It’s actually happening…
'On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.’
H.L. Mencken called it, 96 years ago in the last line of a column in the Baltimore Evening Sun, and today it is coming true: Donald Trump is becoming President of the United States.
With his inauguration underway, we look back at the differences between Donald Trump’s and Barack Obama’s eight years ago.
How Many People Were At The Inaugural Concerts?
Trump was quick to exaggerate the turnout at the inaugural concert, saying: ‘This started out tonight being a small little concert, and then we had the idea maybe we'll do it in front of the Lincoln Memorial […] I don't know if it's ever been done before. But if it has, very seldom. And the people came by the thousands and thousands, and here we are tonight, all the way back.’
In fact, not only have the last two inauguration concerts — Barack Obama’s and George Bush’s — been held at the Lincoln Centre, but the crowds appeared to be in the tens of thousands at best.
Barack’s ‘We Are One’ concert turnout: 400,000
Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ concert turnout: 10,000*
(* Buzzfeed estimates, the true figure is yet to be released)
How Many People Will Be At The Inauguration?
There have already been reports about the requests for parking for the Women’s March far surpassing those for the inauguration.
It’s expected 800,000-900,000 people will be heading to Washington for Trump’s inauguration, though it’s unknown whether they’re attending to support or protest the new President.
President of Destination DC, Washington’s convention and tourist bureau, Elliot Ferguson has confirmed the ‘level of enthusiasm’ isn’t that of previous inaugurations.
‘It's been much, much slower than anyone would have anticipated for a first-term president,’ he said.
‘Saturday's march has helped drive more reservations […]
The moment it was confirmed it was happening in the city our hotels were seeing reservations take place’.
In 2009, approximately 1.8 million people were in Washington for Barack Obama’s. Not just that, twice as many people watched the TV broadcast than George Bush’s and it broke the CNN record for the amount of video streams, generating 21 million and 136 million page views.
Barack’s inauguration turnout: 400,000
Trump’s inauguration turnout: 10,000*
Who’s Going?
There’s been a lot written about the people who aren’t going. More than 50 House Democrats who are refusing to attend and the celebrities who’ve spoken out in protest of the Trump presidency.
Alec Baldwin, Cher, Cynthia Nixon, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Robert De Niro and Shailene Woodley spoke at Thursday’s protest outside Trump Towers.
Despite Trump’s claim that ‘we have the biggest celebrities in the world’ attending, the list comprises of Jon Voight, Stephen Baldwin and Caitlyn Jenner.
During an interview with Fox News, when asked for an example, he said: ‘Well I won't say that — and we have President Obama’.
Who attended Barack’s inauguration: Beyonce, Tom Hanks, Samuel L.Jackson, Steve Carrell, Steven Spielberg, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey and Dustin Hoffman.
Who’s attending Trump’s inauguration: Jon Voight, Stephen Baldwin and Caitlyn Jenner.
Who's Playing At Donald Trump's Inauguration?
The list of performers at Obama's inauguration read like one of those Glastonbury lanyards you lose in the tent by the Friday — Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Shakira, Garth Brooks, James Taylor, Jamie Foxx, Josh Groban, Usher and Sheryl Crow.
By contrast, there was much written about the celebrities who refused the offer of performing at Trump's, including Elton John, Celine Dion, Moby, Rebecca Ferguson (who said she would if she could sing Strange Fruit) and Charlotte Church. Instead, Trump's is more like one of those village fetes where they ask the local musicians to pull together for some sets on the pop-up stage. The Piano Guys, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and The Frontmen of Country... Anyone?
Who played at Obama's inauguration: Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Shakira, Garth Brooks, James Taylor, Jamie Foxx, Josh Groban, Usher, Will.i.am and Sheryl Crow.
Who's playing at Trump's inauguration: The Piano Guys, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Frontmen of Country, Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down, Lee Greenwood, The Frontmen Of Country, Chrisette Michele and Tony Orlando.
There’s no contest. Let’s just watch Ellen’s tribute video again…