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Follow Students On the Road to the Inauguration

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As soon as the candidates for the 2008 presidential election were announced, ORU freshman Matthew McAfee knew it was going to be an exciting election season. This would also be his first chance to vote in a presidential election.

So, in October, McAfee got on the phone with his congressman and senators to get on the list for tickets to the inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C. His efforts were rewarded when he received tickets from both Congressman John Sullivan and Senator Jim Inhofe.

Friday, Jan. 16, McAfee will leave on the 20-hour car trip with two friends, sophomore Eli Linton and senior Tim Bright to head to Washington, D.C. and the inauguration. The students will drive straight through and arrive sometime on Saturday. Then on Monday they will visit the offices of Congressman Sullivan and Senator Inhofe to pick up their tickets. Tuesday will mean an early start as they arrive at the gates by 8 a.m. and begin their wait for the ceremony to begin shortly before noon.

Follow Eli and Matthew as they send updates from their trip to the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. on Twitter or here on the ORU Web site.

Eli's Updates We are on our way home now & we had a great time. Thanks for following us and listening to our comments! It was an experience of a lifetime Im looking forward to getting back to school... The future looks bright for america, no matter who u voted for. You cant deny this fact. We just got out of the city! What a walk! We had to walk about 5 miles... But it was well worth it. The mad dash begins. But we had a great time. America is in good hands What a speech! There is singing and dancing in the streets. Hail to the chief! This is amazing. I have chills The lords prayer echoing over washington... What a feeling Yes we can is being chanted throughout washington The masses are chanting obama'.. Moments away now... History is upon us. This is to good for words The supreme court justices are coming out The motorcade has arrived 4 snipers to my left! Yay for safety! We are right at the reflecting pool. We made it! In the midst of 2 million people! All the representatives are sitting now. It seems communications are down here in dc. So our updates are kinda late We had trouble finding mcafee. So about 300, 000 people are in front of us.. But its an amazing sight Cell phones are getting jammed there are so many! Standing in line is very cold. I hope we get through the security check in time Me and tim have been waiting for an hour outside the gate. Still no sign of matt with our tickets We are at the silver gate waiting for them to take our tickets. At least another hour wait. About ten thousand people in line. Cameras are flashing just in the metro stations... People recording their families. Its very festive and upbeat. Tims mom told us a woman behind her said she felt like a part of history... Thats the feeling here. History hangs heavy over the city Thats the equivalent of two of my home states( montana) population compressed into a 2 mile strip. Or about 25 full yankee stadiums. its crazy! im trying to give you a visual but there is going to be more people than i have ever seen before. There will be people shoulder to shoulder all the way back to the lincoln memorial... 20 jumbotrons are set up. We will be sitting just in front of the capitol reflecting pool... No more than 500 ft. Away. And behind us.. 2 million people. We wont get to the metro until about 5:20 or 5:30. But we bought our tickets last night. So all we have to do is squeeze into a metro We are getting ready to converge on D.C. Its a strange feeling, the night before the swearing in- i have never seen my country so desperate, or put so much hope in a single man. Obama is everywhere! A vendor every ten feet. A button on every coa., news trucks for miles. as if god was about to make an appearance. It is jam packed... Vendors photographers, tourists.... The rock star has made this a party city I just got to the city... The first person we run into is rev. Al sharpton... Quite entertaining. once the inauguration day begins around 4 am. I will be updating fast and furious. everything from what I am feeling to whats happening. 2morrow I will be having an interview with a local woman, taking the metro into D.C., and planning our route with with McAfee and Tim. I have at least 3 stories and it's not even the big day! the land I am staying on was given to a freed slave by his master! what a story! There is so much happening in the next couple of days, I can hardly contain myself, as a writer its a gold mine. We made it! Wow. What a trip. i just met an interesting local lady... im going to try convince ny editor to let me do an exclusive on her. Another comparison between lincoln and obama: obama is making the same whistle stop visits as lincoln did before his inauguration. We are almost there! We had to make quite a few stops for mcafee (roll eyes) but we are about 45 min away now. Both were from illinois, both had two years experience, both were long shots, and. both defeated the senator from NY to win nomination. Me and mcAfee just got done discussing the stunning similarities between obama and president lincoln... Drove the graveyard shift. Need some sleep! We are discussing our expectations for Obama. what are your expectations? are you expecting a savior or a president? One hour into the trip... We almost hit a dog... Its finally it us... How incredible this will be... We all are super excited. And we are off! History awaits... I will be updating the site as soon as we get on the road. our expected departure time is 4 p.m. For the entire trip i will be putting down my thoughts. Just to give you a ground zero look at what's going on. Hey everyone just getting ready for trip to D.C. it is going to be one of the greatest days in history and i cant wait to share it with you!

Matthew's Updates I overwhelmed with happiness that today is a new day in America with Obama leading us. Starting to snow! We will drive safe We are leaving dc. Had such amazing time! America has turned a wonderful new leaf We saw history in the making! Now we just have to get to the car and out of dc. Obama has arrived! I am so excited! We made it to the promiseland! It took hours and we were seperated for a long time but we made it! Everyone is jolly and the feel of the city is different then other times I have been here. Obama's calm and cool has flooded the whole city! Got my tickets!!! I saw Hilary Clinton and Chris Dodd offices. Fun to walk the same halls as the ppl. running the nation. I will be going to Rep. Sullivan & Sen. Inhofe office to pick up the tickets for the Inaugural Ceremony in an hour. Happy MLK Day! I had great time at the concert today. I heard Obama and Biden speak along many others. My fav music was Garth Brooks, U2 & Stevie Wonder. Just heard Obama speak! Amazing Sleep felt soooo great last night. Today I am going the concert w/ Beyonce, Bono, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder! WE MADE IT!!! I can't believe it but in a few days I am going to see first hand what will be taught in history books to my children!! Just had breakfast in west virgina. So close now! Passing the st. Louis arch. Five hundred mile stretch coming up. Its going to be a long night. At rest stop getting food in Joplin. Can't wait to get to DC!!