WASHINGTON - Four days. Two reporters. One photographer. Seventeen hours of sleep.
State News staffers Drew M. Harmon, Tony Paul and Jan-Michael Stump spent a long weekend covering the nation’s 54th inauguration ceremony.
Here’s what kept them busy:
THURSDAY
Noon - Arrive in Washington. 3 p.m. - Pick up press credentials at the National Mall. 3:45 p.m. - We walk what seems like a mile or two to the Lincoln Memorial, where the Inaugural Opening Celebration is beginning. 4:00 p.m. - We realize pop superstar Ricky Martin hasn’t performed yet. 4:01 p.m. - We Debate leaving before Ricky Martin performs. 5:45 p.m. - Ricky Martin performs, and we are there! 6:20 p.m. - Arrive at the Hay Adams Hotel for a ceremony honoring new Energy Secretary Spence Abraham. 6:40 p.m. - We meet Caroline and Helen, a pair of elderly and friendly, yet long-winded, women. They regale us with stories about their ties to Michigan and their “millionaire friend” who got them into the inaugural events. 7:10 p.m. - We miss a chance to interview Abraham, as we were too busy taking part in what was a “one-way” conversation. 8:15 p.m. - Drew suddenly notices that standing just a few feet to his right is Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris. He quickly jumps at the chance to interview her, while trying to restrain himself from making jokes. 8:45 p.m. - MSU Trustee Donald Nugent enters the ceremony, offering us our first Spartan connection while in Washington. 9:40 p.m. - We leave one glitzy hotel and rush Drew back to our hotel - beautifully equipped with an art deco theme. Imagine a scene from “Dick Tracy.” Drew finishes his story.FRIDAY
9:40 a.m. - Drew wakes up at the planned time. His roommates, though, do not. But it’s not as if he bothered to make an effort to wake the others. 2:30 p.m. - We travel to the Russell Senate Office Building, where we attend an open house for U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing. 3:10 p.m. - While interviewing the senator, she suggests The State News have a full-time U.S. Capitol correspondent. None of us care to disagree. 4:10 p.m. - We meet briefly with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, a Democrat from Detroit. He talks of President Clinton’s legacy, and what’s on his schedule for inauguration weekend. 5:05 p.m. - We finally find the Cannon House Office Building, after taking an extended walk to visit the office of U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton. 5:30 p.m. - We begin searching for a cab to take us across town for another Republican gala. 6:15 p.m. - That cab we spoke of, well we hail it finally. We arrive at the Willard Hotel for a pair of Michigan GOP galas. 6:30 p.m. - Tony runs into MSU Trustee David Porteous, who provides us with our second Spartan encounter of the weekend. 6:45 p.m. - We run into Caroline and Helen again, making sure to listen for them to speak more of their “millionaire friend.” 7:15 p.m. - We leave the Willard, and return back to the set of “Dick Tracy.”SATURDAY
6:30 a.m. - Since Drew chooses to wake Tony up on time this morning, they arrive early to the Michigan Republican breakfast at the Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel in Arlington, Va. 8:00 a.m. - Jan begins his morning photography, wandering around the Mall looking for good shots. 8:30 a.m. - Drew and Tony leave the breakfast, and take the Metro Train to inauguration festivities. 9:00 a.m. - A bazillion stops later, and after being squeezed among hundreds of others piled on the Metro, Tony and Drew arrive in downtown D.C. 9:30 a.m. - Tony, Drew and Jan pile into the standing-room only section of the Mall in preparation for the 11:30 a.m. inauguration. 9:45 a.m. - Temperatures drop and make standing in a crowd of thousands nearly unbearable. 10:00 a.m. - Young children seem anxious to kick and scream. For some reason, we were targets. 10:25 a.m. - Tony and Drew debate playing “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” but opt against it because Tony’s not too familiar with Bacon’s work. 10:30 a.m. - Instead, they agree to play “Six Degrees of Tom Hanks” because it’s easier. 12:10 p.m. - We have a new president: George W. Bush. 1:00 p.m. - Jan is preparing to photograph the parade when word breaks of possible violent protests. He begins filming the demonstrators. 4:30 p.m. - Tony begins writing his inauguration story, which ran on www.statenews.com. 7:00 p.m. - There’s a break in the action until the guys take off for the Michigan State Society Ball, which was held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. 8:15 p.m. - Drew notices that Abraham has entered the building, and he rushes up to seek his interview. 8:19 p.m. - He returns four minutes later, and the interview is over. Responses weren’t long. 8:30 p.m. - We encounter Trustee Porteous again. 10:00 p.m. - Realizing the need to begin writing, the guys leave the ball for their hotel. 10:15 p.m. - We contact MSU Republicans Jason Ahrens and Jay Compton, who along with five other Spartans are visiting Washington. They report having a good time.10:30 p.m. - We begin writing.SUNDAY
5:30 a.m. - All stories are finished, and shipped back to East Lansing. 5:31 a.m. - We’re sleeping. 10:00 p.m. - Back in Detroit.
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