We made it to Philadelphia today after a brief layover in Chicago. It's really cold here tonight! Hannah arrived earlier and got us checked into our hotel and surveyed the downtown area (how great it is to have an independent, travel-experienced adult child!). When the rest of us arrived the hotel was surrounded by police, and Secret Service were all around the lobby too. We haven't seen the Obama family, but we do know they are staying here tonight.
We've had a short briefing on what to expect tomorrow and in the next few days. The staff for the Presidential Inauguration Committee are all wonderful. They've explained the process of getting all of us to the train station and the various events on the train and at the stops in Wilmington and Baltimore. We'll be the crowd behind or next to the speakers. Three of the "ordinary Americans" in our group have been selected to introduce the president (yeah, I'm going to start calling him the president now - we've waited long enough!). We met one of them, Ms. Pat Stiles, who was a campaign volunteer in Colorado who had the opportunity to introduce Joe Biden in October. What an honor to have been asked to introduce the vice president and then the president!!!!
We also met Lilly Ledbetter in the hallway after our meeting. Ms. Ledbetter ran her equal pay for women case against Goodyear Tire Co. all the way up to the Supreme Court. The court never ruled on the merits of the case, but rather rejected it for being filed after the 180 day "charging period", despite Ms. Ledbetter not learning of the pay discrimination until later.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilly_Ledbetter
Sitting near us at dinner was Gregg Weaver, the conductor for Joe Biden's Amtrack commuter train that he took every day to/from D.C. since he was elected to the Senate. He'll be introducing Biden at the Wilmington event tomorrow at 1:00.
So, we'll get up early tomorrow and get on the train and see what tomorrow brings! It should be an eventful day! We'll try to get to get some good pictures up tomorrow.
Jim G.
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That train ride would be excitement enough for me. But to have everything else added to it--inauguration, ball, meeting all the other ordinary Americans...what a dream!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're aware of the Lincoln parallels involved in the trip, but in case you're not: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-train_bdjan18,0,1944527.story
Keep the posts coming. We love them.
Mark W.
I saw you on C-Span at the Philadelphia station this morning! What a surprise! I was on the treadmill at the gym and turned on my monitor, was flipping through the channels, and there was Senator Bob Casey making some very moving statements. I knew where I was, I saw a "peanut gallery" stage right, and wondered if you were there. After Casey left the stage, they panned the peanut gallery, and there you were! How thrilling, and you all looked wonderful! When the camera pulled away, I noticed a dark-haired young lady between Grace and Lindsay. Did Hannah dye her hair??! I didn't notice it up close; now I'm wondering if it was she.
ReplyDeleteI called you (Alicia) afterwards, and you said to keep watching as you and Jim were boarding the train with the Obamas. I watched for another 30-40 min., but I'm thinking it wasn't filmed. I'll tune in again around 1 in the hopes of seeing y'all in Delaware with the Bidens. When have I ever been so excited or so proud to be an American! Thanks to the Girardeaus, it's a family affair!
Ya'll, keep watching CNN and C-Span.
Niki
just saw the Wilmington stop/pick-up but did not spot ya...but I only know you by pictures... :)
ReplyDeletesaw a bit of the train departure from Philly too...but no spotting on ABC
what a great experience for your entire family...cherish this once-in-a-lifetime gift as it unfolds...wowza
thanks for sharing your notes and pix here...
Alicia Walsh-Fisher (another FOG, or Friend of the Girardeaus), found some terrific and really fun photos of you all on Yahoo, boarding the train with the president (I agree, Jim). I couldn't post them to this blog, so anybody can see them at this public photo album:
ReplyDeletehttp://picasaweb.google.com/dbradford0/KCGirardeaus?feat=directlink
I'll send them to your email, Alicia, so you can add them here, if you want.
I found a video of the Girardeaus with the Obamas. Watch the video!! It's a good one.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/01/17/Obama-departs-on-whistle-stop/1232213673.html