| | President, first lady take public walk to White House amid screaming thousands
 Barack Obama, Rock Star.
It was hard to think otherwise as the new president emerged from his limousine along with wife Michelle to walk part of the length of Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
Thousands of Americans lined the streets behind barricades, screaming in a fever pitch as the first couple made their way down the street. The roar was enough to drown out on-the-scene reporters and silence news channel talking heads.
How loud was it? Think Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer, speaking live with Rev. Jesse Jackson, seemed amazed at the Obamas' bold desire to make the walk and the people's rollicking reaction to it.
For about ten minutes, the smiling, waving Obamas walked the parade route with the Biden family close behind, as Secret Service agents shadowed them, eyeing the raucous crowd.
Then, just as suddenly as he'd presented himself to the enraptured public, the president broke off from his wife and quickly ducked back into the new state-of-the-art presidential limo, nicknamed "The Beast."
Nervous at how openly Obama was exposed as he walked, CNN's David Gergen "let out a giant sigh of relief" and remarked, "I must tell you, I thought that took a lot of courage for the two of them to do that. The Secret Service cannot provide one hundred percent protection in a situation like that."
"He's now the president of the United States," said Blitzer of Obama. "The Secret Service will give him recommendations, they'll give him advice, but in the end the decision is his. And if he says, 'You know what, I want to get outside of this limo and walk a few blocks,' they'll say, 'Yes, sir.'"
Vice President Biden apparently couldn't get enough of the festive atmosphere, as he continued to keep walking to the parade review booth, smiling and giving thumbs-ups all the way.
This video is from CNN's Situation Room, broadcast Jan. 20, 2009.
Download video via RawReplay.com
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