MTV Newsroom › inauguration

When Wyclef Met Barack Obama ...

Posted 1/18/09 11:44 am EST by in I Met Barack Obama, inauguration


Wyclef JeanWyclef Jean has never been shy to tell the world about his devotion to Barack Obama. He says he's been an "Obama groupie" from the very beginning. When MTV News caught up with the rapper, who was kicking off Obama's inauguration festivities at the Green Inaugural Ball Saturday night in Washington, D.C., he shared with us a little-known factoid about the president-elect: The admiration is mutual.

"Yes, I met Senator Obama, President Obama," said Wyclef, who did his share of stumping for Obama during the campaign, in performances, interviews and mixtapes. "I met him when he was a senator, at the Black Caucus." Read More...

Tags ,

Obama Has Arrived

Posted 1/17/09 8:52 pm EST by in Barack-Obama, inauguration


Barack and Malia ObamaWashington, D.C.

It felt so good to wake up this morning and put on T-shirt that read "The Good NEW Days." It's a sentiment that myself and it seems like the rest of the world felt since election day. Barack Obama had arrived.

Almost as soon as he was announced the winner, a heavy weight was lifted off of so many people's shoulders. Millions collectively felt "it is going to be ok now."

Arriving in DC this morning, you could feel that you were about to embark on something great. It is freezing cold outside, the traffic is horrendous, but the energy is so positive. The local barber shops, the clothing stores, the hotels, everyone is buzzing about Obama. All day text messages and emails have been flooding my inbox about his train tour. The people are so proud.
Read More...

Tags , ,

U2 And Springsteen Warm Up Frigid Obama Inauguration Rehearsal

Posted 1/17/09 8:14 pm EST by in inauguration


Washington, D.C.

President-elect Barack Obama doesn't take the oath of office until Tuesday, but the nation's capital already feels like the site of the biggest, most expensive political pep rally for America ever.

Strolling along the National Mall on Saturday afternoon near the Lincoln Memorial - the location of Sunday's "We Are One" all-star show featuring Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Usher, Mary J. Blige, U2, John Legend and others - the unmistakable strains of The Boss' "The Rising" rose up into the frigid grey sky.
Read More...

Tags , , , , , , ,

What Will Michelle Obama Wear On Inauguration Night?

Posted 1/16/09 3:52 pm EST by in Fashion, inauguration, Obama


Michelle Obama

Sure, President-elect Barack Obama may know what he's going to wear on inauguration night, but the big question on everyone's mind is what will his fashionista wife Michelle Obama be wearing?

Of course, many have compared our next first lady to the most famous of fashionista first ladies, Jackie O, so designers are clamoring to get their designs on her. Here, we've rounded up some possible choices for the big night, thanks to Women's Wear Daily:

1. Michael Kors, who is known for his classic American style, has imagined a belted, one-shoulder, royal-blue gown for the future first lady. It is both glamorous and simple, a winning combination for a night like the inauguration.

2. Diane Von Furstenberg confirmed that she submitted some sketches to Michelle. In one sketch, we see the dress as a reimagining of her famous wrap dress: long, straight and white with a big bow at the waist.
Read More...

Tags , ,

Becoming A Teacher For The Day: By Tim Kash, Reporting From Kenya

Posted 1/15/09 11:23 am EST by in inauguration


Tim KashToday, in Kenya, I had an entirely new experience, one that I am grateful to have had.

I never liked school much as a kid, and I certainly could have been more attentive in class. But then again, I wasn't really built for school — or maybe, my school wasn't really built for me.

While the cameras were rolling on something else, I strolled into a classroom in the school we're visiting, where the final year children (14-15 years old) were waiting quietly for their teacher to arrive. I don't really know how it happened. I walked in just to say hi, and the next thing I know, I was being bombarded with questions. These kids have an insatiable appetite for knowledge and are incredibly keen to learn new things. It's amazing! All throughout Kenya, one thing I've seen in every young person I've spoken to is a real determination and desire to make their lives better. And here in Kenya, it all starts with school. School is not just the place they go to learn, but a place where they can get a guaranteed and regular meal every day. The prospect of food alone has been enough to raise attendance levels in school higher and higher each year.

Read More...

Tags ,

Rebuilding A School, Brick By Brick: By Tim Kash, Reporting From Kenya

Posted 1/14/09 5:32 pm EST by in inauguration


Tim KashIt's a 50-minute drive through the Kenyan countryside to the school in Lahunda — a stone's throw away from Obama's Kenyan hometown. The long road there is in pretty good condition, until you get to the dirt-road intersection that leads directly to the school. Even our Safari-edition Land Rover 4x4 had to take it slow over the four-kilometer stretch of dirt road, which is used by many 6- to 13-year-old children every day in the blistering heat — and night, where there is no light whatsoever to see where you're walking. So, we haven't even reached the school, but we've already encountered a major problem with a not-so-simple solution: With very little money to spare, fixing a four-kilometer uphill rocky dirt road is not even an option.

The reason we're here is to get hands-on — to help with and document the amazing work a fantastic organization called Millennium Promise is doing here in Kenya. The Omindo Primary School in Lahunda, Kenya, is just one of 31 schools that the organization has been transforming, rebuilding and creating a self-sustaining infrastructure for for the past five years. In this instance, we are here to build a brand-new computer lab — complete with Internet connections — giving these children a connection to the world. Read More...

Tags

Obama Merch For Sale In Makeshift Huts: By Tim Kash, Reporting From Kenya

Posted 1/14/09 11:41 am EST by in inauguration


It just hit me: I haven't slept more than an hour in the last 24 hours, but still I'm wide awake — and no, before you say it, my alertness is not chemically enhanced! After going to sleep at 3 a.m. and then being woken up exactly 60 minutes later by that annoying BlackBerry alarm (easily one of the most hated noises in the world, with the possible exception of Hanson), the team and I were once again in our convoy headed to the airport ... AGAIN.

But really, there is no time to be tired today. Our flight left Nairobi, Kenya, at 5 a.m. Almost as soon as we had taken off and reached cruising altitude it was time to touch down just 25 minutes later in Kisumu, Kenya. For the second time in my life (the first was in Aspen, Colorado), the plane came to a stop on the runway, the doors opened and we walked across the runway to the terminal. Read More...

Tags

Tim Kash And Team Arrive In Kenya To Shoot 'Be The Change' Segment

Posted 1/12/09 5:37 pm EST by in inauguration


Tim KashAfter five years of working with MTV, I'm still constantly surprised and grateful for my job. It's times like these when I almost can't believe how lucky I am.

This morning, executive producer Sean, director of photography Stephen, camera ninja Jordan, director of public affairs Pete and I all left New York. Destination: Kenya, where we'll shoot a segment for our "Be the Change: Live From the Inaugural" special, which airs January 20 at 10 p.m. ET.

But the trip wasn't that simple. Read More...

Tags ,

Shakira To Play Barack Obama's Inauguration? The Guessing Game Continues

Posted 12/5/08 1:09 pm EST by in Barack-Obama, inauguration, Shakira


Shakira

It seems like everyone wants to get in on President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony in January. Can we add Shakira to the growing list of celebrities offering their services for January 20 in Washington D.C.? (MTV is in on it too: We'll be hosting our own event, the Be the Change Inaugural Ball.)

First off, Beyoncé was quite vocal about her dream to perform for Obama. Then Obama's camp had to deny the rumor that his fellow Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson was onboard to perform at the show.

Now, according to Latina.com, the Peruvian paper El Comercio reports that the Colombian pop star may make an appearance at Obama's inauguration. Shakira is a stout Obama supporter. "Obama can restore peace and the world's confidence in the United States," she said in a statement back in October. And Obama responded by saying, "It's an honor for me to receive support from someone with so much talent, from an artist who has been so generous."

Linda Douglas, a spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, wouldn't confirm or deny the reports to Latina, saying only that announcements of official performers are "way down the road."

But news organizations keep on guessing. FoxNews.com, for instance, speculates that early supporters like Oprah Winfrey, Will.I.Am and Bruce Springsteen will be on hand to ring in Obama's presidency.

We might as well get in on the game: Who do you think should show up on January 20?

Tags , ,

12345