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LOBBYIST
Jeff Roy watched the inauguration from a hotel lobby. And he still got closer to Vice President Joe Biden than many people who went to the actual ceremony.
Roy, the national commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, saw the crowds on Tuesday and realized that he was going to make either the ceremony or the veterans’ inaugural ball, but not both. So he and his wife Angelique went to the hotel where the ball would be that evening and watched on a big-screen TV.
About 50 to 75 others gathered with them — including several volunteers with tickets who hadn’t been able to get into the ceremony. And when the time came and the oath of office was complete, the room erupted in cheers as the crowd began hugging each other.
“I think no matter where you were in Washington, D.C., at any given point in time, you had the same enthusiastic-type feeling,” Roy said.
As for Biden, he was the main speaker at the veterans’ ball that night, addressing the 1,200 people for about 20 minutes. Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin also spoke to the crowd, and Marg Helgenberger of “CSI:Crime Scene Investigation” was the evening’s master of ceremonies.
“It was really something else,” said Roy.
He got back into town Friday, but returns to Washington today — more veterans’ lobbying to do. Though perhaps a little lower-key than his previous time in a lobby.
“That was one of those things where you could work and have fun,” he said.
How freaking sweet was that? BFFs FTW!Marg Helgenberger. So beautiful...so beautiful, so talented, and after nine years, still the best leading lady I will ever know.