Another page is about to be written in the history of the United States, as the first African-American president is about to take the oath of office, and it's not lost on all those in the political arena.
First District Congressman Paul Ryan said "this is a very cool moment," noting Barack Obama's personal history. "Raised by a single mom of modest means, who is becoming the President of the United States, who is an African-Amwerican. Only in America does something like that happen. we pick our leaders, not the other way around. And I think we're not showing the rest of the world (not) just how historic this inauguration is, but just how real our democracy is."
The Janesville Republican said the inauguration itself is the closest this country gets to pageantry. "It's the closest thing we come to, you know, sort of a Camelot," said Ryan. "Forget about your politics. Just think about the fact that we have elected an African-American man for the President of the United States. That is a very bold, big, important achievement for our country."
Ryan said "this is going to be one of the more historic inaugurations any of us have seen in our lifetimes."