Students from the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs classes attended last week’s inaugural festivities in Washington D.C. The following are accounts from some of the students in attendance recapping their experiences. SMU students witnessed events including a testy Senate confirmation hearing, decadent inaugural balls and parties, protestors and President Bush’s inauguration speech.

Students attend Rice’s hearing

As we sat in the United States Senate conference room, murmurs could be heard as Condoleezza Rice and the Foreign Relations Committee entered. The hearing was called to confirm Rice’s nomination as the new secretary of state. Assorted senators including Barbara Boxer of California, Bill Nelson of Florida and John Kerry of Massachusetts questioned Rice on topics ranging from issues in Haiti, North Korea and Venezuela to promoting the role of women in the Middle East.

“I couldn’t believe we were actually sitting in on the hearings. The tension in the room was unbelievable and listening to the Condoleezza and the senators discuss the most important issues of our country’s foreign policies was extremely interesting,” senior Corporate Communications and Public Affairs major Casey Wetz said.

The room, filled by reporters, security, students like ourselves and other politicians, watched intently as the Foreign Relations Committee grilled Rice with an abundance of questions. Rice spoke with clarity and calmness, which helped prove her competence as Bush’s choice for secretary of state.

The hearing resulted in a 16-2 approval of Rice. Sens. Boxer and Kerry counted for the two votes against Rice. Senate Democrats delayed full Senate confirmation by a week.

Witnessing this historical event would not have been possible without the opportunity provided by SMU’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs department. The inaugural trip has allowed all of us to be a part of our country’s history and to experience Washington D.C. through a set of eager eyes.

Rooftop view of Inauguration Day

Two weeks ago I never imagined I would have the opportunity to watch the inauguration ceremony of George W. Bush atop a rooftop penthouse at 101 Constitution Ave.

On Monday morning, myself and 17 other Corporate Communications and Public Affairs students left for Washington for a week that was sure to be filled with hard work and lots of memories.

From a meeting at the Congressional Budget Office to working at the Texas State Society’s Black Tie and Boots Ball, this past week has been unbelievable. Throughout the week we learned a great deal, worked hard, and were able to make a few new friends along the way.

Although all the events have been wonderful, nothing topped the inauguration ceremony. Thanks to the generosity of SMU parent Paul Price, father of Claire Price, all 18 CCPA students in Washington received tickets to sit atop an office building and watch the inauguration proceedings.

As our 43rd president walked to the podium, cheers filled the Capitol lawn and thousands of bystanders stood to welcome the president back for another term. President Bush took the stage and gave a 17-minute speech focusing on the topic of freedom. As he spoke of the next four years he praised the work that had been done and spoke of his goals for the future.

As I watched the crowd, the president, and all of my SMU friends in the CCPA department, it hit me how memorable this week really was. Even though we were only in Washington for five days, I feel like I was there a year. All of the hard work, filled with late nights and early mornings was concluded with the swearing in of President George W. Bush. It’s a week that I will never forge

Remembering the entire experience

Newly sworn in President George W. Bush passed the Capitol building with a rise of cheers from well-dressed supporters, all with VIP tickets on top of 101 Constitution. Directly below the building, picketing protestors chanted passionate pleadings for peace in Iraq.

Last week, Washington D.C. buzzed with fervor that only a controversial inauguration could build. The culmination of a week full of Republican-heavy events culminated with scattered standoffs below the city in the Metro system.

“I will kill you,” screamed one young Bush supporter at protestors as he ran the opposite way down a subway escalator. All around me I heard brief outbreaks of arguments from both sides of the aisle as I walked through crowded streets of the nation’s capitol.

The hairs on the back of my neck shot up as I walked side by side with protestors who so passionately opposed the actions of our president.

Police officers packed the protesters underneath a bridge seemingly to hide them from the public. It’s sad to say, but as a die-hard liberal, I felt more at home during the brief moments crammed against an angry mob in the sub 20-degree weather than attending the high dollar Black Tie and Boots Ball. After seeing Americans cordoned off at the inaugural and protestors at the Democratic National Convention essentially put in cages, I am beginning to take the idea of free speech with a grain of salt.

Displays of dissention in the ranks were few and far between earlier in the week as I attended Republican balls like The Texas State Society’s “Backstage” party for young conservatives and the exclusive “Black Tie and Boots Ball.” If there was a common emotion threaded through any of these events, it was gloating.

I heard little of the war in Iraq or other problems the nation faces while “people watching” at the high society parties I attended. All that seemed to matter this week was that the team could put a “W” in the win column

Throughout the week, the communications department filled our schedules with extensive meetings. Dr. Rita Kirk introduced me to David Vennett, an SMU alumnus and strong voice in the Republican Party. To a communications major interested in politics, Vennett’s success represents everything we work for.

“You need to get in on the ground level,” Vennett said. He started his career as special aid to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson and continued to fill positions in the current presidential administration including Deputy Director of Cabinet Affairs, chair of last summer’s G8 summit, and placed in charge of scripts for the past two Republican National Conventions.

An inauguration week displays everything that is great about our nation. One side celebrates while the other soul searches. Even if your guy doesn’t win, taking part in history is truly amazing.