Just Plain Bill No More The Metamorphosis of a Pol From Arkansas

ident-elect and others; as a result By David Von Drehle Washington Pau Staff Writer he was 27 minutes late arriving at the White House. President Bush There is a seam in the fabric of and his wife, Barbara, were left time, the moment when a man waiting. Clinton took the oath an stands in the sunshine with the Cap- uncharacteristic minute early, but itol towering over him, and a mul- by parade time was 45 minutes be- titude stretched before him, and his hind schedule again. words moving directly from his And watching him hike up Penn- throat to the history books. Life is sylvania Avenue at the head of the different beyond the seam. huge procession, he looked much as With the whole world watching, he did before. His suit coat was un- Bill Clinton took that step yester- buttoned, giving him that familiar day. The gifted boy from humble friendly bearish look, and he was roots in rural Arkansas completed flashing the old thumbs-up and bit- his transformation into a storybook ing his lower lip. figure of the American Dream. But the change was fundamental. And certain changes came with A veteran of the long Clinton it. Windy Bill Clinton, the Arkansas campaign was sucking on a beer the pol, became a president capable of other night at Washington's Union brevity and pith. Clinton the Glad- Station and discoursing on the Hander gave way, at least for a mo- transformation a president goes ment, to Clinton-of-the-Magisterial- through. "Nothing will ever be ex- Wave. The hand that signed "Bill actly the same for him," the aide Clinton" to proclamations as gov- said. "Even his friends realize we ernor signed "Witham J. Clinton" on will have to learn to relate to him a its first presidential document. little differently." It was a common Of course, he still carried many refrain among FOBs around town recognizable traits: After a morning this week. prayer service, Clinton jawed out- Clinton's transforming day began side Blair House with his vice pres- See CLINTON, A28, Col. 3 lff RAY LUSTIG-THE WASHINGTON POST First Family's first moments: The president hugs Hillary and Chelsea Clinton on the inaugural podium. CLINTON, From Al sweep up the whole of human existence, and traded good-natured barbs with Senate "the grandeur and the grime," and when he Minority Leader Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.). with a vivid rite. Bush's national security was finished Clinton and everyone else in adviser, Brent Scowcroft, arrived at Blair Speaker of the House Thomas S. Foley (D- the church sprang to their feet and ap- Wash.) presented the new president with a House at 7 a.m. in the company of a military plauded. letter opener to "cut through the tangle of aide. The aide explained to Clinton how to As the service was ending, Clinton wiped legislative challenges." and Clinton said: launch a thermonuclear attack. "The foot- tears from his eyes. "Like magic I tilted in Senator Dole's direc- ball"—that briefcase of deadly codes that It was about 10:30 a.m. when he reached tion." follows the president everywhere—was the White House—another of those brief Dole got him back by suggesting in a passed along with the torch at noon. limo rides, but this time Secret Service stage whisper that the new White House At 8:06 a.m., Clinton burst into public agents hung from special handles on the pens write only in red ink. view, with his wife, Hillary, and daughter, outside of the car and the short passage The Clinton era had begun. Chelsea. They breezed into a limousine for And then the day stretched out in a long a 3-minute ride to the Metropolitan A.M.E. blur of beginnings. Clinton reviewed troops Church. As president, he will have to get of the armed forces he suddenly commands. used to three-minute rides, and 30-second "Nothing will ever be He rode the presidential limousine through rides, and rides of 50 yards or even less. a roaring canyon of his people. He tried The Secret Service does not like presidents exactly the same for speaking to them through Mr. Micro- hoofing it. phone—as Bush liked to call the limo's Bach's gentle air, "Jesu, Joy of Man's De- loudspeaker system—but the crowd's noise siring," was playing as the Clintons entered. drowned him out, so at last they coaxed him The music stopped abruptly in favor of a from the car with chants of "We Want Bill" brass fanfare until they reached their seats, seemed charged with a new importance and Clinton stepped onto the reviewing stand and then the organist led the congregation danger. He was very near to being presi- at 3:50 p.m. to the strains of "flail to the through the popular hymn "Holy, Holy, dent. Chief." Was this everything he imagined? Holy," at a rip-snorting pace. Clinton knew Perhaps he felt lucky as he rode with He looked blissful as the bands marched the first verse by heart, and peeked over Bush to the Capitol. The day was magnif- past, covering his heart when flags went by, Hillary's shoulder at the words of Verses 2 icent: sky cloudless, sun brilliant, air brac- standing solemnly for the passing of troops, ing. He planned to give a speech about and 3. clapping and waving to high school major- spring, and about hope, and his setting was The Rev. Robert Stephanopoulos, a ettes, snapping a salute to an Indian chief. perfect, almost beyond believable. prominent Greek Orthodox priest from The president got so engrossed in talk The event itself was so rich that even Manhattan and father of White House com- with Secretary of State-designate Warren senators gawked, munications director George Stephanopou- and some took snapshots M. Christopher that he almost missed the with little cameras hanging from their los, read some Scripture. His selection: The fabulous Florida A&M University band, but wrists. Albert Gore Jr. was sworn in as vice prophet Isaiah counseling his countrymen brother Roger Clinton shouted and ges- president at 11:45 a.m., and then the Ma- "to loose the bonds of injustice . . . to let the tured enough to focus his attention. rine Band played toe-tapping marches as Behind the Old Executive Office Building, oppressed go free . . .to share your bread the last seconds drained from the Bush era. with the hungry and bring the homeless the sun faded to black. In the White House, When Clinton completed his oath at busy laborers in blue uniforms scurried to poor into your house. . . . " 11:59 a.m., a cheer went up that startled Clinton's friend from high school, Carolyn unpack all the Clintons' possessions. When the gulls from the fountain at the western at last the parade ended and Clinton Staley, sang the same song she sang at his end of the Capitol. They wheeled and cried second inauguration as governor. Then the climbed the driveway to his .. . home . . . while cannon boomed a rumbling salute. He everything was to be just the way he Rev. Gardner Taylor, the famed preacher was introduced for the first time as "The wanted it. from Brooklyn's Concord Baptist Church, President of the United States." That is not the life of a poor boy from gave the best speech this city heard in a The thing he worked so hard for was his. Hope. It is the life of a new person: Pres- whole week of speechifying. He seemed to Afterward Clinton lunched with Congress ident William J. Clinton.