Rednour at Inaugural: An Inspiring Moment in American History
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Rednour at Inaugural: An Inspiring Moment in American History
By John H. Croessman
Managing Editor & The AP WASHINGTON
The phone rang at 9:20 a.m. (10:20 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.)
"John, hello, this is John Rednour."
Du Quoin's mayor and a member of the Democrat National Committee was standing only 150 feet from the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States--Barack Obama.
Rednour is in Washington with wife Wanda and grandchildren Jordan and Calin Campanella and Jill Vanzandt and husband Jason. The family flew out to Washington on Saturday and will return to Du Quoin on Wednesday.
"We are about 150 feet--maybe 200 feet at the most--from the seats (of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden).
"We had to walk from the hotel, about a mile and a half from here," said Rednour, who has attended four inaugurations. "This is the most impressive one that I have attended," he said, surrounded by crowds will in excess of a half-million people, stretching in front of and along the mall between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. "The U.S. Marine Band is playing right now," said Rednour, conveying the sights and sounds of the moment, on a crisp and clear day as the nation extended its hopes and prayers for the new president.
The Rednours stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, site of last night's Illinois inaugural ball, which the Rednours attended.
Longtime Rednour family friend Sen. Dick Durbin arranged for the tickets. "There are hundreds of thousands of people here," said Rednour. The time between then and the inauguration was passing quickly.
The Rednour grandchildren stood in the mall area. "They found good places, too," said Rednour.
Security was high. "It took a long time for us to get in," said Rednour.
As massive crowds swarmed the National Mall this morning to witness Barack Obama's inauguration as president, the man at the center of the maelstrom began the day quietly and reverently, at a church service across the street from the White House.
According to the AP, Obama and his family attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church, a tradition for those about to become president. The family of Vice President-elect Joe Biden also attended.
Barack and Michelle Obama waved to bystanders, then entered the church to applause from about 200 people. The choir and congregation began singing the hymn, "O God Our Help in Ages Past."
The Rev. Luis Leon welcomed the Obamas and said every president since James Madison has worshipped at the church at least once, "some of them kicking and screaming."
Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr., of Los Angeles, drew murmurs and chuckles when he blessed the Obamas and asked that "they may finish these two terms in office" stronger than they are now. Obama, of course, would have to win re-election in 2012 to serve a second term.
The Rev. Joel Hunter of Longwood, Fla., offered a blessing to "Barack Hussein Obama."
The sermon was by prominent Dallas minister T.D. Jakes. Borrowing an Obama campaign slogan, he told the president-elect that he will face many critics, "but you are all fired up, sir, and you're ready to go." The nation and God will go with him, too, Jakes said.
The Obamas and Joe and Jill Biden were scheduled to have coffee at the White House with President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney and their wives. Then they would travel the short distance to the Capitol for Obama's history-making moment.
Just beyond the White House fence, huge crowds braved freezing temperatures and jostled for positions to see - with the naked eye or on Jumbotron screens - Obama take the oath of office as the 44th president and the first black to hold the title.
On Monday, a relaxed and upbeat Obama prepared for his big day by invoking the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. and lavishing praise on two prominent Republicans in calling for a new spirit of bipartisanship. After visiting wounded veterans and helping volunteers paint a dorm for homeless teens in Washington, Obama dashed to three black-tie dinners Monday night.
One honored Sen. John McCain, the Republican he defeated in November, and another honored Colin Powell, who was secretary of state under Bush.
The third dinner was for Biden, the former Delaware senator who twice sought the presidency himself.
Obama called McCain and Powell American heroes who set standards of patriotism and bipartisanship for all to follow.