Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Inauguration 2009

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College of Southern Nevada student Jashaun Kisling watches the inauguration ceremony Tuesday from the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The 18-year-old film major says President Barack Obama has inspired in him an interest in politics where none had been before.

    Nevadans proud to witness history

    January 21, 2009

    Though he had secured a relatively good spot on the National Mall, Jashaun Kisling was unable to see the nation’s 44th president giving his inaugural address.

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Before opening M&M Chicken-N-Waffles for the day Tuesday, waitress Iesha Hall watches President Barack Obama speak at his inauguration in Washington.

    At this diner, history noted with quiet reverence

    January 21, 2009

    Waitress Iesha Hall stood motionless Tuesday morning as Barack Obama took the oath of office.

  • Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino aired Barack Obama's inauguration live on a 130' by 40' LED video screen at the heart of Las Vegas Strip, on Tuesday.

    Strip visitors hold back tears during inauguration

    January 20, 2009

    President Barack Obama seemed larger than life this morning to a crowd watching on the Las Vegas Strip. His voice boomed from screens outside Planet Hollywood as he delivered his historic inaugural address. Small crowds of visitors gathered around the screens. Construction workers crossed the street from CityCenter to watch the event.

  • Photogallery

    Las Vegas reaction to Obama’s inauguration

    The JumboTron outside Planet Hollywood displayed President Barack Obama’s inauguration Tuesday morning on the Las Vegas Strip.

  • President Barack Obama gives his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

    Barack Obama becomes nation’s 44th president

    January 20, 2009

    Stepping into history as America's first black president, Barack Hussein Obama said in his inaugural address Tuesday that the nation must choose "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" to overcome the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

  • A group of students from CSN stand in front of the Capitol before their group meeting with Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Dina Titus.

    CSN students travel to D.C., catch ‘Potomac fever’

    January 20, 2009

    Every four years, Mark Peplowski's political science class travels to Washington, D.C., to volunteer at the presidential inauguration. This year, the group had to be content just watching the ceremonies. So many people volunteered that there wasn't anything left for the Nevada students to do.

  • Video

    Inauguration Watch

    Inauguration Watch

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    A crowd gathered at The Miracle Mile Shops to watch the inauguration on large video screens Tuesday morning.

  • Photogallery

    Obama inauguration

    Inauguration of Barack Obama.

  • Blog: The inauguration’s Obama Echo

    January 20, 2009

    Throughout President Barack Obama's nearly 20 minute inaugural address it was hard to ignore the mighty echo.

  • From left to right, Jonas Clairborne, Denise Clairborne, Berna Rhodes-Ford and Aaron Ford of Las Vegas. The Claibornes are Aaron Ford's parents. The Fords have four children. Berna is hopeful President-Elect Barack Obama's message will be one that speaks to her children. "It's all of our history, but they're going to live it a lot longer," she said.

    To Vegas family, trip to D.C. is lesson for kids on their potential

    January 20, 2009

    Las Vegas attorneys Aaron D. Ford and Berna Rhodes-Ford taught their boys they could be anything they wanted. But the kids were skeptical. Now, on the eve of Barack Obama’s inauguration, the boys are beginning to believe.

  • State leaders hope Obama’s speech spells H-E-L-P

    January 20, 2009

    Nevada’s Democratic lawmakers will be listening to the inaugural speech today for what they said they didn’t hear last week from the governor — a path out of the economic abyss.

  • The 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Las Vegas makes its way down Fourth Street passing the Fremont Street Experience.

    Obama a part of unity message at downtown MLK parade

    January 19, 2009

    Celebration was the unofficial theme of Las Vegas' 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade Monday as dancers and floats made their way down the parade route and crowds of people, many donning Barack Obama T-shirts, cheered them on. "Living the Dream: For One America" was the official theme for this year's parade, which traveled along Fourth Street and ended at Ogden Avenue.

  • Video

    Road to Inauguration: Part III

    Road to Inauguration: Part III

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    Numerous galas and fundraisers are being held in Washington D.C. leading up to President-elect Obama's inauguration. Our Melissa Arseniuk gives us an all-access pass to one of them-The Green Ball.

  • President-elect Barack Obama speaks Sunday during "We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" in Washington.

    Obama sounds serious note as festive, patriotic mood grips D.C.

    January 19, 2009

    The houses in the old Capitol Hill neighborhood here are decorated as if it was the Fourth of July. Bunting drapes the fences. Glittery red, white and blue streamers fill the yards. Obama posters are in the gardens and windows. As Nevadans pour into town for President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration on Tuesday, the district is welcoming them with unabashed patriotism.

  • Video

    Road to Inauguration: Part II

    Road to Inauguration: Part II

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    With the big event only a day away excitement builds up in our nation's capital, as our own Melissa Arseniuk gives us a first person view of some of the major pre-inauguration events in Washington D.C.

  • President-elect Barack Obama, far right, waves from the back of a train to the waiting crowd at the Claymont Amtrak rail station as it moves through Claymont, Del., on Saturday.

    Teacher rides along with history

    January 18, 2009

    Railroad tracks don’t necessarily run through the nice neighborhoods, and as Rosa Mendoza looked out the window on President-elect Barack Obama’s inaugural train ride to the White House, she saw nuances of this country she immediately recognized. On highway overpasses, along weedy side roads and on the stoops of boarded up houses, crowds gathered — not the massive ones Obama usually draws — but clusters of communities sending him on his way to Washington.

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    Green Inaugural Ball for Obama

    The Green Inaugural Ball was held in Washington D.C.'s Andrew Mellon Auditorium on Jan. 17, 2009.

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    Sunday celebration in Washington

  • President-elect Barack Obama waves during his inaugural whistle stop train trip in Wilmington, Del., on Saturday.

    Obama’s inauguration train ride blends past, present

    January 17, 2009

    Sun Washington reporter Lisa Mascaro posted stories live from the train as President-elect Barack Obama and his family traveled to Washington, D.C. on Saturday. The journey began in Philadelphia, with stops in Delaware to pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family, and in Baltimore for an appearance before arriving in Washington.

  • From left to right, Marshall Peterson, 9, Braydon Lopez, 10, and Hunter Huber, 9, get excited as they answer a question while playing Presidential Jeopardy in their Gifted and Talented class on Friday. The boys will be part of a group traveling to Washington, DC with for the presidential inauguration.

    Inauguration trip a reality for Walker International students

    January 17, 2009

    Students at J. Marlan Walker International School had no problem on Friday reciting who had served the shortest term as president: William Harrison's one-month term easily took the cake. They knew he died of pneumonia, but they didn't know his death was, in a sense, caused by his inauguration speech. He caught pneumonia after talking for 1 1/2 hours on a freezing cold night, teacher Heidi Zilles said.

  • Photogallery

    Obama's train trip to Washington.

    President-elect Barack Obama's train trip to Washington, D.C.

  • Henderson middle school students to take in inauguration

    January 17, 2009

    As Henderson middle school students were awaiting the end of final exams Friday, a select group was anticipating something even greater.

  • Video

    Road to Inauguration: Part I

    Road to Inauguration: Part I

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    Our Melissa Arseniuk takes us on a road trip to Washington, D.C. as she attends the long awaited inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

  • A wax figure of President-elect Barack Obama is introduced to the public Thursday at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas. Obama's wax statue will be the fifth president at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas in the "Spirit of America" room.

    Obama gets early inauguration at Madame Tussauds

    January 16, 2009

    There was no entourage, no grand speech and no time for questions. And the president-elect nearly missed his historic inaugural event. President-elect Barack Obama’s wax likeness almost didn’t make its debut in time at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas because it had been trapped at U.S. Customs at McCarran International Airport since Monday.

  • Photogallery

    Obama Introduced at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas

    President-elect Barack Obama's figure was introduced as the newest member of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Las Vegas Thursday. Three children from Elaine Wynn Elementary School read essays about the new president for the event.

  • Video

    Wax Obama Unveiled

    Wax Obama Unveiled

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    Wax Barack Obama was inaugurated Thursday morning at Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas.

  • The Green Valley High School marching band practices Thursday in preparation for its performance at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington, D.C.

    Marching into history

    January 16, 2009

    Members of Green Valley High School's marching band concentrated as they rehearsed Thursday after school, but they couldn't repress their smiles and laughter. In 12 hours, they would be on a plane to Washington, D.C., to march in President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration parade Tuesday. There may have been some nervousness among the laughter: Will it be cold? What should I wear? What if the luggage gets lost? Will I make the 4 a.m. flight? If that was the case, most of the students hid it well.

  • Green Valley High band to play at inauguration

    December 10, 2008

    Henderson shoppers may get a lot more than they bargained for when they go shopping during the holidays.

  • Photogallery

    Green Valley Band goes to Washington

    The band is headed to Washington, D.C., to perform at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

  • Video

    GVHS Inauguration Preparation

    GVHS Inauguration Preparation

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    Green Valley High School prepares for the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. by squeezing one last practice in before the big event.