It is not what I would do if I were president. There would be a modest swearing in ceremony, a modest party afterwards.
My idea would be to have in advance sought out some worthy places to direct those funds, people, organizations that could use the hand up. The funds would be dispensed the last business day before the inauguration with a signed letter.
It would be done quietly with no no media press releases. Let the word filter out just as the New York Times was writing a scathing article about how cheap I was for not having a multi-million dollar inaguaral.
That said, Bush is no different than the other presidents as the grapic in this thread shows - at least on inagural spending. And the New York Times is being its usual biased self in trying to highlight as something different what Bush is spending this time.
I doubt that Bush likes all the ritual expenses, but his donors do, and he is acceding to their wishes.
The most famous moment in Jimmy Carter's inauguration is when he walked along for the cameras carrying his own suitcase.
It was a good PR gesture, and a cheap inaugural. But look what kind of presidency we got.
"It is not what I would do if I were president. There would be a modest swearing in ceremony, a modest party afterwards."
Jimmy Carter had a sort of 'blue jeans' inauguration in 1977. Even the MSM thought it was a little bizarre and somewhat pretentious. I thought it was a good idea but I think people feel more secure when our presidents look a little like royalty.