The inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump as the nation’s 45th President tomorrow at noon has journalists and historians saying this is one of the most contentious transfers of presidential powers in memory or perhaps ever.
Along with the pageantry afforded U.S. presidential inaugurations complete with black tie balls, fireworks and concerts, tens of thousands of protesters are expected to descend on Washington and in New York tomorrow and through the weekend.
Trump was elected in November following a bruising campaign battle, in which the Republican president-elect, with his often divisive rhetoric, defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in a campaign where her nomination was tainted with the feeling of a rigged nominating process.
Clinton’s campaign failed to connect with many mainstream voters, particularly in the rust belt states, and despite winning a plurality of votes, she lost in the states that matter and was handily defeated in the electorial college votes that compiles votes in a state to state, winner-take-all process.
Since winning the election, Trump has continued his scorched earth style of attacking anyone and everyone that is critical of him, and he comes into office amid possible scandals that involve his alleged mixing his international business ventures with governing.
The inauguration usually is attended by the entire U.S. Congress, but thus far 64 Congress Members have reportedly decided not to attend out of protest including Democratic Brooklyn Congressmembers Yvette Clarke, Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velazquez, but Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries will attend and issued the following statement.
“For eight years, Barack Obama has conducted himself with class, dignity and distinction. Tomorrow, he will appear at the inauguration as President of the United States for the last time. President Obama and the First Family will then wave goodbye to the American people on the grounds of the Capitol and be whisked away on a Marine helicopter. I have decided to attend tomorrow’s event, in large measure to be present in Washington for Barack Obama’s final presidential moment as a great leader of this nation. Thereafter, I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of our district with civil rights icon John Lewis and people of good will throughout our nation in the battle for America’s future.”
Among the bigger protests this weekend is the Women’s March on Washington this weekend, which Arab-American activist Linda Sarsour of Bay Ridge helped organize. Among the Brooklyn lawmakers planning to attend is Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (Downtown Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill).
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Sister marches will be taking place throughout the country, and New York City’s promises to be an impressive showing. Women’s March – New York City will begin at 11 a.m. at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 342 E 47th Street in Manhattan.
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On the Republican side, a good many of the borough’s GOP members and electeds will go to support both Trump and the peaceful transfer of power.
“As a person who has been a guest of Congress having attended the Presidential State of the Union Address given by President Obama a few years ago, I am absolutely honored and thrilled to attend this inauguration and the numerous events surrounding the swearing in of not only a fellow Republican, but also a fellow New Yorker,” said Theodore Ghorra, Chairman of the Kings County GOP.
Glenn Nocera, former President of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club and the president of the Brooklyn Tea Party is going thanks to an invite through Congressmeber Dan Donovan’s (South Brooklyn, Staten Island) office.
“I’ll be in the standing area and it should be fun and interesting. It’s supposed to rain and no umbrellas are allowed they say on the instructions,” said Nocera, who also attended George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2004.”We need someone [Trump] to shake up the system right out of the box, because the business as usual ways of doing things was only selling the American people down the river.”
Nocera said the protesters will do what protesters do and he just hopes they don’t resort to violence.
“We want to give him [Trump] his version of a honeymoon like all other presidents are afforded. At the end of the day it was an election, and whoever won won. Just like when Obama won I wasn’t happy nor were any Republicans, but we didn’t damage any property,” said Nocera.
When President Barack Obama was sworn in for the first time as the first African-American President of the U.S eight years ago, there were more than one million attendees, including elected officials and celebrities such as Denzel Washington, and Beyonce among many more, according to the Washington Post.
