but he blasted us back not to tell him to lower his voice, and by the time the commotion was all over, the swearing in ceremony was concluded.
What I really didn't like was how those lucky folks who had great tickets started LEAVING before the inauguration was even in the middle of being over. They started LEAVING right when Obama began speaking. One, two, three up and left! Then, when that horrible Poet started trying to READ her poem... they started seriously leaving. It was quite distracting for those of us who couldn't see a TV screen, could only try to listen to what was happening, and a river of celebrities were walking around in front of us because they were LEAVING. I looked behind me--->>> NOBODY in the purple section was leaving. By the time the poet was done, the exodus was so large that they had to slow down and wait, so they wouldn't trample each other. It was horrible, and very disrespectful....
After the inauguration program concluded, I started earnestly passing out the pink ribbons from a large bag I'd brought for the wedding. Standing on a tall curb so the Capitol Building was behind me and I was high enough to feed the mob of hands that wanted a free ribbon to remember this wonderful wedding with, I guess I passed out about 800 ribbons. This was the only time I saw the America press, and coincidentally, a reporter from the Commercial Appeal recognized me from a picture. The Detroit news service took lotza pics of people getting ribbons but I couldn't find any of theirs on the Internet. The walk home felt very long, I was TIRED, and still horribly COLD, so when I finally got back, I filled up the bathtub with really hot water and just tried to warm up by laying in it for an hour.
6.5 The Booing of GW Bush
Before the wedding, every time President GW Bush's picture was shown on the TV screens up and down the mall, having breakfast with Obama earlier in the morning, then arriving at the Capitol Building, or just at the Inauguration, he was BOOED by the American people on the mall. Not a little BBBOOOO but long, loud, happy BOOOOOOOS!
The massive show of dislike was so enamoring to others that when the next opportunity came to booo GW Bush, more vigor/volume was added and since I was on the capitol building grounds - there's no way Bush didn't hear the booing when it was done (again) when he was seated outside. For me that Booing was heartfelt music to my ears that I sure never hear in Mississippi!
Then, when GW Bush got onto the helicopter for the ceremonial leave taking, the crowd SANG all together!
na na na nah
na na na nah
hey hey HEY...
bye bye Bush
(about 5 times!)
this song was also crooned outside the White House after we threw those shoes the day before.
7. The Eagle During the inauguration
On my last day in DC I was surprised by a Coopers Hawk that tried to grab a pigeon from the front of the Code Pink house, missed and landed on a tree branch just 10 feet above my head. It left before I could snap a pic. I never thought that my trip to DC would be an opportunity to see birds of prey!
8. The Southern Reception Some People called them Inaugural Balls. I used my GPS to drive to the Southern Inaugural Ball but I ended up in the wrong side of town at a brownstone. The people who live there didn't know where the National Armory was, and after about 15 minutes I figured out that I had put the wrong destination into the GPS and it was supposed to be west instead of east or something like that. I still wasn't accustomed to the dark, it was pitch black by 6PM... so I was going to be early to the BALL, and excited to DANCE!!! Which was good because I got lost, and then the big parking lot I was told I could easily park in ... was closed to the public, so I had to circle around and around to find a space in a residential neighborhood, who had more guests than ever before also parking outside...and then walk about 10 blocks to get to the SOUTHERN BALL.
IT WAS STILL COLD!
My dancing ticket (Southern Ball ticket $250.00) was not delivered in advance, so I could only hope that it was in will call. The ticket taker sent me outside, down the block to get it, only she didn't know what she was talking about, nor did the Secret Service, nor the regular police so I finally walked back to the main entrance and was admitted thought the original door, only I was a lot colder than when I arrived, to find the will call was non existant... they just looked at my computer print out and ID, then of course the metal detector which LOVED my button coat (141 buttons). I didn't want to give up my coat at the check place because I felt like a frozen popcicle and I decided to wear my Obama button Coat to celebrate the wedding so it was a topical coat. Unfortunately for me, there was NO DANCING.
The terrific band had a dance floor full of people, all standing around for HOURS, waiting for our new president to arrive.
No DANCING!
I found a couple (Rosemany and John, who were dancing to the side of the band, next to the bar and joined them. Even when John left to get Rosemary a drink, we danced
There was food, so people walked around, ate, and waited for Obama, so it was morte like a RECEPTION than a ball. The only celebrity I saw there was Eveander Hollyfeld who was told by the public to pose with the heavyweight button lady. I wore a pink chiffon gown that I got for the Denver Convention, but had never worn, because the ladies voted that it was more unusual than the (typical) darker outfits I'd brought to choose from- plus it was our color. I wore my son's OLE MISS scarf, in case there were Mississippians there, but there was no dancing!!.. WITHOUT DANCING THEN IT'S JUST A RECEPTION, NOT A BALL!
The Obama's arrived around midnight and since ONLY 3 OF US had been dancing at the sidelines, there was no room in front for me to stand, so here's my best picture from the back of the mob. You can see that I primarily got pictures of people taking pictures!
After the Obama's left, so did almost everyone else, although I did notice a new country swing band started playing on a third stage, and some people were actually square type dancing. I was pooped, so home I went... the GPS worked fine.
Wednesday, January 21st it was still pitch black outside but Keisha's alarm didn't get her up and she was going to miss her bus home, so I charged out of bed and ran her down the street to where I'd finally found a parking spot the night before and we were off to the Greyhound bus station. I didn't think she'd make her bus because it was supposed to leave at 6:30AM, and it was past that when we pulled up, but happily she made her bus so I didn't have to drive to PA that day. As long as I was awake, then it was time to grab a very hot shower, while the rest of the house was still sleeping, then try to find someplace to lawfully park my Prius for the luncheon I'd been invited to attend by Burns Strider, because I wouldn't be home to move the car every 2 hours if I left it on the street in front of the Code Pink House.
The General's luncheon. I was invited to attend a luncheon at the Phoenix Park Hotel on the Hill (parking lot charged $17.00... but at least I didn't get a parking ticket) where retired military officials, WWW.MISSIONREADINESS.ORG were uniting with the Eleison Group www.Eleisongroup.org to announce that the direction of America needs to change. Captain John Powers jpowers@eleisongroup.com was the host of the event who served in Baghdad 2009-2004 and told us that they could only take off their protective gear when they visited the orphanages where they disbursed 5000 shoes, food and gas because 40% of the Iraqi people are now under the age of 14 years of age. They were trying to stop children from being recruited into the insurgency. Amy Goodard, who's with the Eleison Group was the only woman to speak... I like hearing women speak... about the need to invest 2 billion dollars into HEAD START which is the long term solution to reduce recidivism. . Only 30 percent of Americans are eligible to serve in the military! 7 out of 10 Americans are ineligible to join the military because they are: Felons, haven't graduated from High School, too fat, or other health problems. They want to work to strengthen America's young people by Crime prevention, increasing graduation rates and developing more FIT Americans. Investing in HEAD START would also help the health of the intellect and family development (so stated General Blunt) which is needed because troops need to successfully pass high technical courses for their more sophisticated military equipment (this is all my paraphrasing).
Another speaker was the 1st Iraq Veteran elected: Congressman Patrick Murphy who spoke about developing leaders of character for a lifetime of service to our country. Ronnie Shows from Mississippi was in the audience and Burns Strider, bstrider@eleisongroup.com who invited me was one of the speakers, and is now a member of the Eleison Group. I met him when he worked on Hillary Presidential campaign. Since I wore my peace dress to the luncheon, some may have thought I was there to be disruptive/anti-war (like the ladies at the sign in desk who kept asking me if I was sure I was at the right place??). But in reality I was there to eat the AWESOME buffet, and support this group WHO THINKS HEAD START SHOULD BE FULLY FUNDED! Yep, the Generals realize that Head Start children are 44% more likely to graduate from High School so they want our Mississippi Senators to support it! They have a National Advisory Committee. Their advisory committee is a bi-partisan contingent of retired senior military leaders and former members of the Cabinet. I decided to list their Military Leadership below for you to scroll in case you need a speaker or want to ask them to visit your Senator/Congressman to fund Head Start... very impressive!
General Henry H. Shelton, US Army (Ret.)
General Wesley Clark, US Army (Ret.)
General Johnnie E. Wilson, US Army (Ret.)
Admiral Leon A. "Bud" Edney, US Navy (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Joe Ballard, US Army (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Jerome B. Hilmes, US Army (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Donald L. Kerrick, US Army (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Joseph Wehrle, US Air Force (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, US Army (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Donald Arthur, US Navy (Ret.)
Major General Buford "Buff" Blount, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Roger R. Blunt, US Army (Ret.)
Major General George Buskirk, Jr., US Army (Ret.)
Major General George F. Close, Jr., US Army (Ret.)
Major General James W. Comstock, US Army (Ret.)
Major General John T. Crowe, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Paul D. Eaton, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Paul E. Mock, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Paul Monroe, Jr., US Army (Ret.)
Major General Paul Vallely, US Army (Ret.)
Rear Admiral James A. Barnett, US Navy (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Roland Guibault, US Navy (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Stuart Platt, US Navy (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman, US Coast Guard (Ret.)
Rear Admiral David M. Stone, US Navy (Ret.)
Brigadier General John Douglas, US Air Force (Ret.)
Brigadier General Michael A. Dunn, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General Evelyn "Pat" Foote, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General David L. McGinnis, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General Preston Taylor, US Air Force (Ret.)
Brigadier General Ted Vander Els, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General John M. Watkins, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General Jack Yeager, US Army (Ret.)
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Frederick J. Finch (Ret.)
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James L. Herdt (Ret.)
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps John L. Estrada (Ret.)
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Alford L. McMichael (Ret.)
Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve Michele S. Jones (Ret.)
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Vincent W. Patton, III (Ret.)
Sergeant Major of the Army Jack L. Tilley (Ret.)
Civilian: Former Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton and Former Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder for more: If you want to read more about the Eleison Group , they posted an article here: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,182860,00.html Strong Military Needs Early Education Focus, by Dalton and Shelton | January 12, 2009
I was stunned by their presentation only 30% of AMERICANS were eligible??? They've been lowering standards to fill the ranks???!!! Mississippi is listed as one of their 10 target states ???... so after the luncheon, I walked over to the offices of our Mississippi Senators with Lola, who was one of their guests from New York, and asked the MS staff (Senators were in session) to please support Head Start. Of course nobody from either office EVER called me back as promised. After visiting their offices we played tourists, and we went and posed by Hillary Clinton's Senate office, and then got tickets to go see her confirmed as our next Secretary of State!! Mind you, our MS Senate offices didn't offer us Senate Gallery tickets, but the Senator (not Hillary's) from New York did!
10. Hillary's Sworn in! The Senate was packed, not just with Senators and press but with every seat in the gallery/audience filled. ..and you could stay there watching as long as you like. But the security... man they were STRICT! Not only did we have to pass security to get into the building, but the ticket required that we pass in all of our personal belongings at a check point, then we had security AGAIN where we again walked through a metal detector, and were wanded and more stuff was taken away like coats....everything all over again. No camera nor cell phones so no pictures to share from the gallery, just Clinton's Senate office with her Senate Seal on the hallway outside her office door with Lola.
Lola and I were interested in what was sold at the Senate and Capitol building gift shops... I was surprised that they had NOTHING FOR OBAMA. I kid you not, if you wanted Obama souvenir trinkets, the streets WERE FULL OF VENDORS, but those stores, the only thing I found were some rulers that have all of the 44 president's faces and a mouse pad with the same. I bought a mouse pad for Adrienne, and plenty of rulers, which turned out to be VERY popular for the children.. Once we left the Capitol Building, it was quite a disorienting walk to figure out where I was and where was the Pheonix Hotel with my car. Lotza walking!
Wednesday night was CodePink's pot luck dinner party. The house was crammed with all kinds of visiting and local peace activists who brought a dish and were happy to celebrate. The singing was grand! I myself had quite the adventure FINDING a grocery store that had something good looking to buy for my contribution to the pot luck, and rejected the first (supposed) grocery store I stumbled upon. It was hard to find stores and gasoline, really, I only found them because I asked. I ended up bringing 2 cartons of fried chicken and a coconut cream pie.. only 1/2 of the chicken was put out (the rest was held back for the house members) and I don't think the pie was set out either... I made yummy choices!.
Our great CodePink leader, Medea announced to our group that The Nation (magazine) had chosen Code Pink as their best activist group for the last 6 years of the Bush administration! Quite a compliment! If you'd like to read their article, it's here:
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/398667/most_valuable_progressives_code_pink_s_bush_to_obama_transition
Most Valuable Progressives: Code Pink's Transition posted by John Nichols on 01/19/2009
I was all tuckered out so after dinner, I crawled up into my high topped bunk bed and rested... who could sleep with all the noise?
Thursday January 22nd I went with my fellow Code Pink ladies and walked to the Senate Building, where we found Medea already attending a Senate hearing and we quietly protested Admiral Dennis Blair, who was being confirmed for the Director of National Intelligence position. Some of us had the pink foam peace signs and others held up signs about Stopping the Torture in Timor( which he appeared to have some hand in). When we first got there I applauded after Senator' Finesteine's opening remarks, and then ...........
there was SECURITY -->>>>right IN my face <<---telling me I'd better be QUIET or I was out! He would be watching me, and I'd better not cause any MORE problems or I was OUT --->>>>>>>>>.
Whew!
Code Pink - Team leader Medea Benjamin was shaking her head, we'd just arrived and already in trouble. I didn't want to sit in the back of the room, where I could barely hear so I moved up to the front row, and made a overly large man give me 3/4's of my seat, the rest were full. Senator Finesteine was wonderfully articulate, (you can read her remarks here: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=0081539c-c16a-36e6-7ba7-d00771d6f5e9) and then Senator Dodd (who writes all his stuff???) read his speech and it went on, and on and on. Meanwhile I got an electric Zap right on my thigh!
Zap - Zap
the big guys cell phone started zap/vibrating. He had it in his coat pocket which was on my thigh and boy was he popular....Zap Zap Zap!!! It was quite disconcerting but since the police WERE WATCHING MOI, I didn't say any of the things that came to my mind.
The Admiral spoke and when the Senator from Hawaii was getting ready to speak we decided to leave and we all stood up to go.
RUSH..... SECURITY CAME FLOODING INTO THE ROOM TO GET US! But since we weren't doing anything other than leaving it was all kinds of non drama for naught. At the door, the police bade us good bye and asked it we'd be back again today???
No, but maybe tomorrow!
We split up and some of us went to meet our elected officials from Florida, New York and Mississippi! Code Pink had never called upon Congressman Childers office so I had to get that fixed right away! As luck would have it my Congressman was in, his usual congenial self, and he invited us all into his office for a chat.
WE SANG TO CONGRESSMAN CHILDERS "We are singing for a peaceful world, we're singing for a peaceful world.." He'd never had anyone sing to him before, and there were 7 of us in his office.
Ariel (far left) had just returned from Gaza so she spoke a little bit about that area and her hopes that Childers would bring about PEACE in the middle east. while we were there, I asked Congressman Childers staff; Michael Fayoyin, to please get something special done for Gertrude since she didn't get into the Inauguration with her purple ticket. I gave him a First Day of Issue, stamped envelope decorated with an Obama picture, stamp/dated November 4, 2008 and asked that he get Obama to autograph it and then send it to Gertrude as a keepsake for her inaugural disaster. So far it hasn't happened, and now he no longer works for the Congressman!
There are tunnels underground that connect all of these buildings, and security posts, and so we took a picture at one of the junctures, but the man who we coerced to take the picture cut off the statue ladies head. I think they should paint the wall behind this statue a different color so it stands out.
We also sang to the new Congressman from Florida, and then we split up some and I went with Ariel so we could meet up with Rae and 2 other Pinkers to met with Rae's Congresswoman from California. These 3 ladies have BEEN TO GAZA, so they spoke to her about their concerns. I was very interested to hear that the children of Palestine are not allowed to travel. Ariel works with a program that gets Israeli and Palestine teens together to interact. The Israeli teems just arrive (at the Israeli site) in their cars, while the Palestinian teens had to get permission to travel, had to go through 7 check points and it was a big event for them to enter Israel. Once they were together, the plans for them to interact were curtailed because WAR broke out and they all had to be returned. Frantic parents immediately wanted their children home, but they still had to go back through all of those check points.
Side Note: Rae and Ariel saw a photograph of me, taken in New York at the 3rd Presidential debate... displayed in a store front window in Amsterdam when they were walking down the street! !
Congressman Childer's office gave us ALL tickets to get into the House of Representatives Chambers to hear them speak. Wasn't that nice??There are all kinds of tunnels that connect all of these buildings together... and it means a LOT of WALKING! But at least it's walking inside instead of freezing outside.
The line to get into this Chamber went swiftly, and here's the reason why: The Congressman from Indiana was speaking about how WONDERFUL our President is and how he's not going to talk about the FORMER President and his women problems let alone Monica Lewinski and BLA BLA BLA.
It's like he was in a time warp and was totally ignoring that Obama had been our president for 3 days. - the turnover was amazing, people came in, sat down, then left... it didn't look like any of the 20 people in there were staying to listen, unlike when Hillary was Confirmed and hundreds of people wouldn't move. The Congressman after him also was still speaking with his head up GW Bush's behind! They were incredible imbeciles so I left!
The RULES of the gallery are:
Nothing can be taken into the Galleries other than articles of clothing and handbags (but they took those too)
Guests must remain seated and refrain from reading, writing, smoking, eating, drinking, applauding or taking pictures (they seized all cameras, I really wanted to BOO the guys)
Front railing must be kept clear of all objects and guests must not lean on the railing
Appropriate hats may be worn by gentleman for religious purposes ONLY.
Any disturbance or infraction of these rules is justification for expulsion from the Galleries.
When I went to leave there was a huge line for the one elevator, so I decided to take the stairs. But there was a sign that said the stairs are closed. I went down them anyway and then the guard cam,e and said I cannot use the stairs. So I went back upstairs to stand in the long line for the elevator... a tour guide told me.. just go down the stairs, following that guide (who had 3 people with her), so I did and then the yelling started again... bottom line, they don't want to save energy and let us use the stairs.
That evening I engaged the GPS to take me to Gertrude's Sister's home in Maryland. The GPS decided that she lives in a very busy intersection, about a mile west of her actual home... but at least it got me close. Gertrude and I shares some lovely chicken soup with Bertha, went to bed early, then set out on Friday for home sweet home! No more drama... except for the invisible blankets.
11. The Invisible Obama Blankets,
On Dec 3rd, I ordered 2 Ole Miss Blankets from WalMart in their photo department. They advertised that Fuji could add a picture (of your choice) to the center of the flannel blanket in 7-10 days. I decided that since it was going to be freezing in Washington DC, I'd make myself a colorful MS blanket wrap that was also topical. I gave them the 2 pictures and they said because of the Christmas rush, there'd be no way I could get them by Christmas. I said no problem, I want them by January 16th. After Christmas I went to WalMart to get my blankets...after they scanned my ticket number I was told that they'd arrived! But they couldn't find them in the drawer so that must mean they are arriving in the next delivery. The invisible blankets continued to be on the truck for 4 days, then they told me they'd been delivered to another WalMart store. I started getting impatient, because if they couldn't FIND the blankets, then I needed to order another pair. Nobody knew anything so I finally called the WalMart district manager who had the local photo store manager re-order my blankets... because now Fuji decided to tell them that they couldn't make them from the photo disk we'd sent, they had to be ordered on the Internet. Now that it was January, I was pressing them, when are they going to arrive? Not to worry!
Two days before I'm supposed to leave for the Inauguration I check on the blankets. The Store Ass. Manager's been trying to help me with them and can't believe they haven't been delivered. He calls Fuji, he gets my address in Washington DC, they're going to FedEx them to me. So while I was in DC, the invisible blankets were never delivered. I come home and when I'm next shopping in WalMart I ask about the blankets. The blankets have been delivered... but they can't find them... they call. Oh they were delivered to the WRONG STORE. I said you're kidding me, I've heard this before. Sure enough, one week later I get a notice, they decided that the pictures I want to use are copy written. Now this was not possible because one of their own photo employees used THE SAME OBAMA FAMILY PICTURE to make a set of sheets and pillow case. The other was a design I paid to have made onto a button. A different employee decided that I needed to fill out another form that dealt with copywrites. After THREE months, the invisible Obama blankets arrived.
The assistant Manager of the photo department took down their sample Ole Miss blanket off the wall, she told me it was too much drama to get the merchandise, and another customer was being similarly jerked around like I was so he will also get his blanket for FREE, if it ever arrives.
I'm sending this now, or I'll never send it.
If you made it this far, WOW1
Sincerely,
Kelly Jacobs
posted by editor at
4:23 PM
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