Students have a ball at Bush’s inauguration

Benjamin Grove

Monday, Jan. 22, 2001 | 11:26 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Not long after President Bush appeared at the Ronald Reagan building here about 8:15 p.m. Saturday for his first inaugural ball of the night, Las Vegas college student and Inaugural Committee volunteer Adam McCracken found himself caught in a spat between CBS and FOX television reporters vying to interview Marie Osmond.

It was a surreal moment in a string of weird incidents behind the scenes Inauguration Night, McCracken said. He and seven other Community College of Southern Nevada students spent two weeks in Washington leading up to Bush's big day.

Their three-credit "Inaugural Internship" culminated with the students decked in tuxedos and gowns working odd jobs in exchange for free admittance to Bush's first of eight balls. McCracken's duty -- escort a few of the 300 media personnel covering the dance.

"The Secret Service didn't want any of the press walking around by themselves," the 22-year-old McCracken said. "I don't think we were particularly effective, but I had a good time."

At one moment CBS and FOX needed an immediate interview with event emcee and singer Osmond, of Donny and Marie fame, McCracken said.

"I couldn't believe they were having a fight over Marie Osmond," McCracken said. "I just thought it was kind of funny everyone was so enamored with her."

Also among the ball's 4,500 guests: singer Meatloaf and Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak -- sans Vanna White.

"(Sajak) looks a lot older and in not quite as good a shape as he looks with makeup on TV," McCracken said.

McCracken was so busy escorting media that he missed Bush entirely. So did a downcast Brian Dickson, 19, of Henderson. As a "curbside greeter," Dickson checked tickets as guests stepped from limousines.

The avid Bush fan ducked away from his post and dashed inside for a glimpse of the new president, but got stuck in line at a Secret Service checkpoint.

"It was disappointing I didn't get to see him in person," Dickson said. "It was worth it to be a part of history. But next time I'll buy tickets. No more volunteering."

The students will write a paper about their up-close look at the nation's capital and the Inaugural ceremony. They also kept journals: 30-year-old aspiring law student Denise Boutin proudly displayed hers, autographed by feminist activist Gloria Steinem. Boutin, the most loyal Democrat among the CCSN group, ran into Steinem outside hearings for embattled Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft.

Steinem surprised Boutin by asking for Boutin's autograph, too, and then insisting they have their photograph taken together.

"She said, 'You're just as important as I am,' " Boutin said.

Boutin said she had signed up for the internship before the election to learn more about Washington and the inaugural process and wound up surrounded by rowdy Bush activists.

During a training session for the 300 or so ball volunteers in the Reagan building's auditorium Saturday afternoon, the event's volunteer coordinator began to cry from Bush pride as she addressed the group.

Later volunteers -- almost entirely Bush supporters -- watched the swearing-in ceremony live on a big screen TV. They gave Bush a standing ovation and taunted departing Vice President Al Gore with a verse of "Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey, Goodbye."

"That was all a little bit much for me," Boutin said later.

The CCSN group's instructor said the internship focused on the inauguration event -- not Bush.

"This is the 42nd transition of power between presidents, and not once has there been violence, not once has there been a bloody coup," political science teacher Mark Peplowski said. "Our Constitution continues to persevere despite our differences in philosophy."

But most inauguration revelers were there to celebrate a new Republican administration.

Student Chad Evans, 23, the most vocal Bush supporter in the CCSN group, said he was awed by his first sight of a living president Friday night, when Bush appeared at a concert staffed by Evans and other volunteers.

Evans is still taking cracks about his first name with good humor.

"It's the inauguration, man," Evans said. "Everyone's got a joke about it."

The students flew back to Las Vegas on Sunday armed with souvenirs and photographs. Brenda Montoya took several shots of the new president after she slipped away from her job herding guests down a hallway, just in time to catch Bush as he entered the Atrium ballroom.

The hall roared as the band played "Hail to the Chief."

"I don't think I realized until that moment how big a deal it was," Montoya said. "To be that close to the president takes you back a bit. It's hard to catch your breath."