Even President Nixon was shown flashing his "classic double victory salute" to inauguration attendees in 1969. Of course,the caption accompanying that picture noted that he "was greeted with less than warm feelings from the crowds. Protestors threw smoke bombs, sticks and stones at the presidential limo on its way to the Capitol Building."
Yet when it came to portraying President Bush's inauguration, ABCNews.com photo editors decided to show protestors at the 2001 inaugural, including one holding a "Hail to the Thief!" sign (depicted above at right). The caption accompanying that photo:
After a controversial election, the public eagerly awaited the events of the inauguration. During Bush's inaugural oath, he was interrupted by two protestors who managed to get around the security checkpoints. When they stripped naked 20 yards away from Bush, the words "No Mandate" and "Hail to the Thief" could be seen written across their bodies.
(Leslie E. Kossoff/AFP/Getty Images)
On another note, while Reagan's second inauguration was depicted, oddly enough there was no mention that his first inauguration, in 1981, was the first to be held on the West Front of the Capitol, which faces out to the National Mall. That factoid was missing from the caption of the 1985 photo of Reagan being sworn in for a second term in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol:
As the 40th president, Reagan's two inaugurations took place during record temperatures. His first, held in 55-degree temperatures, was the warmest inauguration. It was the complete opposite in 1985, when temperatures hovered around 7 degrees. The chilly temperatures forced the public ceremony to be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda.
