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Oakland's California Assemblyperson Sandre Swanson took time to talk with me at BSmith's event on Saturday as part of the Obama Inauguration Celebration. He explained what the then-moment-to-come meant to him.

More at Inside Bay Area : “The Raiders are making another run at Al Saunders. This time, it will be for the offensive coordinator vacancy created by the departure of Greg Knapp to the Seattle Seahawks. Saunders was just fired by the St. Louis Rams as part of the purging of the Rams staff by new coach Steve Spagnulo. He is scheduled to interview with the Raiders as soon as today. "We anticipate giving him an interview within the next day or two," Raiders senior executive John Herrera said Tuesday afternoon. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis interviewed Saunders for the head coaching vacancy before he settled upon Art Shell. Saunders was hired by the Washington Redskins that season. He returned this season to the Rams franchise that he helped reach the Super Bowl in the 2000 season. However, new coach Steve Spagnuolo already is interviewing prospective replacements for Saunders. Saunders is regarded by many as one of the most innovative and gifted offensive coordinators

More at Inside Bay Area : “Oakland — Police are seeking a gunman who wounded a 22-year-old East Oakland man Sunday night during an apparent gang-related confrontation at Frank Ogawa Plaza near City Hall. The man, whose name was not released, was wounded in the abdomen and is expected to recover. The shooting happened about 8:30 p.m. Sunday in the 300 block of Frank Ogawa Plaza. Police said members of a West Oakland gang apparently got into a confrontation with another group that included the 22-year-old man. Fighting broke out, and at least one person believed to be associated with the gang pulled a gun and began shooting. The 22-year-old man told police he was running away and did not realize immediately that he had been shot. Police found him near the intersection of 15th Street and Broadway. Several other people were with him at the scene but refused to talk to officers.”

I literally ran into Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBC's Morning Joe as I was walking into the lobby of a hotel for the sole purpose of warming up from the cold weather after President Barack Obama's great Inauguration acceptance speech. Joe was good enough to share his view of that speech with me, saying that it was the best one since John F. Kennedy's speech in 1960.

The Daily Cal's Erika Oblea and Keen Batti report on the gathering of students, faculty, and residents in Berkeley and Oakland for the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

I attended this awesome house party thrown by Brad and Leah, two Obama campaign volunteers who live in the Columbia Heights section of Washington DC. There, we talked about the meaning of President-Elect Barack Obama's Inauguration, and well, just had a great time on the eve of the big day!

As I walked along the Capital Mall the night before The Inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President, a young woman came up and asked -- and I kid you not -- "Are you a CNN reporter". I explained that I am an iReporter and we created this video of her message. Pretty funny but she had something to say and I wanted to help her say it.

While In Washington DC for the Inauguration, I was invited to a great premier of a cool new movie called "Gospel Hill". Directed by Giancarlo Esposito, it stars Angela Bassett, Danny Glover, Esposito, and others including South Carolina Charles James essentially playing himself. I talked to them about not just the movie, but the Obama Inauguration and the festivties held to that point in time.

This was an incredible Sunday concert experience as part of Obama Inauguration festivities, even if, like me, you got their around 2 PM and thus were not able to get close to the Lincoln Memorial, let alone past the Old War Memorial. I estimate the crowd at about 2 million. I've not seen a written estimate yet, but if it's in the thousands, it's just plain wrong!

I was walking to the Willard Hotel when I happened on a man who looked just like current President George W Bush. His name is Ed Thebility, and he says he's got a few pounds on President Bush but that he does get the "You look like" comment alot!

I attended the swanky affair at B Smith's Restaurant in Washington's Union Station. Produced by Stelfana Broadhead, the event attracted such illuminaries as Actor Delroy Lindo, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, City Manager Robert Bobb, and B Smith herself, who took time to talk with me about what Obama's Inauguration means to her.

Hey everyone.  I'm in Washington DC at the last minute just to really cover the experience of it all -- no tickets to events, but then I'm press, so I need a credential.  Didn't think I would be here as recently as Wednesday, but things happen fast:   So with that, if I were in Oakland, what would I do?  Wow, a lot.  There are a ton of events today, Sunday, and through Tuesday.  There's the Tuesday evening event called "Barack and Roll" at ZCafe, and produced by the East Bay Young Democrats (here's their Facebook Page  ).  Then there's the giant event at Oracle Arena that Tuesday morning. There's also an event at The Uptown Nightclub, and again on Tuesday night, and here's their Facebook Page  .  At any rate, there's more than I have time to post.  But the Berkeley Daily Planet has a great breakdown of events  , here's a list of some of them: • Sunday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m., Beebe Memorial Cathedral, 3900 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. •

Once I got my bags, got the Super Shuttle, and made to the house that my friend Teka has, I was able to meet our housemates. It turns out they played a big grass roots role in the Obama campaign in rural California. "Take back Red California."