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Doug Jones/Staff Photographer
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Derek Davis/Staff PhotographerWESTBROOK -- Minutes after Barack Obama addressed the nation for the first time as president, Ahura Z. Diliiza walked down his front steps, took the American flag off the front of the house, and began waving it high in the air.
Cars and trucks honked as they passed by on Main Street in Westbrook.
"I've always loved my country. I've always been proud of my country, but today I watched my country grow up," Diliiza said, with a huge smile on his face.
"I was around when there were still signs saying 'whites only,' and 'colored only'," he said. Diliiza called the inauguration of Obama a transformational event in the history of the United States.
Diliiza, 48, is himself an example of the racial and cultural patchwork that Obama noted in today's speech as being a strength of the nation."My heritage is African-American, Apache, Maori, Irish," he said. "Mainly my heritage is American."
Across the street, about 20 residents had gathered to watch the inauguration on television at the Walker Library.
The youngest among them was 15-year-old Christie Ford, a freshman at Westbrook High School.
"I'm here because I want to be part of a historic moment," Ford said. "I believe that Obama will do a very good job as president and he will make our country a better place."
Ford, who recalled voting for George W. Bush in a mock election at school in 2004, said this is the first election in which she has felt personally involved, even though she is not old enough to vote.
"There are a lot of students talking about Obama, and how he can make things better," she said. "I hope he can get our troops out of the war, and make America greener."
Also among the library crowd was Ann Bainbridge, who moved to Westbrook from Frederick, Maryland, three years ago.
Bainbridge attended the inaugurations of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, but she was never really interested in politics prior to last year. Bainbridge was inspired by Obama's character.
"Integrity, compassion, honesty, openness," are words she uses to describe the president.
Bainbridge contacted the Obama field office on Forest Avenue last year, and she volunteered on voter registration drives.
"I'm still being inspired. For the first time I felt like I was part of the process," Bainbridge said. "His presidency means a lot to all Americans."
She had considered attending the inauguration, because she still owns a house in Frederick, but she decided that she did not want to battle the mobs at the metro. Today, she somewhat regretted the decision.
"I wish I was there," she said.
12:55 p.m.
At schools, businesses and homes across Maine, residents gathered to watch history in the making this morning as Barack Obama took the oath of office.
At the Asylum club in Portland, where the state Democratic Party is hosting its main event, a handful of party faithful were already enjoying conversation and pre-inauguration festivities being broadcast on 16 television monitors.
Asylum manager Bill Kespert put the final touches on the room by hanging red, white and blue streamers.
Sy Epstein, 77, of Wiscasset, a member of the Maine Democratic Committee, arrived early to get a good parking spot.
"I've been a political animal all my adult life. I've been through highs and lows but nothing like this," Epstein said. "Even now I'm on the verge of tears of joy."
"It's not generational. It's not racial. For me, individually, it is about turning our backs on divisive politics," he said. "Today you can't help but love America."
Elsewhere in downtown Portland, dozens gathered to watch on a series of television screens at the Maine Democratic Party's official event at a sports bar.
At Mercy Hospital in Portland, employees watched in the auditorium.
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