By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WASHINGTON D.C. — Despite the change of plans for today’s presidential inauguration, the nation’s capital is still packed with people.
Among the many venturing to Washington D.C., was Scott Clay, an active member of the Kosciusko County Republican party who lined up a ticket through Congressman Rudy Yakym’s office for the outdoor celebration that has since been canceled.
Clay arrived Saturday and said Sunday afternoon that he’s not too disappointed about the change of plan which involved moving the ceremony indoors to the Capitol Rotunda and the cancelation of the related parade due to cold weather.
“I came out here for the official inauguration, but everything now is considered to be commemorative since there will be 600 attendees instead of 220,000 that received invites,” Clay said during an interview from his hotel room in between sightseeing trips.
“I’m not that disappointed,” he said. “I’m here and I’m seeing the action.”
Clay said he tried to attend Sunday’s Trump rally at the Capital One Center and arrived at 5 a.m. but said the line to get inside appeared to be endless and that he eventually gave up on those plans.
So instead, he began a site-seeing trip around the many monuments in D.C and came across the President-elect’s motorcade that carried Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance as they visited Arlington Cemetery where the two new leaders laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
He said he thought it was an “amazing” moment to be within 50 feet of the country’s future 47th president — likely a highlight of his trip so far.
He said weather conditions were both cold and wet on Sunday with afternoon temperatures in the mid-20s.
He said he enjoyed the chance to take in the inaugural atmosphere.
“It’s amazing to be walking downtown and there’s tens of thousands of people walking around and everyone is incredibly festive and has on patriotic attire and Trump hats,” Clay said.
Clay, 28, has been a big supporter of Trump since he voted for him in 2016 and has often been pictured in local chamber event photos giving a thumbs up, emulating a signature move by Trump used over the past eight years.
Clay reflected on the past and said he’s looking forward to another four years of Trump in office.
“I think he sticks to his word. I think he’s made a lot of positive changes,” he said. “He’s an extremely strong president.”
He said he planned to watch Monday’s ceremony at one of several watch parties organized by some of Indiana’s Congressional delegation.
