It was a remarkable event. A vast multitude of Americans, ordinary citizens from every corner of the country, had gathered in the great space between the Capitol and the Washington Monument to hear their new president take the oath of office and make his first address. The mood was one of delighted celebration, yet it was also attentive and respectful. This was an enormous assembly not of fans but of citizens. The spirit of the occasion, as much as its awesome scale, was a soaring affirmation of democracy.
这是一个壮观的场面。大量美国人——来自全国各地的普通老百姓——聚集在国会山和华盛顿纪念碑之间的巨大空地上,聆听新总统宣誓就职,并发表第一次演说。众人的情绪在欢快庆祝之余,也有关注与尊敬。这是一次公民(而非“粉丝”)的盛大集会。这一场合的精神及其令人震撼的规模,都是对民主的高度肯定。