January 21, 2009 San Diego Union-Tribune

The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th president of the United States was the subject of more than twelve pages of newspaper coverage.

Here are the first few paragraphs from the front page and B1:

Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States yesterday in a historic moment that resonated from the nation's capital to all corners of the world.

Obama, in his speech following the oath of office administered by Chief Justice John Roberts (above), promised to address a ravaged economy and restore America's position of leadership in the global community. But Obama did not dwell on the milestone that would have been unimaginable not long ago: becoming the first black president. After whirlwind celebrations, he went home to a White House partially built by slaves.

A BIG DAY FOR PRIDE, HOPE

By Jeff McDonald, Matthew T. Hall and J. Harry Jones

Here in the southwest corner of these United States, as in much of the country and indeed the world, thousands of people swelled with pride and hope yesterday, standing witness to a transfer of power like none before.

As Barack Obama took the oath of office on the other side of the continent, revelers across San Diego County cheered wildly in meeting halls and offices, gyms and restaurants, stores and senior centers.

Nearly 400 people headed to five UltraStar Cinemas theaters across the county to take in free viewings of the ceremony. People waiting at the San Ysidro border crossing caught glimpses on TVs here and there, including one at a burrito stand.

With the images of pageantry and Obama's words of change still fresh, even those who voted for someone else hoped for the best and pledged to support their new president.

"It's a great testament to the strength and vitality of America," said Wilbur Simlik, 87, a veteran of three wars who retired from the Marine Corps as a major general and lives at the La Costa Glen retirement community in Carlsbad. "Even though I didn't vote for him, this is such a great day for America and a great day for freedom."

At the Hall of Justice in downtown San Diego, Sam Stahl could scarcely believe what was unfolding on television: the first African-American sworn in as leader of the most powerful nation on Earth.

"The world's made equal," said Stahl, a Clairemont father of three who was waiting to be called for jury duty. "Anybody can become president."

Obama, an African immigrant's son who served four years in the U.S. Senate before winning the White House, has energized millions of people consumed with worry over two ongoing wars and an economy that has lost more than 1million jobs in the past two months.

Some in the county were overjoyed at the sight of former President George W. Bush leaving Washington, D.C., after Obama officially replaced him.

More than 150 people at the Malcolm X Library in Emerald Hills broke into a raucous rendition of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" as Bush was shown boarding a helicopter on his way out of town.

At the Circle K in San Marcos, clerks reported a notable drop in business between 9 and 10 a.m., when President Obama took the oath and addressed the nation. Customers and employees lined up before a bank of televisions inside the Target store in Escondido.

More than 100 students and faculty at Cal State University San Marcos gathered in a small room decorated with red, white and blue balloons. Alife-sized cut-out of the new president stood next to the large screen.

Someone yelled, "Doesn't everybody want to scream?! Obama!" and the place erupted. Marilyn McWilliams teared up during Obama's speech. So did many others.

"My mother didn't get a chance to see this, but my children have and know now that anything is possible," said McWilliams, president of the university's African-American Faculty and Staff Association.

Read the rest of the story here.

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