President Obama's Letter To President Trump On Inauguration Day

CNN: Exclusive: Read the Inauguration Day letter Obama left for Trump

(CNN)During his final moments in the Oval Office, President Barack Obama folded into thirds a handwritten letter to Donald Trump, slid it into an envelope, and in neat capital letters addressed it to "Mr. President."

Now, the contents of that letter -- the last direct communication between the 44th and 45th presidents -- have emerged for the first time after CNN obtained a copy.

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WNU Editor: A polite letter. Nothing special.

How Many Americans Watched The U.S. Inauguration?

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EW: Trump inauguration ratings second biggest in 36 years

Donald Trump’s inauguration ratings were the second-highest in 36 years, according to Nielsen.

The swearing-in of the 45th president was seen by 30.6 million viewers across 12 networks.

The only inauguration over the last three decades that tops Trump’s number in the linear ratings? Barack Obama’s first inauguration back in 2009, which had a record-setting 37.8 million viewers. So Trump was down from the last new president to take office.

But before that, to get an Inauguration Day number this high, you’d have to go all the way back to Ronald Reagan in 1981, who was seen by 41.8 million viewers (Nielsen released tracking for inauguration ratings back to 1969).

Trump’s numbers are all the more remarkable considering he’s entering into office with rather low approval ratings compared to past presidents and sparked protests worldwide along with vows to not watch his inauguration.

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WNU Editor: I watched both of President Obama's inaugurations on TV .... President Trump I watched online. I am not surprised that President Reagan holds the record. But these inauguration ratings do not incorporate the impact that online viewing has .... which has grown astronomically in just the past few years. As for the Trump - main stream media war .... it is going to get worse ..... the White House is hitting back, and the main stream media hates it .... White House vows to fight media 'tooth and nail' over Trump coverage (Reuters).

President Obama Leaves The Capital

President Trump and first lady Melania saw the Obamas off Friday afternoon

It's tradition for the new president to watch the outgoing president fly off on Marine One after the inauguration

Marine One, carrying outgoing President Barack Obama and outgoing First Lady Michelle Obama, takes off from the capitol after Donald J.Trump's inauguration as the 45th President of The United States on Jan. 20, 2017 in Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Karen Pence wave as former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama depart during the 2017 Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S.

WNU Editor: An impressive collection of photos.

Washington Protests Turn Violent After President Trump Assumes The Presidency

Politico: Protesters, Trump supporters collide at inauguration

As Donald Trump prepared to take the oath of office on Friday, several street protests turned violent, with reports of smashed windows and vandalism as police scrambled to contain unruly pockets of demonstrators.

The rain-dampened streets of the nation’s capital were jammed with supporters as pockets of dissent began swelling in size and volume — and tensions were clearly on the rise. Protesters broke windows at a bank branch in the city, and a Starbucks was vandalized, according to several Tweets. And there were reports that police had used a chemical agent to disperse some protesters, while police had reportedly already made several arrests.

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More News On The Protests In Downtown Washington

Smashed windows, chaotic confrontation near inauguration -- AP
Washington protests turn violent as Trump assumes presidency -- Reuters
Protesters, Trump supporters collide at inauguration -- Politico
Trump inauguration protest damages parts of downtown Washington -- CBS
Inauguration protests turn violent, car torched -- FOX News
Police injured in protests, 'numerous' arrests at Trump inauguration -- CNN
Protesters smash small number of storefronts in downtown Washington; police use pepper spray -- L.A. Times
Protests turn violent at Trump inauguration -- Washington Times
Protesters break windows, pepper spray used during DC march (VIDEOS, PHOTOS) -- RT

What Happens At The White House On Moving Day

Moving van outside the White House on January 20, 1993. (Clinton Presidential Library, National Archives).

CBS: The "organized chaos" of White House moving day

While Americans are watching President-elect Donald Trump get sworn in at the Capitol, the White House staff will be engrossed in a lightning-fast moving operation.

President Obama will begin Inauguration Day with his last visit to the Oval Office, the West Wing and the White House grounds. He and first lady Michelle Obama will also host coffee for Mr. Trump and his wife, incoming first lady Melania Trump. Mr. Trump and Mr. Obama will then travel to the Capitol together in the same limo.

But once they’ve left for the Inauguration at about 11 a.m., moving trucks will arrive at the other side of the White House. And all the major moves will be done before the new first family returns from the Capitol just a few hours later.

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WNU Editor: I am willing to bet that every item that needs to be moved out has been planned to the minute .... and every item that is to be moved in .... also planned to the minute. And the people involved .... from security, movers, contractors, etc. .... that number must be in the hundreds. Wow .... within 24 hours .... all traces of President Obama's White House will be gone.

Media Raises Fears On The Possibility of A Drone Attack During The U.S. Presidential Inauguration

Washington Examiner: Media warns of Inauguration drone bombing, not 'safe'

The media is raising concerns about a drone bombing at the 58th Presidential Inauguration on Friday.

On Thursday's Today show, a report indicated that U.S. Secret Service has put in place several anti-drone efforts out of concern that an ISIS-inspired "flying IED" will smash into the crowd, or worse.

The report quoted an official from a drone countermeasure firm saying that the Inauguration "is not something I would feel safe at."

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WNU Editor: I have been saying the same thing for the past year. The Islamic State in its current battles against the Syrian and Iraqi armies has mastered the art of using simple drones to drop bombs and/or act as a vehicle that carries a bomb to a target. So why not use it to launch a terror attack at a public event like the U.S. Presidential inauguration.

Who Becomes U.S. President If Everyone Is 'Wiped Out' In A Disaster In Washington During The Inauguration (Video)

WNU Editor: On Friday this person would be the Under Secretary For Political Affairs, and an Obama appointee, Tom Shannon.

Update: This CNN report is causing a storm of protest.

50+ Democrats Will Not Attend President-Elect Trump's Inauguration

ABC News: More Than 50 Democratic Congress Members Planning to Skip the Inauguration

More than 50 Democratic members of Congress have announced they will skip Donald Trump's Friday inauguration. While some of the 53 made their decision in previous weeks, several more have come forward in recent days, citing the president-elect's perceived insult of Rep. John Lewis as the final straw.

Trump lashed out at the civil rights icon Saturday morning after Lewis said in a Friday interview he didn't view Trump as "a legitimate president." Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who protested alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., also said he would not attend the inauguration.

"Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results," Trump tweeted Saturday morning of Lewis’ Atlanta-area district. "All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!"

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Update #1: Trump inauguration boycott: Who is staying away? (BBC)
Update #2: Trump's inauguration will be protested in all 50 states and 32 countries (USA Today)

WNU Editor: According to the BBC 80 Democrats did not attend President Nixon's inauguration in 1973. And as for recent polls showing massive disapproval of President-elect Trump .... fake news/fake polls? .... New ABC / WaPo Poll Shows Drop In Trump Favorability Courtesy Of Aggressive "Oversamples" (Zero Hedge).

Update #3: You can sense the panic .... Trump eyes 10% spending cuts, 20% slash of federal workers (Washington Examiner). Talks of impeachment intensify .... Maxine Waters: If There Was "Collusion" With Russia, Trump Committed Impeachable Offense (RCP).

Update #4: Adding more fuel to the fire .... President-elect Trump is doubling down on Congressman John Lewis....

John Lewis said about my inauguration, "It will be the first one that I've missed." WRONG (or lie)! He boycotted Bush 43 also because he...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2017

"thought it would be hypocritical to attend Bush's swearing-in....he doesn't believe Bush is the true elected president." Sound familiar! WP

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2017

Security Preparations And Concerns For The Trump Inauguration

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USA Today: Inauguration security focusing on truck attack threat, Homeland Security says

DULLES, Va. — Federal authorities overseeing the far-flung security plan for next week's inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump are fortifying a perimeter around the Capitol to account for the threat of deadly truck attacks similar to recent assaults in Germany and France that left dozens dead.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Friday that while there were "no specific or credible threats'' targeting the inauguration events, security forces were "doubling down'' to thwart the type of vehicle attacks that killed 12 last month at a Berlin Christmas market and left 86 dead at a July Bastille Day celebration in Nice.

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More News On Security Preparations For The Trump Inauguration

High security over truck attacks for Trump inauguration -- AFP
Secret Service plans security force of 28,000 for inauguration events -- Seattle Times/McClatchy
Trump inauguration: Security to guard against disruptions; no ‘credible’ terror threat -- Washington Times
Trump Inauguration Security on Alert for Lone-Wolf Terrorism -- Bloomberg
Truck attacks, drones among new security threats for Trump inauguration -- Times of Israel
Trump Inauguration Day Terror Threat? Security Cost For Jan. 20 Event Crosses $100 Million -- IBTimes

U.S. Presidential Inauguration -- January 20, 2009

Obama To Step Into History As 1st Black President
-- Yahoo News/AP

WASHINGTON – Stepping into history, Barack Hussein Obama grasps the reins of power as America's first black president in a high-noon inauguration amid grave economic worries and high expectations.

Braving icy temperatures and possible snow flurries, hundreds of thousands of people descended on the heavily guarded capital city Tuesday for the first change of administrations since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The capital city, a quick starter on even the most ordinary of days, took on the kind of frenetic predawn life rarely seen. The streets were becoming populated well before daybreak, and competition for space on the Metro subway system was fierce. Several suburban parking lots for subway riders were filled to capacity well before 6 a.m.

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More News On Today's Presidential Inauguration

Inauguration Day: Complete Coverage from ABC News
Inauguration Day: Complete Coverage from CBS News
Inauguration Day: Complete Coverage from CNN
Inauguration Day: Complete Coverage from FOX News
Inauguration Day: Complete Coverage from MSNBC
The Nation Awaits Its 44th President -- New York Times
Inauguration Madness: Crowds Swarm Capital -- ABC
Crowds await historic Obama oath -- BBC
American milestone: Obama inauguration is a moment of celebration, reflection -- Christian Science Monitor
Obama set to take the oath of office as 44th president -- L.A. Times
Obama steps to door of White House — and history -- Yahoo News/AP
Obama's Nuclear 'Football' Briefing -- ABC News
On First Full Day, Obama Will Dive Into Foreign Policy -- Washington Post
How long will the Obama honeymoon last? -- International Herald Tribune
Profile: Barack Obama's speechwriter Jon Favreau -- Times Online
On the Money Trail: Inauguration Perks Go To the Rich -- ABC News
Obama cool and calm on eve of his presidency -- Myway News/AP
Obama promises hero pilot a flight on Air Force One and front row seats at inauguration -- Daily Mail
Obama's rise fills Hawaii residents with pride -- Honolulu Advertiser

Crowds filled the National Mall in the early morning hours on Tuesday. Scott Andrews/Reuters

Security Preparations, Threats, And News Updates For The U.S. Presidential Inauguaration

US Presidential Inauguration 2005 (Image from Wikimedia)

Downtown D.C. Becomes the Green Zone -- The Danger Room

In addition to a record number of houseguests and an explosion of kitsch, Washington, D.C., is witnessing an unprecedented surge in security for tomorrow's presidential inauguration.

A force of 20,000 police officers, National Guard troops, and plainclothes agents will be on the streets tomorrow to watch over the inaugural festivities. F-16 fighters and Patriot missile batteries will be on alert to defend the capital's airspace. Notes the New York Times:

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More News On Inauguration Security

Inaugural Security: Likely Tightest Ever -- CBS News
Chertoff: Inauguration security forces 'ready' -- CNN
Unprecedented security measures underline magnitude of Obama inauguration -- China View
Inauguration Security: Combination of Manpower and Technology -- ABC News
Tips to FBI about suspicious activity on the rise -- Myway News/AP
White supremacists watched in lead up to Obama administration -- CNN
Inauguration security center to go live Saturday -- AP
Washington Mobilizes 42,500-Strong Security Force for Inaugural -- Bloomberg
Washington Assembles Largest Inauguration Security Force Ever -- FOX News
Washington in lockdown for Barack Obama inauguration -- Courier Mail (Australia)
Welcome, Mr President - and your 20,000 guards -- Sydney Morning Herald
FACTBOX-Security for Obama's inauguration -- Reuters

FBI special force members stand guard at the "We Are One" welcome concert, attended by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden and kicking off the inauguration celebrations, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., the United States, Jan. 18, 2009. (Xinhua/Hou Jun)

General News On The Presidential Inauguration

Obama visits with troops, honors King on holiday -- Yahoo News/AP
Obama urges US to honor King by serving others -- Yahoo News/AP
In Obama Remarks, Theme Of 'Responsibility' Emerges -- Washington Post
Obama honors Martin Luther King on inauguration eve -- Yahoo News/AP
Inauguration Celebrations Begin in Washington -- New York Times
Obama Attends Star-Studded Ceremony -- Wall Street Journal
Pride in Country, Few Regrets -- Christian Science Monitor
For Obama, Rare Chance for Bold Start on Big Task -- New York Times
'Welcome to this Celebration of American Renewal' -- Christian Science Monitor
Inauguration crowd will test cellphone networks -- International Herald Tribune
A Behind-the-Scenes Job With Historic Resonance -- Washington Post
Obama Builds on King's Dream -- Washington Times
Big Stars Rock the Lincoln Memorial -- Los Angeles Times
Inaugural week street 'newscasts' lure onlookers -- Yahoo News/AP
What Recession? The $170 Million Inauguration - -ABC News
Networks prepare for inauguration -- Variety
Schedule of events for Obama's inauguration -- AP

Cancer-Stricken Colonel in Command at Inauguration

From Military.com:

WASHINGTON - Lt. Col. Jaime Martinez came close to missing preparations for Inauguration Day and a great honor for those who serve in the Army's oldest infantry regiment.

Stricken with a rare cancer last year, Martinez put his life in the hands of doctors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"They got me back in the fight in 100 days," he says. "This is a lethal cancer. Tumors grow in your head and neck and there is no easy way to attack it."

On Tuesday, Martinez is set to command hundreds of Soldiers from The Old Guard as they carry the nation's colors to the Capitol in the inaugural parade and stand watch at Andrews Air Force Base to salute George W. Bush when he boards a military plane to leave Washington.

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U.S Presidential Inauguration -- News Updates On Security And Protection

A security guard walks on the west steps of the Capitol. UPI / Landov (Time Magazine)

Washington Mobilizes 42,500-Strong Security
Force for Inaugural -- Bloomberg

When senior FBI official Joseph Persichini takes his 5 a.m. jog down Washington’s National Mall, he imagines everything that could go wrong at Barack Obama’s inaugural next week.

He said he thinks about the possibility of a sleet storm, bombing, chemical attack or -- perhaps hardest to guard against -- the lone gunman bent on turning a celebration into a national tragedy.

“I’m thinking about what the schedule is, and what we’re doing, and what are the issues we’re facing,” said Persichini, assistant director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office. “You don’t understand the magnitude until you go out there right on the Mall.”

As many as 2 million people -- double the number for any previous inauguration -- are expected to fill the Mall on Jan. 20 to witness the swearing-in of the first black president.

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More News On Security For The Presidential Inauguration

Inauguration Day Security: Is a Police State Necessary? -- Time Magazine
War, crowds complicate Obama inaugural security -- Reuters
Heavy security for Obama's inauguration -- Channel News Asia
Unprecedented security as Obama set for White House -- AFP
Security Net Wraps Capital for Inaugural -- New York Times

Security Tightens For Obama's Inauguration

An officer on duty at the Capitol on Wednesday as the city began clamping down on security for Inauguration Day. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)

From International Herald Tribune:

WASHINGTON: The U.S. authorities have begun to seal off a security zone extending miles from the Capitol where President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in next Tuesday, drawing on disparate lessons gleaned from terrorist attacks in London and Mumbai, the Sept. 11, 2001, attack at the Pentagon, and even annual Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall.

Though intelligence agencies have detected no credible threat to any inaugural event or to Obama, law enforcement agencies, operating from a network of centers, will command ground, air and waterborne forces numbering in excess of 20,000 police officers, National Guard troops and plainclothes agents from more than 50 agencies, according to interviews with security planners.

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Obama To Become President Amid Tightest Security Ever

The new U.S. Presidential Limo (Photo from Huffington Post)

From McClatchy Newspapers:

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama will be sworn in as America's first African-American president under the tightest security ever, shielded by a new, heavily armored Cadillac limousine, bullet-resistant glass, fighter planes overhead and Secret Service SWAT teams toting automatic weapons.

The level of protection is no surprise, given that the throng stretching two miles from the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial could reach a worrisome 4 million, quadruple the usual turnout, and that Obama already has been the target of numerous threats.

Days before he was elected the nation's 44th president, federal agents broke up an alleged plot by two neo-Nazi skinheads to kill him. Then, on Tuesday, al Qaida's No. 2 leader issued a tape blaming Obama for Israel's recent attacks on the militant Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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My Comment: There may be no noticeable threats .... but I am sure there are some groups in the world that have and/or are thinking of what they can do on such a day.

Secret Service Unveils Inaugural Security Plans

From Homeland Security Today:

The US Secret Service Wednesday released security and transportation plans for inaugural events in Washington, DC, describing outlining road closures, restricted zones, public transportation options, and routes exclusively for pedestrians.

Inauguration events begin Saturday, Jan. 17 and extend through Tuesday, Jan. 20. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated the inaugural period as a National Special Security Event, designating the Secret Service as the lead agency for coordinating transportation planning and other matters with a host of federal and local agencies.

The security plans call for the screening all members of the public and tickets guests to inaugural events through controlled checkpoints. Security regulations preclude anyone from carrying firearms, ammunition or explosives as well as weapons of any kind; packages, coolers, thermal or glass containers, backpacks, and large bags; laser pointers, bicycles, support structures for signs, and any other items deemed inappropriate; and all animals other than seeing-eye dogs.

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Military To Be On High Alert For Inauguration

A worker applies a coat of primer on a stand at the construction site of the inaugural stand on the west side of the US Capitol on December 4, 2008 in Washington, DC. The US military plans to mobilize thousands of troops to protect Washington against potential terrorist attack during the inauguration of president-elect Barack Obama, a senior US military commander said Wednesday. (AFP/Getty Images/File/Alex Wong)

From The L.A. Times:

About 11,500 troops, including chemical attack experts, will join the security detail as Obama takes the oath of office.

Reporting from Washington -- The U.S. military will be on high alert during Barack Obama's inauguration, increasing air defenses and deploying chemical attack experts and medical units, a general said Wednesday.

Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., who heads the military command that oversees security for North America, said the Defense Department had not been told of specific Inauguration Day threats. Nonetheless, he said, the armed services must be ready.

"It would make news for a terrorist element or rogue element to interrupt that event," Renuart said. "So it is prudent to plan for the possibility of that event and to deter it or to respond to it."

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My Comment: Years ago I worked for security at a U.N. installation. You always wonder if security is sufficient and adequate. The 2005 inauguration was definitely a stressful affair .... let us hope that the 2009 inauguration would go off without a hitch.