OSU student set to attend Presidential inauguration
Thursday, January 15, 2009
By Wesley Burt
Elliott, an avid Obama supporter, said the experience was absolutely amazing.
”I have never seen or felt anything like it; it is really hard to put into words,”
Elliott said.
Tickets to the inauguration were hard to get, as state legislatures only had so many
to give to constituents. “Rep. Lucas had ten requests for every ticket that he had
available,” Elliott said.
“I first thought that I might have a ticket the Sunday before Christmas,” Elliott
said, “I was telling my mom how Bruce Springsteen was going to be playing at the inauguration
and she had this big grin on her face.”
Elliott received his ticket from Rep. Lucas as a result of a chance luncheon seating
arrangement which placed David Bosserman, OSU vice president for administration and
finance, next to Rep. Lucas. Bosserman asked Rep. Lucas if he knew of any way to
get one ticket for a student (Elliott) who he said was more excited about this election
than anyone he had ever known. Rep. Lucas said he would try. He not only tried but
succeeded.
“When I found out that I was going to get to go my heart stopped,” Elliott said.
Bosserman had Elliott in mind for the ticket the whole time. “He told me the story
of how he had gone to see Kennedy’s inauguration, and how being able to give me the
chance to go would be his chance to pass on the torch,” Elliott said.
Bosserman said, “I probably wasn’t as excited as Alex but I could hardly contain myself
to be a part of making his dream come true. This country needs young people to get
excited about public service and our government. Alex will fill that role and I know
he represented OSU and Oklahoma with pride and dignity.”