The Daily Beast
January 17, 2009
          
More than two million people are expected to attend Barack Obama's
presidential inauguration next Tuesday. But a handful of political
opponents, over-the-top critics, and awkward friends found that their
invitations were, um, lost in the mail. "The Daily Beast" called a few
of them and asked about their plans for January 20.

Sarah Palin, Alaskan governor:
Spokesman Bill McAllister: "An interesting fact is that Inauguration
Day here is the first day of our legislative session. So she'll be
traveling to Juneau. We do have a high school marching band that will
be part of the parade in D.C."


Bill Ayers, Weather Underground co-founder whom Obama was accused of
“palling around” with:
“I'm giving a talk at the University of Toronto on January 19th about
the radical Martin Luther King and the demands of this political
moment, returning to the US early Tuesday. I'll teach my Honors
College writing seminar in the morning, and my doctoral research
seminar in the afternoon. I plan to watch as much as I can of the
ceremony, excited to hear Elizabeth Alexander's poem and the
president's speech, and then write a brief invited commentary for The
Wall Street Journal.”


Pat Robertson, televangelist:
Executive assistant Barbara Johnson: "He doesn't have anything on his
schedule."


Bill Richardson, former Commerce Secretary nominee who withdrew amid
concerns about state contracts in New Mexico:
Media coordinator Caitlin Kelleher: “The Governor will be delivering
his state of the state address on the 20th.”
 

Jerome Corsi, author, The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult
of Personality:
“I’ll be watching the inauguration from my office. It’s going to be a
historic event—the first African-American president inaugurated. I
certainly don’t want to miss that. I’ll be watching it carefully all
day long but I won’t be going to Washington or participating in any
kind of pubic event. I will be writing about it for World Net Daily,
but that’s probably just it. I had back surgery last year and I’m
still recovering from that, and with the crowds and all that… I would
probably be more welcome by the Republican groups than the Democratic
groups.”


Robert Johnson, BET founder and Hillary Clinton supporter who joked
about Obama drug use and later apologized:
"On Inauguration Day, I will be watching the festivities on the
television, in my home, in front of a warm fireplace. Later that
night, I will be hosting a late night after party with my crew."


Mike Scott, Lee County (Florida) sheriff who made reference to “Barack
Hussein Obama” during an October rally for Sarah Palin:
Spokesman: "It's going to be a normal work day. Aside from a couple of
personal engagements, he doesn't have anything out of the ordinary
planned."


Ralph Nader, presidential candidate who referred to Obama as an “Uncle
Tom” shortly after the election:
“I’ll be working.” [Just like any other day?] “Just like there’s a
slaughter in Gaza day after day. We’ll see what he does about that.
We’ll see what he does about withdrawing soldiers from Iraq. He’s
using a lot of the same words Bush has been using.”


Dick Morris, Fox News contributor:
“I will be out of the country. Not moving out, just on a visit.”