Midland watches and awaits a welcome home
Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 12:06 PM
By Janet Shamlian, NBC News Correspondent
MIDLAND, Texas – I'm sitting in the lobby of the Hilton in Midland, Texas where it's standing room only around the lobby television, as images of the millions who have packed Washington are flashed on the screen.
A crowd of guests, police officers and hotel workers are glued to the screen as the swearing-in ceremony is about to begin. Even at this venue, thousands of miles from the Capitol, the excitement is palatable.
The irony, of course, is that these people have gathered for a ceremony as well – one that will be considerably smaller in size but just as heartfelt. This is where President George Bush is heading after the inauguration ceremony.
Midland offered Bush a send-off party eight years ago ahead of his inauguration. Today, the community will welcome him home. It will be a brief stop before the President and Mrs. Bush head to their ranch in Crawford.
In many ways, today is the end of an era for Midland, for Crawford and in fact for the entire Lone Star State… as Texas prepares to welcome another president home.
