Innaugural Liveblog

9:21 Now is as good a time as any to start The Common Man's liveblog of the inauguration ceremonies. After all, the major networks can't seem to decide when to start. ABC got going at around 8 AM, CBS at 9, and NBC at 9:30. Fox, citing their refusal to cowtow to the liberal media bias, will begin its coverage at 2:45 Wednesday morning. The Common Man will update every fifteen minutes or so between now and the end of the ceremonies.

9:26 Katie Couric awkwardly tries to pimp Washington lobbyist and powerbroker Vernon Jordan's new book. Then urges those who can't get into the Washington Mall (it's full) to go home and turn on CBS. Ah, shameless promotion. You stay classy, CBS. Dan Rather is spinning in his grave. What? Alive? Really?

9:28 Celebrate Barack Obama's inauguration by sending in all your old gold jewelry for far less than it's worth. "I got $400 for my gold jewelry. That's a lot of gas money." (depressed)

9:31 The Common Man is excited by the prospect of an Obama presidency. He certainly has made little effort to hide his enthusiasm over the past few months. However, The Common Man is troubled by this poll by CNN.com, which reports that 2/3 of African Americans believe that Dr. King's dream has been fulfilled. Sure, maybe the election and inauguration of an African-American means that Dr. King's dream is fulfilled. But what troubles The Common Man is the implied notion that somehow race doesn't matter anymore. From this point, it will be easy for those in power to reject the notion that black and Latino and Native American minorities (amongst others) are discriminated against, and Americans need to be increasingly vigilant.

9:32 NBC has stopped broadcasting and the screen is frozen. What a day to forget to pay the gas bill.

9:43 Dignitaries begin to leave the White House. There go the wives of the Vice-President and the VP-elect.

9:44 The First Lady and First-Lady-to-be make their way into their armored tank. This ride will be awk-ward.

9:46 Dick Cheney is in a wheelchair today after pulling a muscle in his back moving out of the VP mansion. You'd think the Vice-President could have gotten someone to move his boxes for him. Maybe he was trying to lift the the man-size safe.

9:48 There's the man. Or The Man (fight the powers that be). Bigger than The Beatles?

9:52 Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln.

9:54 The Common Man loves that the Secret Service has to take the limousine apart piece by piece to check it. What happens if there are parts left over when they put it back together?

9:56 Senator John Corrin is holding up Hilary Clinton's nomination, in a partisan effort to thumb his nose at the Obama Administration. Dick.

9:58 Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln.

9:59 How hard is it to drive in formation like that? You have to be constantly watching the speedometer, don't you? Think about how tough it is to drive in a caravan and maintain a steady speed and distance. Important? Not so much. But The Common Man has 12 minutes to waste.

10:00 The Presidential caravan arrives at the Capitol.

10:01 Oh, God! The Terminator is in the crowd! Look out Barack, he's been sent back through time to become the Governor of California and be invited to the inauguration and bring about Judgment Day!

10:06 Ooh, Cabinet and Agency Designees! Sexy. Seriously, bring on the real deal.

10:12 Bored now. Dan Quayle! Al Gore! Fritz Mondale! The feeling of despair and disappointment is overwhelming. There's no air left in Washington with all that suck up on the dais.

10:14 Joe Biden's mother is the cutest woman in America who is not one of The Common Man's grandmothers. Quick, declare her a national monument to adorableness.

10:17 George H.W. Bush is toddling along with a bum hip. The image of ex-Presidents next to Obama's energetic youthfulness will be striking and is symbolic of the change that many are hoping for.

10:21 Before he forgets, The Common Man is so happy for black Americans who participated in the Civil Rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s. What a day to get to see. Sure, as The Common Man mentioned previously, the idea that the Civil Rights struggle has ended should is probably wrong. But what a wonderful symbol and sign that their efforts were not in vain. What a way to honor their sacrifices.

10:23 Wow, ABC has a great shot of the moving trucks and boxes moving the Obamas into the White House.

10:27 The Common Man really hopes that being in the spotlight will not unduly hurt the Obama children. What a crazy life must be ahead of them (and behind them for the past couple years).

10:29 Waiting...waiting...waiting...

10:31 Simply from an aesthetic standpoint, the new first and second ladies are much more pleasing then the old.

10:32 President Bush's procession is awfully somber as it makes its way through the Capitol.

10:35 Those poor Indonesian children who have to sit through this at almost midnight. Mom and Dad, I have to go to school when? Why?

10:36 And Bush 42 comes out. Keep him away from the microphone. Don't let him get his bad juju on anything Barack will touch. Has the White House been sterilized?

10:39 Joe Biden. The Commmon Man can't help but like that guy.

10:41 OK, the Oh-Bah-Ma chant does make The Common Man a little uncomfortable.

10:43 Oh my God! That's Barack Obama's music! Barack Obama is in the house tonight! AND HE'S GOT A STEEL CHAIR!

10:44 The Common Man is awfully glad he's not playing his trumpet out in the cold.

10:48 Here comes Pastor Rick Warren. And here's the most controversial moment of the inauguration. You know, there is a real sense, as The Common Man watches this moment, that Warren is endorsing the Obama presidency. Again, a masterful decision by Barack Obama and his administration, to help in whatever future battles he has with a intransigent political right.

10:50 Ewww, Rick Warren needs to never say the names of Barack Obama's daughters again.

10:55 Aretha's "My Country 'Tis of Thee" was beautifully different. Man, it's dusty in here.

10:58 The Common Man just gets the feeling that Joe Biden is a hell of a dad.

11:00 Perlman and Ma and friends? It's dusty again. Music is so evocative.

11:03 President-Elect Obama really seems to be drinking this all in. It's fun to watch.

11:04 It's go time. The Common Man is standing up, which makes it hard to type.

11:06 Oops, there was a little ball-dropping going on with that oath. But still, President Barack Obama!

11:11 Yay Presdient! The Common Man thinks he'll never be cynical again.

11:15 How can anyone doubt the manly cut of this new President's jib?

11:17 We will not give up our ideals for expedience's sake. You here that George? Well, the cynicism wasn't gone long.

11:26 Wow. Nice speech. And now, The Common Man is going to go hug a puppy. Adn with that, The Common Man will leave you for the day. He looks forward to President Obama putting former-President Bush on a plane and kicking his butt out of Washington...and getting down to business. This is a good day.