Monday, January 19, 2009 - As the final hours of the Bush-Cheney regime draw nearer millions around the world are breathing a collective sign of relief that they survived the Bush-Cheney era. The one word Obama campaign slogan: Hope, is still the operative word in the minds of the public. The crowds at the 2009 inauguration are expected to break all records with perhaps over 3 million people lining the parade route. Not in recent history as a president entered the office with expectations so high.
Corporate media has transformed the event from an inauguration into a coronation.
The pre-inaugural hype now resembles that of the Rose Parade or a Super Bowl game. The voices of alternative viewpoints lost in the spectacle of the parade and tournament. With the news that KPFK, a major local outlet of alternative news, has been denied access to broadcast facilities at the inauguration non-corporate representation of the event will be very limited.
Fortunately Indymedia activists are gearing up to cover counter-inaugural events.
The DC-Indymedia web site has a redesigned homepage for special coverage. There are reporters from Urbana-Champaign IMC in DC now and filing reports. Also there is a live webcast at Radio Portland IMC. Locally here in Los Angeles there is a counter-inaugural event downtown planned for Tuesday.
Latest from the newswire: Commentary - Some Thoughts on Obama and the US Empire by Chris Burnett