I was in D.C. for Jimmy Carter’s inauguration. Let’s take a walk down memory lane | Opinion

The sight of many famous government buildings was a bit daunting for this Eastern Oklahoma girl. Yet, I always believed I were among the lucky few to experience working in the nation’s capital.

These past few weeks I’ve traveled down memory lane, along with many others focused on the pomp and circumstance of inaugurating a new president.

With the peaceful transition of power from one president to another, I found myself locked in memories of deja vu.

This is how it was and the way we were back in our Washington, D.C., days.

I arrived in D.C. just days before the inauguration of Jimmy Carter. It was 1977. Grassroots politics had always been a part of my life. The hanging of political door knockers in the neighborhood, that is. Never did I ever dream of living in D.C.

At first glance, the sight of many famous government buildings was a bit daunting for this eastern Oklahoma girl. Yet, I always believed I was among the lucky few to start a new job and to experience living and working in the nation’s capital.

On Inauguration Day, it was invigorating to know only a short distance away history was being made. The best thing to do was to drive around D.C. and see if I could crash any political events.

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Remember, this was a time long ago without body scanners at every door; officials to check IDs and hours of long lines to get into invitation-only events. The action, really, at that time was pretty easy to find.

I wasn’t even dressed up. Heck, it was the ’70s. I don’t think I even owned a dress. I just bummed around in jeans and sweatshirts.

The events of those days are no longer fully clear in my head. But I do recall one gutsy move.

I crashed a sit-down inaugural dinner that I believe was hosted by the Airline Pilot’s Association. Just walked in and headed to a table. Wish I had kept a monogrammed napkin as a memento.

My new DCF friends took me to the local haunt across the Potomac in Virginia ― a revolving bar. As we sat and sipped adult beverages, the floor and our table slowly moved, or revolved, circling the place around the windows. Consequently, this bird’s-eye tour made it possible to see so much of the D.C. area and inspired a “must visit” tourist list.

Look over there! It’s the Pentagon. Probably was the world’s largest office building at the time. In the day-to-day work week, a daily walk through the Pentagon public area was needed to catch a bus into D.C.

I was honored to work in downtown D.C. and in the Virginia suburbs for a little more than 10 years. Eventually some dressier clothing ― dresses and a few skirts ― were hung in the closet. We were headed into the 1980s.

Each day presented new and epic opportunities (we thought at the time) to enjoy the nation’s Capitol. Nearly every night there was a party to attend as invitations from lobbyists and their staffers were distributed around Capitol Hill offices.

Since space for this column is limited, I’ll hit some of the highlights from over the years:

• At my first job, I was issued credentials as a member of the Press Corp assigned to the Capitol. The work included covering congressional hearings, an occasional White House news conference and many unbelievably important D.C. events.
• One year, a surprise birthday cake was purchased for me from the Watergate bakery, and that made quite an impression on this girl.
• At a local meeting, I met a woman who took me to the White House to see the inside Christmas decorations and the beautifully lighted tree. First lady Rosalynn Carter dashed by at one point and left through a hidden door.

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• Most spring and summer holidays, everyone rallied on the mall and the Capitol lawn. The celebrants were treated to fantastic music performances followed by fireworks. One night sticks in my mind, the evening thousands of celebrants were entertained by the Beach Boys.
• At a Kennedy Center performance, I once was seated by chance next to U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers from Arkansas. He fell asleep as the legendary Burt Bacharach performed his greatest hits on a stage piano.
• Business often took me to New York, a fast airline commute. One time while waiting to depart, businessmen in Middle Eastern dress boarded. I felt real fear wondering if there was going to be trouble. Months earlier, the Hanafi Muslims had overtaken the Capitol. My heart sank as these travelers took their seats, but all was well.
• A U.S. senator’s wife took me at the end of spring one year to the Capitol grounds where we retrieved flower bulbs that grounds keepers were tossing as trash.
• One work assignment was to cover the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner. But, what to wear? I borrowed a fancy dress, which made it easier for me to afford a pair of costly heels to complete “the look.”
• Once I spotted an astonishing lack of decorum by one elected official, and I will never forget it.
• A congresswoman walked onto the U.S. House floor for a vote wearing rollers in her hair! Even a small-town girl like me knew that was not cool. What was she thinking?

Andrea Chancellor has more than 20 years of experience in newspaper and magazine journalism and 20 years in corporate public relations.