Local residents are returning home after what they described as successful trips to President Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.
Rissa Lawrence, Norma Sanders and Brenda Willis, three members of Lowndes County Republican Women, returned to the Golden Triangle on Saturday after spending much of the week in D.C.
Lawrence said the inauguration was “just wonderful” and afforded the women a chance to meet people from California, Michigan, Ohio and other states.
“One of the couples was very interesting because the man was Mexican, and he had a whole different perspective on things than we do,” she said. “He was there because, he’s out of the military now, but when he joined the Army and traveled around, he realized America was a pretty good place to be.”
Corky Smith, a local attorney, traveled to the nation’s capital for the inauguration with his wife, Lindsay. Smith said they enjoyed the trip, which included attending the inauguration ceremony and one of the inaugural balls that evening.
The Smiths watched the inauguration from near the Capitol building, rather than along the Mall.
“It was great,” Corky said. “We had a good time. There was a wonderful crowd. It was short and sweet. I think everyone was glad the weather held up — there was a sprinkle of rain halfway through, and I think people were afraid it would open to a downpour.”
Lawrence, who also watched Trump’s inaugural address from near the Capitol alongside Sanders and Willis, said she was impressed by the event.
“I thought his speech was right on,” Lawrence said. “And the people that needed to hear it were sitting right behind him (other government leaders). A lot of people in the audience would be hollering ‘USA! USA!’ or ‘Trump! Trump! Trump!'”
Smith said he was aware of protests that broke out Friday around Trump’s inauguration, but they weren’t near him and Lindsay.
“I saw reports of cars getting burned and things like that, but we didn’t see anything,” he said. “Ninety-nine percent of the event was peaceful.”
The Smiths attended the Freedom Ball at the Walter Washington Convention Center. Corky said the event, which featured the President’s first dance and the Radio City Rockettes, among others, was larger than he expected.
“There was everybody from small town folks like me to celebrities,” he said. “We happened to see (television personalities) Sean Hannity and Geraldo Rivera walking through the crowd, so I went up and got pictures with them.”
Lawrence, Sanders and Willis also attended the Freedom Ball.
“I can’t tell you how many thousands of people were there,” Lawrence said. “The only real negative was the long lines to get in. The convention center was huge. There were numerous stages with different groups performing.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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