This was the most powerful, inspiring and moving concert of my entire life.We joined 500,000 others in celebrating Obama's inauguration with a music and arts filled event today at the Lincoln Memorial.
We arrived at 9:00 am at the Security Checkpoint near the Memorial. Each of us went through a Secret Service scanning and clearance - then on to our "standing" area. We needed to get there by 10:00 am to claim our spot, which was awesome - right below the steps of the Monument, even though we had VIP tickets.
During the next 4 1/2 hours, before the show, we met other Obama supporters, enjoyed the last minute rehearsals and watched as every inch from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Memorial filled up with people.
The crowd was excited, joyous, diverse and incredible. The logistics were awesome (No, Brownie was not involved). And, while the temperature was cold, our spirits were warm and it made it all wonderful.
The two hour event was filled with inspiration, talent and a shared sense of hope and connection. To watch the artists, from Bono to Garth Brooks to Pete Seeger to Usher connect with the crowd and with the Obama family was delightful.
And, to see this sea of humanity - in the same site where Martin Luther King gave his speech was overwhelming. Tears flowed and history surrounded us.
The concert is now streamable from HBO at http://www.hbo.com/weareone/
