Area residents attending inauguration

SANDPOINT - Sandpoint has been swept up in Obamamania, and at least three area residents are making the trip to Washington, D.C., to witness the historic inauguration of America's 44th president.

When President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office on Tuesday, Sandpoint's Dyno Wahl will be cheering as loud as any of the three- to five-million spectators expected to be in attendance.

Wahl's jubilation is due in part to her political affiliations, but it is also because she went to high school in Hawaii with Obama and still counts him as a family friend.

"I am so excited. It's just incredible," she said. "I'm just totally amazed to be a part of this. I've never been a part of something this big before - this historical occasion - and I love all that."

The inauguration will be a family affair for Wahl, who will share the experience with her brother and two children.

The swearing-in ceremony will undoubtedly be the highlight of the trip, but Wahl will also attend the presidential inauguration parade, the Hawaii Ball and a service project led by First Lady Michelle Obama.

With the exciting, historic week just around the corner, it would be understandable for Wahl to be a bit nervous, but there was only one dilemma she was overly concerned with before she left.

"My biggest problem is that I don't know what I'm going to wear to the ball," she said.

Despite the fact he is a proud member of the Republican party, Sandpoint City Councilman John Reuter will also be in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration festivities.

"I don't think you have to be a Democrat or a Republican to appreciate witnessing history," Reuter said.

Reuter said he would have attended the event no matter who won the presidency, but admits that a Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., inauguration would likely not have generated the same level of excitement.

"I think what makes it exciting to be there is to be around all these people who are jazzed about the possibilities for the future. And it's kind of nice thing right now to be around people who are optimistic," Reuter said.

Chris Bessler, president of Sandpoint's Keokee Creative Group, began planning his inauguration trip in August, more than two months prior to election day.

His presumptiveness paid off, as Bessler was able to beat the crowds and book airline tickets and find a hotel room, which became exceedingly difficult as time wore on.

Bessler, who has been an admirer of Obama since reading his first book, "Dreams From My Father," said he was drawn to the event by its historic nature and by Obama himself.

"I think he has a fine mind and I think he's an inspirational leader," Bessler said. "He has the potential to be a transformational figure."