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Americans Outline An Agenda For President Clinton

By Kathleen Hayden and Tom Moore/AllPolitics

clinton crowd

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Jan. 20) -- Just in case President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress didn't get the message on election day, the people attending inaugural events were more than happy to repeat it: "Get along!"

If there was a common theme among the parade viewers, it was a call for bipartisanship.

Andrew Orlans, a Bethesda, Md. native, came into the District for his first inaugural. A self-described "apolitical optimist" Orlans characterized the president as a "friendly man, of large appetites." But he is hopeful that those attributes can "prepare [Clinton] to work in a bipartisan manner."

Orlans' mother, Barbara Morton, echoed those sentiments. She said that the president's inaugural message of "not having any more bickering" resonated strongly with her.

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Sue Baker, a city license commissioner in Decatur, Ala., made the trek to Washington, D.C., for both of Clinton's inaugurals. Though this year's festivities were not as exciting as the first, she said, this time around might be more important. Baker urged Clinton to "get along with the Republicans" because it's impossible to "get anything done" otherwise. "We all serve the same Lord," Baker said.

Jonathan Mikulis, a forensic science student at George Washington University, expects that getting everyone to work together to be Clinton's biggest challenge. "Do I think he's up to it? Sure, as long as he doesn't have to worry about re-election anymore," said Mikulis.

Howard Dublin, a D.C. resident who works for a private security firm agreed, but thinks Clinton must work with the Congress to finish what they couldn't during his first term. "Basically, getting Medicare back under control, and affordable, and probably revamping the Social Security system," Dublin said. "Also, I think he should pay more attention to the homelessness in this city... It's in a sad state of affairs."

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Clinton's reputation for loquaciousness preceded him. "I was very impressed with... how short Clinton's speech was," said Rebecca Young of Atlanta, bursting into laughter. During the ceremony, Young said she also reflected on how this eighth inaugural might be the last the Rev. Billy Graham attends. "It was nice to get to see him," she said.

Clinton's theme of limited government rang true with some in attendance. Margaret Pemberton, a retired government mental health specialist, said, "We can't sit back and expect one man in the White House to solve all our problems... It takes all of us, not one group, not one person."

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Jeannette Bieri, a Swiss psychology student studying at the University of Maryland, was having a good time at her first American inaugural. "I think it's great," she said. "I can sort of feel the American spirit standing out there on the Mall, when everybody was praying and standing there, and getting quiet." How would things look different in Switzerland? "More Swiss flags out there." All right then. What would a Swiss ceremony sound like? "It would be patriotic as well, but maybe a little less stress on the importance of Switzerland as a, you know, world power, which it's not, but it's still important. Also, we wouldn't pray before an inauguration."

George Bain, who served as a parade volunteer for a third time, had only this advice for the president. "Do as good a job as he did in the last four years." When asked what worked for Clinton over the term, Bain said, "He didn't do anything to hurt the American people."

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Dotty Ricks, who traveled from Rexburg, Idaho, to watch her daughter perform in the parade with national jump rope champions, said stabalizing the economy needs to be a top priority for the president's administration. Another Rexburg native, Katrina Childs, said protecting the environment needs to be on top of the national agenda. "Keep the parks clean," Childs said. "They are one of America's treasures."

As the sun dipped behind the buildings lining Pennsylvania Avenue, the route became much colder. Parade watchers dropped into Political Americana, a store specializing in political memorabilia like T-shirts and buttons, for a break from the chilly temperatures.

The store's manager said business had been great. Inaugural-themed items such as glass paperweights, jewelry boxes and mugs flew out of the store, he said, as people rushed to take home a piece of history.


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