WASHINGTON -- Before standing on the U.S. Capitol lawn to watch Friday's inauguration, scores of Arkansans had a pre-dawn breakfast with their congressmen.
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The four House members from Arkansas, all Republicans, teamed up to provide the meal.
"We wanted them to have a cup of coffee and something warm before they go out and face the elements," U.S. Rep. French Hill of Little Rock said.
The gathering took place in the Rayburn House Office Building, a mammoth complex across the street from the site where President Donald Trump took the oath of office.
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The menu featured mini ham biscuits with pepper jelly, bacon-and-apricot-glazed sausage, mini-chicken and waffles, and an oatmeal bar. All Arkansans were welcome and they streamed in from all four congressional districts.
Taxpayer funds weren't used to pay for the tab, an official said.
As he looked across the packed room shortly after the sun began to rise, second-term U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs said he was pleased that so many constituents had made the journey.
"I don't believe I've been in a room with this many Arkansans in Washington, D.C., since I've been here," he told the crowd. "Thank you for being a bright spot in a sometimes dark city."
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U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro also expressed satisfaction with the turnout. "We've got a great cross-section of the state represented here today and we've got a great delegation," he said.
When it was his turn to speak, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers showed the audience his cuff-links, which bore a cartoon image of the nation's 45th president.
"I'm in the proper uniform. I'm Trumped out," he said.
Womack also expressed relief that President Barack Obama would be leaving office by lunchtime.
"We have been advocating for and working hard to do the things that will truly make America great again only to be stonewalled by somebody in the White House who doesn't believe in the same kind of America that we believe in," the Republican from Rogers said. "We're ready for this day to unfold, to go into the history books so that people like us can roll up these sleeves and get to work."
In a show of hands, many of the diners said this would be their first inauguration. And a dozen or so said this was their first trip to the nation's capital.
"This is one of the best things you can do in Washington, D.C., besides the fireworks on the Fourth of July," Hill told them. "This is what we all look forward to, the oldest democracy in the world having its peaceful transfer of power, a lesson to the whole universe that God has blessed the United States."
The Arkansas constituents listened politely to the short speeches and seemed eager to shake the lawmakers' hands.
Afterward, the guests gave the meal and their hosts high marks.
"It was wonderful, wonderful. Very, very tasty," said Cheryl Robertson, 69, of Hot Springs Village.
The atmosphere was also pleasant, she said.
"I loved the way all the congressmen came around and talked. You feel like family," she added.
Margaret McCord of Hot Springs called the breakfast "very exciting," but said the high point of the day would come later, when Trump placed his hand on the Bible and repeated the oath of office.
"I think that America needs a change and I think that Donald Trump will be the one to give us the change," she said.
A Section on 01/21/2017