Courtesy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, Jan. 20, roughly 250,000 people formed lines around the nation’s capital to get through security checkpoints in the bitter cold and snowy weather in, order to be a part of the 55th presidential inauguration.

In a tradition which began in 1789 with George Washington’s constitutional oath, the ceremonies have added various new festivities, such as parades, inaugural balls and in some cases (such as this year) a special ceremony in support of troops overseas.

Within the crowd were about 60 San Diego State students, including some alumni.

“It was quite an amazing event,” social science senior John Hoadley said.

Accompanied by professor Michael Stoddard, lecturer of political science and director of the Institute of World Affairs, George Bergstrom, the SDSU students spent a week in Washington D.C. (after three weeks in Oxford, England).

Associated students of Oxford’s New College and members of the Oxford Union studied international relations, and about half took private tutorial classes ranging from international business to religion before traveling to Washington D.C. to experience American politics.

Certainly, the inauguration is an important part of the political process, Bergstrom said. Another good aspect of this process is arriving directly from England, he said. The students were able to relate English government to American government, he said.

“I doubt other student groups, which we’ve seen here, had this type of exposure,” he said.

The students were extremely appreciative to be a part of the events. Every single student said it was one of the most extraordinary things they’ve ever done in their lives, Stoddard said.

“I’d never seen a president speak in person,” Hoadley said. “It was a very powerful speech.”

Bush doesn’t seem like he’ll give in, Hoadley said. He said Bush’s speech style is unique because he delivers them the way he wants them to be.

“Bush’s inaugural address was a general indication of what he intends to do in his second term,” Stoddard said.

The details of what he will do will be given in the State of the Union Address, which will indicate the current administration’s operational plans, he said.

“In terms of American foreign policy, the president seems to have gone full circle – promoting freedom and advancing democratic values is now synonymous with national security,” Stoddard said.

In his speech, Bush referred to freedom 27 times and liberty 15 times and, in most cases, related those references back to U.S. national security, Stoddard said.

He said this inauguration was very different than that of 2001, because the inaugural committee had more time to plan the event. There were 16,000 security people, not counting military forces in the immediate area, he said.

“I’ve never felt so safe in my life,” Hoadley said about the evident security.

Stoddard has attended six inaugurations – four Republican and two Democratic – all of which he has taken students to.

“It is not a partisan event,” Stoddard said.

Sixty percent of the students were Republican and 40 percent Democrat, all of who seemed to enjoy the event, he said.

Bergstrom agreed on this issue.

“Regardless of what your politics are, it’s your country, your president and your government,” he said. “I don’t think it lessens the importance of the ceremony.”

Two SDSU alumni, Amy Donnoe and Hanz Heinrichs, who both currently work in Washington D.C., assisted Stoddard by setting up a tour of the White House, Library of Congress and a private tour of the Capitol. The students received lectures from Heinrichs, Chris Dishman of the White House staff and California congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon. Most of the students attended the inaugural balls.

“I was astounded students endured 10 degree weather quite marvelously,” Stoddard said.

Bergstrom conceded Stoddard’s point. “I never saw so many mink coats in my life and they were full length ones mostly too, he said. “SDSU students handled the cold well.

“They weren’t too happy about it, but they put on double socks and soldiered on.”