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Campbell Brown
Moving Out of and Into the White House; Inauguration Eve of President-elect Obama; What Role Will Michelle Obama Play as First Lady? What Children Have to Say About the Inauguration; D.C. Prepares For Inauguration
Aired January 19, 2009 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: On the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration, this is a special edition of NO BIAS, NO BULL from the nation's capital.
Hi, everyone. I'm Campbell Brown from atop the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Barack Obama on the move tonight, just hours before a swearing-in unlike any other.
Bullet point number one tonight: up to one million people, maybe more, bringing new meaning to Washington gridlock, as president-elect Obama spends his final night at Blair House looking out on the new home that will forever define his life starting at noon Eastern time.
Bullet point number two: If you're not watching the inauguration on CNN, that could mean you are planning to stake out a spot on the parade route. It's going to take more than luck. We're going to show you the coolest place to catch a moment that perhaps you will tell your grandkids about.
And, plus, we're going to show you all the little things going on behind the scenes right now, as the White House makes the big switch.
And bullet point number three: Barack Obama won't be the only one making history. Michelle Obama, of course, set to make her mark as the first African-American first lady. We will look at the substance and the style she will be bringing to Washington.
First, though, as always, we're "Cutting Through The Bull" tonight. Barack Obama didn't run to be the next Martin Luther King Jr., just the next president. But, tomorrow, in that small window of time before he takes on two wars and a crippling economic crisis, thousands will look to Obama as the unofficial guardian of a legacy of justice and equality.
Many of you had the chance to watch Dr. King's monumental words once again in their entirety here today on CNN. His dream, his life's work resonate now more than ever, certainly with the president-elect, who summoned King's words yesterday at the Lincoln Memorial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENT-ELECT: Directly in front of us is a pool that still reflects the dream of a king and the glory of a people who marched and bled, so that their children might be judged by their character's content.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: In his day, Martin Luther King Jr. was called a great black leader, then, in time, as the approved language changed, a great African-American leader.
It's obvious now all these decades later that the adjectives and the hyphen kept us from seeing a more fundamental truth. What is finally clear on this day we honor him, which falls on the eve of the inauguration of Barack Obama, is that Martin Luther King Jr. was a great American leader, period, no qualifying adjectives or hyphen about it.
And a fundamental part of King's legacy is that his struggle allowed Barack Obama to emerge as a leader, too, no adjectives, no hyphens, just the president.
We want to show you president-elect Obama. This was moments ago. This was a dinner honoring his one-time Republican rival, John McCain, saying it's time to move beyond the campaign. Let's listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: After the season of campaigning has ended, each of us, in public life, has a responsibility to usher in a new season of cooperation built on those things that we hold in common, not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Americans.
And there are few Americans who understand this need for common purpose and common effort better than John McCain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: President-elect Obama tonight. That's less than 16 hours before we start saying President Obama.
As you can guess, he had a very busy day today, not to mention what's coming tomorrow.
CNN national political correspondent Jessica Yellin has been tracking the final hours before his swearing-in.
And, Jessica, tomorrow, hours from now, at the swearing-in, he will probably give the most important speech of his life, or certainly one of. And you have got some new details about the speech. Tell us what you know.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they have been anticipating that this is going to be closely watched, as you know.
Barack Obama, we're told, is aiming to make this that same sort of inspirational, uplifting speech we have come to expect from him, but also set more realistic expectations about what's ahead.
He's going to make the case, I'm told, that facing two wars abroad and an economic crisis at home that change will come, he will say, but it's not going to be fast. And he will say that this is an era where everybody has to take responsibility.
He's going to make the case essentially that we're in a moment. A call to action is what he's going to call this time. He will even say that a me-first mentality has defined the last few years and got us into this economic crisis.
And he will say, we all have to shoulder a burden to get us out of it -- some tones here from the Kennedy theme of ask not what your country can do for you. Also, we're told that this speech, though, in the end will wrap up with a theme of uplift, that America's values can lift us out of this crisis.
Right now, Campbell, I'm told it runs 18 to 20 minutes, and he was practicing it today at the Blair House.
BROWN: And he had a very busy day today. Kind of walk us through how the Obamas as a family spent their last day.
YELLIN: Right. Well, today was a day of service. So, he started off visiting wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
And then, from there, he went and did some work himself at a youth shelter, a homeless youth shelter, painting walls, refurbishing. And he made comments to folks, saying look, it's time we all pitch in. It's the theme of responsibility. And he said this is Martin Luther King Day, a day of responsibility, but, going forward, he wants Americans to take part in ending this crisis.
BROWN: Jessica Yellin for us tonight with the details -- Jessica, thanks.
And the nation's capital starting to feel a little bit like New Year's Eve in some ways, bitter cold here in Washington tonight. But that certainly isn't keeping people away.
Don Lemon is out in the bitter cold along the National Mall for us.
And, Don, I know that people had been filling up -- the mall has been filling up with people all day, who apparently are going to try to brave the cold for the next 16 hours to stake out a spot?
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Campbell.
I mean, this was your town. You lived here not so long ago, and you know, when it's cold, people don't usually come out in any big city. Well, since I have been here since Friday, I have seen the numbers at least double, quadruple, and just continue to multiply.
And you ask me if people are excited about it, if they're going to come out, listen to the people behind me.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
LEMON: Are you guys coming out? Are you going to stay here until he...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
LEMON: Campbell, that's really your answer.
You know, Barack Obama is just -- not just a political figure. And if you read papers, listen to the radio, watch television, know anything about culture that's happening now, you know he is a cultural icon.
He has risen to the ranks of Nelson Mandela and upwards because of his message. We talked -- we have been seeing people with Barack Obama's name carved into their heads. We heard our panel earlier in the show before yours talk about young black men getting Barack Obama haircuts.
And listening to Barack Obama and listening to someone finally who is talking about personal responsibility for African-Americans, and he is also part of a two-parent household. He has a wife who is a very concise and ample and well-deserving professional and partner in her own right.
So, I think that will people come out? Yes. I have been seeing people from all over the world. And, Campbell, they have been here for weeks, some of them, in order to prepare for this inauguration.
BROWN: But, Don, quickly, they're actually camping out tonight? They're sitting on the Mall overnight in this cold to stake out their spot, right?
LEMON: I don't know if they're staking out their spot. Some of them may be staking out now. But when -- I haven't seen any tents.
Have we seen any tents? I haven't seen any tents, except for the media camped out here. But I have certainly seen people out here late at night. I was out here until midnight the other night, 1:00 in the morning, and people were still out here on the Mall.
BROWN: Wow. The revelry goes on.
Don Lemon for us tonight -- Don, thanks very much.
Coming up, we know the who, obviously, that's going to be the star of the show. We are going to show you the what you will be seeing and when tomorrow morning, take you through the whole schedule.
Plus, we will go live to the most important steps in the world, at least for a day, the exact spot where Barack Obama takes his place in history.
And, later, Beyonce with some very important fans at Sunday's HBO "We Are the One" -- "We Are One," rather, concert. Find out what she's got planned for the Obamas tomorrow night in our "Political Daily Briefing."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Hope is what I see when I look out across this Mall. From these monuments are chiseled those unlikely stories that affirm our unyielding faith, a faith that anything is possible in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: His short speech at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday is only the beginning.
At this community service event today, president-elect Obama told the crowd he's saving all of his best lines for tomorrow. We're going to see a lot of history made tomorrow. Inaugural events start before sunup, and they will still be going after midnight tomorrow night.
Tom Foreman is up in New York with the big picture of what we will be seeing and when.
Tom, walk us through it.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Campbell, it is going to be an absolutely huge picture, if you think about it.
It's all going to start, as you mentioned, at 4:00 in the morning. That's when they open up the Mall here to let all these folks in there, try to grab some space in here. Meanwhile, the day will start at a much more civilized hour for Barack Obama.
He will be coming out of the White House about 8:30 in the morning, going over to Saint John's Episcopal Church for the first big event of the day, a church service, traditional thing that goes on there. And then it will be back to the White House, where he will be joined by President Bush, their families and their vice presidents for coffee. They sit around for about an hour and visit about things. It's quite a nice thing.
Then, the whole time this is happening, music will be playing at the Capitol. The crowd will be gathering along the parade route. And then things will start really in earnest when it comes time for these two men to get together and ride to the Capitol. They ride in the same car. Again, it's an old tradition, one that's been around for a long time.
Remember this picture, because it will be one of the last times you see the two of them together. Then they will get to the Capitol. And, at 11:25 in the morning, George Bush will be introduced on the platform for the last time as president of the United States. What a fascinating time that's going to be.
If we look beyond what's going to happen, well, there will be the swearing-in of Joe Biden. We will move over here to our Photosynth and look at the place where this is all going to be happening. Joe Biden will be sworn in as the vice president of the United States.
And then, precisely at noon, Barack Obama will place his hand upon the Lincoln Bible. He will be facing the chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts. He will raise his hand. And, at that moment, he will say the very short oath. It only takes a few seconds. And he will become the president.
After that happens, they will retreat back into the Capitol. President Bush -- after he's done his inaugural address after that, which will be highly anticipated, President Bush and Mrs. Bush will immediately leave, no longer president. They will get onto Marine One, and they will leave.
The new president and his vice president will sit down with the inaugural committee inside Statuary Hall, and they will have lunch while everyone else waits out in the cold for the big parade.
But then it does become pure celebration time. They will start moving down Pennsylvania Avenue, as you can see in this Photosynth, through a crowd of at least 300,000 people. That's what we're anticipating in terms of the number of people who will show up for him.
It's not a long route. It's only about a mile-and-a-half, a little closer to two miles, something like that. But it could very well take two full hours. And by the time he gets to the White House, it's fully possible that the Bushes will be back in Texas. That's a measure of how different this is going to be.
In any event, once they get back there, the party will continue. We take a look at the parade route as it stretches away here. This will be the route that they're following back here. When they get to the White House, it's on to a whole evening of extraordinary parties and balls all over town.
They will be at hotels, at the Building Museum. There will be some over at the D.C. Armory, some at Union Station, some at the Convention Center, all over. But, in the end, this is what it all adds up to. Finally, late tomorrow night, Campbell, Barack Obama will lay his head down in his new home as the president of the United States -- Campbell.
BROWN: He will, indeed.
Tom Foreman for us tonight -- Tom, thanks very much.
And, as we said, as we have probably told you many times by now, CNN is the best place to watch tomorrow's historic events unfold. We are literally going to have 100 live cameras here in Washington pointing pretty much everywhere you could possibly want to see, from the White House up Pennsylvania Avenue for the inaugural parade, along the National Mall, in the huge crowds at all of the inaugural ball locations that you will want to see, and especially around the U.S. Capitol for, of course, the swearing-in. And that is where we find our senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, with the very latest details on the preparations that have been going on. She's up on the inaugural platform right now.
Dana, you're literally steps away from where the swearing-in will take place. Give us a preview of what we're going to see.
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, very, very close, Campbell. And it really is extraordinary to be here and also extraordinary maybe to tell our viewers something that they may not realize.
And that is that this elaborate setup -- this is a platform here on the west front of the Capitol -- they actually started to build this in mid-September. That is well before we even knew who was going to actually stand here and be sworn in as president of the United States.
You see a picture there. Let me just give you a real quick sense of who is going to be here. In these seats, you are going to have former Presidents Carter and Clinton and both Presidents Bush. You're going to have Vice President Dick Cheney there as well. You're going to have members of the Senate leadership of the House and also the Supreme Court.
Now, you heard Tom Foreman mention the fact that, obviously, we will have Barack Obama sworn in by the chief justice of the United States. Before that, Joe Biden will be sworn in first by another justice, by John Paul Stevens.
With regard to Barack Obama, it is going to be really -- this is going to be done down to not just the minute, but probably the second, in terms of how this is ordered. He's actually going to put one hand on the Lincoln Bible, the very Bible that Abraham Lincoln used in his inauguration.
And the other hand will be up in the air. And it will be, again, at 11:56. And that is because it is the law of the land. And this is what makes this pretty extraordinary, Campbell. It is the law of the land, based on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, that the president takes the oath of office by noon on January 20.
And that is what we are going to see here today. It's a bit new, actually. It was not up until 1937 that that happened. Before that, it was actually in March that this inauguration happened -- a little bit warmer at that time, Campbell.
(LAUGHTER)
BROWN: Yes. I know, not a bad idea there there.
BASH: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BROWN: Dana Bash for us tonight from the Capitol -- Dana, thanks very much.
BASH: Thanks.
BROWN: At the White House tomorrow, not just Inauguration Day, also, obviously, moving day. And it doesn't always go smoothly. We're going to give you a peek behind the scenes.
But, first, Joe Biden's wife tells a campaign story, embarrassing the vice president-elect on national television. You're going to hear what she told Oprah and the rest of the country today.
And, later, one of the most intriguing questions about the next four years, what will Michelle Obama do in her role as first lady? We will talk about that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Yet, as I stand here today, what gives me the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us, but what fills the spaces in between. It is you, Americans of every race and region and station, who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Later tonight, Barack Obama will put the finishing touches on what may be the most important speech of his life, his inaugural address.
Daughter Malia has already told him -- and these are her words -- "First African-American president. Better be good." No pressure there.
So, we want to ask our political panel what they think, what we can expect to see.
We have got CNN political analyst Roland Martin, senior political analyst Gloria Borger, Republican strategist Kevin Madden, and senior political analyst Jeffrey Toobin all joining us tonight.
Welcome, guys.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Hi, Campbell.
BROWN: Nice to have you in person.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Great.
BROWN: Gloria, let me start with you here.
I know he's going to obviously touch on many of the themes of his campaign. He wants to be inspiring. But he also wants to lower expectations and say to people, look, you know, the economy's not going to drastically improve come Wednesday. BORGER: It's going to be hard to lower people's expectations, number one, because he's so popular, number two, because of the moment that he finds himself in, the first African-American president in our history.
But what he's going to do is say, look, we're facing a lot of tough problems. But we can solve them. One thing we know Barack Obama is terrific at is the soaring rhetoric. And I think he has to tell the American people about a shared responsibility that we're all going to have; we're all in it together. That's what he's going to do.
BROWN: Roland, Obama insists this inauguration is not about him, that it's about the American people. But, for a lot of people watching tomorrow, it is going to be about him. What does this moment say about how far the country has come?
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: First of all, obviously, for an African-American to take the oath of office, to be president of the United States, is historic. But what he is going to do, I doubt very seriously he's even going to reference that.
If you look at all the major speeches, when he won the Democratic nomination on June 3, when he took the oath -- when he got the nomination on August 28, he never really referenced those historical facts.
I think he is going to challenge the American people to say, step up, man up and woman up, and let's take our game higher.
So, I hear also about low expectations, but I think he's going to raise the expectations of the American people.
BROWN: Jeff, you know, Obama has modeled the inauguration and really the transition in many ways after Abraham Lincoln. And I know you have been studying up on Lincoln a little bit. Talk us through some of the similarities, some of the parallels, and some of the differences, frankly.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Well, certainly, what everybody remembers about Lincoln is the second inaugural, perhaps the most famous speech in American history.
But I was looking at the first inaugural, which is, to my surprise and I think to many people's surprise, is a ringing defense of slavery in the South. It is Abraham Lincoln saying, look, let's avoid this war because we do not want to stop slavery in the South.
So, it suggests that Abraham Lincoln was not always the great emancipator, but actually a politician, someone who was dealing with the political realities of his day, and not just an inspiring speaker.
And I think we will see both sides of Barack Obama. Certainly, we will see it Wednesday, because tomorrow's going to be poetry, but the prose starts very soon thereafter.
BROWN: Quickly, Gloria.
MARTIN: I'm glad Jeffrey said that.
(CROSSTALK)
BORGER: Well, the interesting thing about Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln is that they both understand the public and public opinion and how far they can push something until they can push no further. Lincoln evolved. I think you're seeing Barack Obama do the same thing, engage public opinion, what he can do and when he can do it.
TOOBIN: We will see what he can do.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Well, to that point...
(CROSSTALK)
TOOBIN: He only got 53 percent of the vote. We're talking as if he was unanimous here.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: ... this pragmatism, Kevin, because, behind the scenes, he's getting a lot of attention for reaching out to Republicans, to the point where you had Lindsey Graham, who was obviously a close McCain supporter, saying that he was much like Ronald Reagan in that regard, very different from George W. Bush, I think you could say.
But how long is this going to -- I mean, not to be cynical, but how long is this really going to last, this, like, spirit of bipartisanship?
(CROSSTALK)
KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yes, I think it will last probably until about Wednesday afternoon.
(CROSSTALK)
MADDEN: But, look, I think that says a lot -- you know, Jeffrey's right. There is a political, amorphous mentality to what Barack Obama is doing.
But, also, I think he's very cognizant of the fact that the 535 opinions up on Capitol Hill, they need to be assuaged, because if he's going to get his agenda passed, if he's going to be successful here and if he's going to help alleviate some of the worries and anxieties of the millions of Americans, it's going to be by, you know, working with those 535 people up on Capitol Hill, because the challenges are so great. It can't be done with just one party.
BROWN: But he has an 80 percent approval rating, and they have a 20 percent approval rating. What kind of mandate does that ultimately give him?
(CROSSTALK)
MADDEN: Approval rating right now, I think Obama's approval rating has more to do with people putting their hopes, dreams and aspirations into him as a vehicle for success and the challenges that we face. Americans are facing so many anxieties right now on an economic front that they're really hopeful.
And it's actually spanning across ideological lines right now. And I think he's using that and leveraging that against those 535 opinions on Capitol Hill.
BORGER: They're patient also. The public says, we don't think we're going to get this done overnight.
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: Campbell?
BROWN: Go ahead, Roland.
MARTIN: Yes.
I think, tomorrow, you're going to see that first effort out of the gate of him using the bully pulpit of the presidency. He is going to use that a lot more than we have seen the last two presidents. And, earlier, I think Jeffrey made the point about Reagan. Trust me, he has studied Reagan. He is going to -- he is going to try to drive an Obama revolution, like there was a Reagan revolution, and it starts tomorrow with that speech.
BROWN: All right, guys, we have got to end it there. But, to Roland, thanks.
To Kevin, Jeffrey and Gloria, we will be seeing a lot more of you in the hours and days ahead.
We are told that one Washington bigwig won't be at the Capitol tomorrow. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the only Cabinet member who will serve under Presidents Bush and Obama, will be the one at the secure location. If a catastrophe disrupts the transfer of power tomorrow, Secretary Gates would run the country, which is sort of interesting.
Barring the unthinkable, that transfer will happen at noon tomorrow. So, what's on the agenda for the outgoing and incoming presidents?
We have more details now from senior White House correspondent Ed Henry on all of that.
And, Ed, Obama, we have been told, plans to hit the ground running the minute he's sworn in. What are you hearing that we're going to see in those first few hours and days? ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: (AUDIO GAP) start grappling with some of the major challenges you were talking about, a flurry of activity, to send signals to various people.
First of all, as early as Tuesday, he wants to appoint at least one envoy to deal with the Mideast crisis, send a signal that, unlike the Bush administration, he's going to deal with it early, not wait until late in his administration.
Secondly, on Wednesday, he's going to bring in all of his economic advisers, show the American people that he's going to be grappling with the financial crisis right away. Third, also on Wednesday, he's going to bring in military commanders, tell them to change of mission in Iraq, start bringing home combat troops within 16 months. That's to send a signal to nervous liberals that he's not going to back down from that campaign promise.
And, finally, there's all kinds of executive orders he's looking at, one on abortion, for example, that would reverse a Bush administration policy, another one to close down the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. That's all about sending a signal around the world that he's going to have a clean break from the Bush administration in terms of how you execute the war on terror -- Campbell.
BROWN: And, Ed, meanwhile, of course, the Bush White House is closing up shop today. The president is, though, I understand, taking care of last-minute business. What did he do today?
HENRY: He did. He commuted the sentences of those two Border Patrol agents who had been in prison for shooting a drug dealer.
The big news was that he had not pardoned Scooter Libby. You will remember he had commuted his sentence a couple of years back. That basically means just you get out after time served. And it's not wiped out of the record, the way a full pardon would be. He's been pretty stingy with pardons, in fact, compared to other presidents.
What he's doing tonight right behind me is having dinner with first lady Laura Bush, their two daughters, as well as his mother and father. They're here today. And I ran into the former first family in the briefing room just a couple of hours ago.
And former President Bush was telling me he was sort of sad, a little melancholy, not being around the White House anymore. He's been around this building for a couple of decades now on and off. But he and his wife, Barbara, said they're going to be at the inaugural tomorrow. They said they are expecting it to be an exciting day.
But one other sad note, which is we have just learned some new information, that Vice President Cheney actually pulled a muscle in his back today, White House aides saying that he was moving some of his own boxes out of the White House. He is actually going to be in a wheelchair tomorrow at the inaugural.
You can bet there's a staffer somewhere who is in trouble for letting the vice president carry his own boxes -- Campbell.
BROWN: Well, I was going to say, I mean, what's it come to when the vice president has to pack up his own stuff and move it out?
(LAUGHTER)
HENRY: You know that you're out of power when that happens, Campbell.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
HENRY: Yes, I guess so.
Ed Henry for us tonight -- Ed, thanks.
Coming up, presto change-o, at least 92 people won't be watching the next president take the oath of office. They're going to be hard at work at the White House moving the Bush family out and the Obamas in. It is a huge job. We're going to tell you how it's done.
And then later, we have all the great, latest details. For example, we know the Obamas will dance to the song the Obamas will dance to at their first inaugural ball. We'll have that for you tomorrow night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE KNOWLES, SINGER: And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
America, we are one!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Of course, that was Beyonce from Sunday's HBO "We Are One" concert at the Lincoln Memorial, part of the run-up to the historic event that is now only hours away.
In tonight's "POLITICAL DAILY BRIEFING," we focus on tomorrow's swearing-in of Barack Obama and some of the amazing numbers involved. People, dollars, events and a whole lot more. Erica Hill is with us now with a special inaugural edition of the "PDB" -- Erica.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, of course, now we can't talk about the inauguration without mentioning those numbers because they are so large. Hundreds of thousands of people have already made their way to the Capitol. The proof, of course, is in that concert.
An estimated 400,000 people packed the mall yesterday for the "We Are One" Concert from the Lincoln Memorial back nearly a mile to the foot of the Washington monument. Lucky for them though, there were massive speakers and JumboTrons to help shrink the distance a little bit. And here's a little bit more of yesterday's festivity.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MUSIC: Come on up for the rising.
WILL.I.AM, BLACK EYED PEAS: One love one heart let's get together and feel all right.
BONO, U2: Oh, you look so beautiful tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: An event there, Campbell.
BROWN: I know. And sadly, you and I had to watch it at home on television but it did offer a pretty good view of the crowd. That was 400,000 people? Tomorrow, though, numbers expected to dwarf that.
HILL: Absolutely. In fact, these are staggering. More than two million people from across the country expected to be in Washington for the inauguration. As many as half a million plan to come to the Capitol by bus. Officials, in fact, expecting about 10,000 tour buses to roll into the city, which is also expected to lead to a very large space problem because your average tour bus is about 40 feet long. It holds 50 people or so.
We're talking 400,000 feet of tour buses here. Parked front to back, that bus train would stretch for over 75 miles, Campbell. That's why you're hearing, maybe you should walk.
BROWN: I know. We have been hearing that a lot. And, Erica, at last, I understand we've got an update on the first song at the first ball, right?
HILL: Indeed we do. And so much for keeping that under wraps, as we had heard in the transition team with the plan, Beyonce will serenade the new first couple for their dance at the opening inaugural ball. But when that announcement came, we were told the song would be a surprise until Tuesday night. Ms. Knowles, however, may not have gotten the message. She told "Entertainment Tonight" she would be singing this song.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE KNOWLES, SINGER: At last, my love --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: There you go. A little take on the Etta James classic "At Last" by way of Beyonce, who you see right here is actually playing James in the film "Cadillac Records" which was released late last year, Campbell.
BROWN: I love that song. I'm glad that's the choice.
All right. Erica Hill for us tonight. Erica, thanks. Still to come, this inauguration eve, Michelle Obama soon to be first lady and an example for millions of American women.
And the words that have been echoing in our ears all evening. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, your take on it. We'll have that in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: During the campaign, Vice President-elect Joe Biden did nothing to erase his reputation for sometimes saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Well, today on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," no less, that honor went to Biden's wife, Jill. Check it out. Have you heard this before?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JILL BIDEN, JOE BIDEN'S WIFE: Joe had the choice to be secretary of state or vice president. And I said, "Joe" -- oh, well, OK, he did. So --
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Joe. Joe -- it's OK. It's OK.
JILL BIDEN: Well --
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: I mean, that's right. Go ahead.
WINFREY: Go ahead.
JILL BIDEN: So I said, "Joe, if you're secretary of state, you'll be away. We'll never see you. You know, I'll see you at a state dinner once in a while."
WINFREY: Yes.
JILL BIDEN: But I said, "If you're vice president, the entire family -- because they worked so hard for the election -- can be involved."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: So maybe that would explain why Hillary Clinton gets the job with all the traveling. But did you see him go -- shhh, we're not supposed to talk about this? OK.
When we come back, you have never seen a moving day like this. How do you pack up an entire administration and unpack a new one in just a matter of hours? No time or room for error. Here we're going to find out how they're going to do it.
Plus, we'll take you down to the mall. All these people watching history unfold tonight. Gary Tuchman talks to some of the most important ones, not even old enough to vote, but they still have a lot to say. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Tomorrow high noon Eastern time, the eyes of the nation and the world will be on the inauguration platform at the U.S. Capitol. And while everybody's looking the other way, the White House will turn into a beehive of activity. And Randi Kaye is standing by to tell us what it takes to move the Bushes out and the Obamas in and get the new administration up and running.
And, Randi, these moves, they really are quite an undertaking. Talk us through how it all happens.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it takes quite a lot of manpower, Campbell. Imagine if you had 92 people to help you move into your house. That's what it takes to get the outgoing president out of the White House and the incoming president into the White House. And they have to do it all in just six hours flat.
Now, George Bush will hand over the keys to the White House about 10:45 tomorrow morning. And that's when the chief usher of the White House will swoop in with his team of about 90 people and turn the home into the Obamas' new White House. They have to have it all done by the time the new first family is back from the inaugural parade about 5:00 p.m.
Now, we interviewed a former chief usher for the White House, Gary Walters. And he has moved six presidents in and out of the White House. He calls it organized chaos.
He says it's highly choreographed, though, somewhat like a ballet, he says. Every staff member has a job with scheduled breaks to eat, of course, so everybody can refuel and keep their strength going. There are florists involved, art curators, painters, carpet layers, chefs. You name it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY WALTERS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF USHER: Their clothes are in their closets. Their personal effects are in the bathroom. Their favorite foods are in the kitchen. The girls' rooms have been transformed into something that they're comfortable with.
This process takes about six hours. We break the staff down almost minute to minute in their activities. I have people that unpack trucks, people that pack trucks, people that unpack boxes, people that pack boxes, people that unwrap items, people that wrap items.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Now, of course, the Bush family has known for about four years now that they were going to be moving. So actually most of their things are out. But believe it or not, Campbell, there are only two small elevators in the White House residence. So still, it's going to take quite a lot to get the Obamas and all of their furniture and their kids' furniture moved in. There was a lot of planning, of course, that goes into this. The chief usher meets with the first family months before this move actually takes place right after the election. They go over the floor plans for the art, and they let them know what art is available to the White House and what furniture is available. But it doesn't always go as planned.
In fact, in 1993, when Bill Clinton was moving in, the chief usher, Gary Walters, actually lost his voice and had to write all of his directions down on a notepad. And when Bill Clinton arrived at the White House after the parade, he actually had to whisper to him, "Welcome to the White House, Mr. President."
That same year, they actually misplaced Hillary Clinton's inaugural ball gown which she had to wear that night. It was a frantic time while they were trying to find it. Apparently her mother had directed the staff to put it on the third floor of the residence but didn't tell anyone.
And also, another year when George Bush, 41, was moving into the White House, his granddaughters got very cold at the inaugural parade and decided to go back to the White House. Well, they showed up 2 1/2 hours early right in the middle of the move, Campbell.
BROWN: Good stories, Randi. Good stuff. Randi Kaye for us tonight, appreciate it. We'll be seeing you again soon, Randi Kaye.
And coming up next, our soon-to-be first lady. Some people want to know, of course, what she'll wear. Others wonder what exactly she's going to do. We're going to get some educated guesses as the helicopters fly overhead in preparation for tomorrow all when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, BARACK OBAMA'S WIFE: We need every American to serve their community including our young people. And whether that's volunteering at a homeless shelter, whether it's visiting an elderly person, whether it's picking up trash, whether it's writing letters to our troops, we can all do something special.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Michelle Obama speaking just a little while ago at the kids' inaugural concert here in Washington. It's been a very busy day for America's next first lady. She started out at RFK stadium making care packages for troops. She then met her husband at a local high school for lunch with another group of volunteers.
Cameras follow her everywhere as they have for more than a year now. So how will this former corporate lawyer, community activist and hospital executive adjust to being the new role model?
The question now for Faye Wattleton, co-founder and president of the Center for the Advancement of Women, and Robin Givhan, fashion editor for the "Washington Post." And ladies, welcome to both of you.
Faye, let me ask you this. I mean, we spent so much time talking about Barack Obama, but in many ways she has captured people's imagination in her own right. Talk about the kind of image you think she'll project to the country.
FAYE WATTLETON, CNTR, FOR ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN: Well, she has already projected a very positive image. I think that people respond to her authenticity.
There's a sense of her that she understands the everyday lives of the American woman and all that we have to balance. And yet her values about caring and giving back are those that come from someone who knew what it meant to have to struggle to make a success of her life. And I think that we can all -- many can identify, if not all of us, can identify with some aspect of her life.
BROWN: And I know you said that you hope that she doesn't lose that sincerity and authenticity in her new role because you're under so much scrutiny, and there's so much pressure on you.
WATTLETON: There will be, but I think that she has already -- she has already built such a reservoir of goodwill. Even when those political moments come where people will try to exploit them to the disadvantage of her husband's administration, there will be those who will come to her defense because I predict that she's going to be among the most beloved first ladies in the history of the country.
BROWN: And, obviously, Robin, a lot has been made about the first African-American president, but there is something to be said -- and I know that you've made the point that having a black first lady can also be incredibly meaningful in terms of how it will resonate with a lot of people.
ROBIN GIVHAN, "WASHINGTON POST": I think it will. And I had a chance to talk to a lot of African-American women yesterday. And one of the things that they were saying is that they are really thrilled to see someone who represents them, who is professional, who is a mother, who is married, who has, you know, these two children, and she juggles the wife/mother thing. But also the fact that they feel as if this kind of invisible demographic is finally getting it to, which is this professional class of black women.
BROWN: That it's not an invisible demographic, it's just not highlighted in the public eye...
GIVHAN: Exactly.
BROWN: ... in the way that it certainly will be now with her in that role, right?
GIVHAN: I think people tend to feel that one black woman at the office who they think so highly of is in some way an aberration, and they don't realize that if there's one, then there are many, many, many more. And so I'm hoping -- I'm very hopeful that she will sort of convince people to look around them and be more aware and say, oh, yes. Yes. This is really a whole community of people.
BROWN: I have to ask you quickly -- we're almost out of time, but you have one quick point?
WATTLETON: Well, I would just say that her story is the story of thousands, if not millions, of American black women. And I think that while sometimes she is characterized as being highly unusual, her life and the way she has come to her position is very, very common and very ordinary.
BROWN: I have ten seconds, but I feel like you might have inside scoop on this. Do we know what she's wearing tomorrow?
GIVHAN: We have a few educated guesses.
BROWN: Ideas?
GIVHAN: Maybe a Narciso Rodriguez, maybe Isabel Toledo.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Narciso Rodriguez she wore on election night?
WATTLETON: Chance that Narciso --
GIVHAN: Well, she wore a Narciso Rodriguez yesterday at the Lincoln Memorial.
BROWN: I like that dress. What do you mean?
WATTLETON: It's so controversial.
BROWN: OK. We'll have to talk about this around the break. Faye Wattleton and Robin Givhan, thanks, guys. Appreciate it so much.
In a moment, we're going to go live to the crowd down at the National Mall. Gary Tuchman talks with some kids about the new president when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Back in the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. predicted the United States would have a black president someday. He guessed it would take 40 years, exactly right. That first African-American president will be sworn in tomorrow, one day after the national holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
Tonight, we celebrate that holiday with his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech read by some average Americans who are here to see this part of his dream come true.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: I have a dream.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That my four children will one day live in a nation that they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a dream today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with these vicious racists --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES AND FEMALES: I have a dream today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This will be the day when all of God's children --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will be able to sing with a new meaning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of thee I sing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Land where my fathers died.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Land of the Pilgrim's pride.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So let freedom wing from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let freedom ring --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let freedom ring --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From the curvaceous slopes of California.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But not only that --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From every state and every city --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll be able to speed up that day when all of God's children --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Black men and white men.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jews and Gentile.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Protestants and Catholics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We'll be able to join hands.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Free at last.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Free at last.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.
CROWD: We are free at last.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And when we come back, a kid's-eye view of the inauguration. We'll have that live from the National Mall.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Tonight, we've got a special inauguration eve edition of "Dear Mr. President." Gary Tuchman joining us from the National Mall with it -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Campbell, there are lots of leaders in this town, lots of people who think they're leaders, but right now we're with the future leaders, children here with their parents on the National Mall asking questions for the president.
What would you ask President Obama? What's your name, by the way?
NAYA: Naya (ph).
TUCHMAN: And where are you from, Naya(ph)? You're from Maryland, you told me, right? What would you ask President Obama?
NAYA: How does it feel to be the first black president?
TUCHMAN: That's a good question. How does it feel for the fist black president? What's your name?
JANAE: Janae (ph).
TUCHMAN: And where are you from, Janae (ph)?
JANAE: Georgia.
TUCHMAN: Georgia. What would you ask President Obama?
JANAE: If -- people that are poor can have homes.
TUCHMAN: How do people get homes? That's a good question. And I know you're the brother, what's your name?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Theo (ph).
TUCHMAN: And you're from Alpharetta, Georgia, I heard. I'm from there, too, believe it or not. How about that? What would you ask President Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he could build houses for the homeless.
TUCHMAN: Great question. And young man, what's your name?
CHASE: Chase.
TUCHMAN: Chase, where are you from?
CHASE: Ohio.
TUCHMAN: Ohio. And what would you ask the new president of the United States?
CHASE: What are you looking forward to be doing when you become president?
TUCHMAN: What are you looking forward to doing when you become president? All good questions. You know what I want to say to you guys? I hope President Obama, the new president of the United States, is listening because you all have very good questions.
Campbell, back to you.
BROWN: The future White House press corps there with Gary Tuchman tonight. Great, exciting night down on the mall. It's going to be packed with tons of people certainly late into the night and can't wait to see how many fill the mall tomorrow.
That does it for us. Stay with CNN and CNN.com for complete coverage of the inauguration starting tomorrow morning at 10:00 Eastern. The swearing-in of the new president is at noon. That does it for us.
Larry King right now.
