Politically connected find the inaugural a winner Politically connected find the inaugural a winner (January 28, 2005)

Hosterman, Haugen, Miller praise the event
by Jeb Bing

For those who went to the presidential inauguration last week, it paid to have political connections, and for at least three from Pleasanton, that paid off.

For Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, the trip was part of last week's meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, held at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C., just two blocks from the Capitol building. From there, she used special tickets she had been given by U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D., 13th), whose district includes a part of Pleasanton, to gain upfront tickets to the swearing-in ceremonies last Thursday.

"He gave us tickets to the red section right up front where we had seats," said Hosterman, who was there with her husband Michael, a Pleasanton attorney. "From where we were sitting, we could look back down across the entire mall and see nothing but a sea of people. It was just incredible."

For local Realtor Chris Miller, a Republican activist, and school board Trustee Juanita Haugen, who also were in Washington, the view wasn't quite as good.

Haugen, a frequent traveler to Washington because of her numerous board memberships and activities on behalf of education, made it to the Republican Women's Headquarters at the Capitol Hill Club and later to a dinner hosted by U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo (D., 15th), whose district includes most of Pleasanton. Although at the Inaugural Parade, Haugen, like Miller and the Hostermans, didn't go to any of the inaugural balls.

Miller, who received his swearing-in ceremony ticket from Pombo, stood in the yellow section, far behind the Hostermans, "but that was OK, I got to see everything," he quickly added.

The day before, he had a ticket to a special concert for the military, held on the White House Ellipse. Seated near top dignitaries, including Gen. Tommy Frank and winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Miller, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves, said that as a veteran he earned accolades from performers and two of the program's keynote speakers: President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney.

"That really made the trip worthwhile," he added. "After they were sworn in the next day, I felt I had paid my respects and went to several of the museums instead of the parade."

For all three, security was extensive and at times, mind-boggling.

"Everywhere you looked, you saw the security forces," Hosterman said. "There were SWAT teams on the tops of all the buildings, police cars on every corner, mounted police all over the place, cops in riot gear and military everywhere. I think that on Jan. 20, Washington, D.C., was the safest town to be in on the face of the earth, and we were there."

"Even so, physically being there and actually seeing the ceremony itself, being able to see the president of the United States sworn into office, is just a very moving experience," she added. "It doesn't matter what your political persuasion is, it's a great experience no matter what and it arouses one's sense of patriotism. It's just a very fantastic event."

Haugen, Miller and Hosterman said the more than 1 million who were there waited in long lines to get through security check points, a process that often took up to two hours. Alerted ahead to the thorough checks, Hosterman said the two of them traveled light from their hotel, but were still caught up in slow-downs by many who did not.

"I didn't even carry a purse, but I was behind many women with huge bags, which security officers carefully searched," she said. "They also searched us. All the men had male police officers search them and all the women and children had female police officers search them. And they were thorough. They would literally feel up your back and down your legs. It was quite a complete body search."

Haugen said that after going through security to gain access to the parade, "I decided to forgo the freezing cold and wait in line for a dinner and one of the inaugural balls I was invited to."

Miller, who wore hiking boots, corduroy pants and ski socks and gloves because of the snow and cold temperatures, said he was hardly prepared to dress for a dinner or one of the balls. But he did stop by one being held last Thursday night at the restored Union Station. Security was so tight there, because the president was attending, that he could not even get near a door to see inside.

So he went back to his room at the Bethesda Naval Center, and left early Friday morning for Dulles Airport and the flight back to Pleasanton.

The Hostermans took time earlier in the week after the Mayors' Conference ended to walk the streets of Washington in the newly fallen 3 inches of snow.

"Washington is a lovely city, but it's even more beautiful when covered with snow," she said. "Coming from California, that was a wonderful experience."

Haugen, accompanied by close friends and fellow school board members and educators from Fresno and Orange County, stayed on after the inauguration for meetings this week of the National School Boards Leadership Conference and the Federal Relations Network, where she holds board positions.

Miller said his luck in getting a ticket to the concert outside the White House for the military continued en route to Pleasanton. He saw the Hostermans again and they offered him a ride home.

"It was late, it had been a long week of trudging through the snow, and I really appreciated the ride," he said.

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