(You can click on this one to enlarge)
My friend noticed that there were Tea Party protesters across the street from the event. They were in view of the Presidential motorcade as Obama arrived. They were yelling something about the Constitution and "wanting their country back." I'm not sure who they want their country back from. Maybe they're all Native Americans.
I'm glad to hear that people are allowed to protest in view of a President again. I had the pleasure of attending at least half a dozen counter-demonstrations in response to visits by George Bush or Dick Cheney during their Presidency. As a matter of policy, we were penned up in "free speech zones" several blocks away from the actual event. Protesters were always far out of view of the President, anyone attending the official event, and any route taken by the motorcade.
At one demonstration I saw someone intentionally get arrested by going outside the designated holding area. She calmly sat and waited to be cuffed while raising a sign that said, "America is a free speech zone!"
Now that Bush is no longer in power, American citizens are once again allowed to exercise their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly in the view of our President. Freedom is on the march. The Tea Party protesters should be happy that Obama honors a Constitutional freedom which they would have been arrested for under George Bush's reign.
(Click it for the bigger version)