WASHINGTON, D.C. — For many Utahns, the dawn of Donald Trump's presidency began hours before the sun rose on Friday morning.
Kate Roper shuffled out of bed at 4 a.m., but she could hardly complain. After all, her desire to witness a presidential inauguration drove her to wash out the garbage cans of all the families in her Mormon congregation — "It was really gross" — and to spend six hours a day in the scorching sun all last summer giving tennis lessons at the recreation center in American Fork, Utah.
She did it all to raise $2,500 for the privilege to wake up Friday morning, drive an hour into Washington, D.C., with her school friends and walk four miles through security checks and protestors to the National Mall. There, the 18 teenagers curled up together on ponchos and emergency blankets for a nap, and why not? They had four hours to kill until Trump spoke the 35 words that made him the 45th president of the United States.
Some Utahns spent more money to watch him take the oath of office. Some risked their reputations, then cheered when Trump's inaugural address exceeded even their highest expectations. Some gritted their teeth over ever word he spoke and prepared to do something about it on Saturday morning by joining the Women's March on Washington.
And there, seemingly floating above it all from their perch above and behind the podium was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, 215 men and women dressed smartly in crème-colored coats with matching turtleneck sweaters and red plaid scarves.
Their voices would turn groans to cheers.
Oh, no!
At times the inauguration was like a high school rally. Some wore as a badge of honor Hillary Clinton's slur that half of Trump supporters are irredeemable deplorables. A Georgia woman who said her business suffered when she supported Trump through social media wore her feelings on her football jersey-style T-shirt, the word "Deplorable" across the front above the number 16. They booed Clinton when she arrived and they barked at her — "Hillary for prison!" — and they chanted "Lock her up!"
The groans aimed at the Tabernacle Choir came after Mike Pence took the oath of office as the new vice president of the United States just before noon.
The anticipation was too much for diehard Trump supporters who stood under overcast skies in the cold and intermittent drizzle and counted down the minutes President Obama had remaining in office and until Trump stood up to take the oath as president.
Some grousing arose in a crowd of an estimated 800,000 when it was announced the Tabernacle Choir, which was seated by 7 a.m., would perform first, just before noon.
"Oh, no, don't make us wait," said one man who waited impatiently in a ticketed standing-room-only section behind the seated area in front.
Then the choir, known as "America's Choir" and charged with being ambassadors for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began to sing "America the Beautiful" crisply, clearly, strikingly. Won over by their ability and the song selection, the man joined others in singing along.
"The choir was in prime-time real estate," said Don Peay, founder of Trump for President Utah.
Most people were respectful and cheered when Trump said the Obamas "have been magnificent," but it was a step too far for some who would gush over every other word he spoke.
"Did you have to say that?" one moaned.
Personal promises
Utahns were swept up in Trump's populist call for sweeping change, "right here, right now." He promised to put America first in every decision and never let down his supporters.
The message resonated throughout the sea of red hats and knit beanies emblazoned with his campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." The crowd of hundreds of thousands stretched from the west steps of the Capitol down to the Washington Monument, though it didn't fill the National Mall.
Trump promised they would never be ignored again. Then he finished with a flourish. The majority of the throngs recited his final line with him: "We will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And, yes, we will make America great again."
Peay, who campaigned for Trump in Utah, said Friday was the culmination of an amazing journey that energized regular folks from Panguitch, Paragonah, Blanding, Monticello and Gunnison.
"What's so cool is the power is coming back to the people," Peay said. "It's monumental. When Trump runs for re-election he'll probably get 75 percent. That's my prediction."
"He tried to make it very individual," said Roper, the girl who power-washed garbage cans and gave tennis lessons. "I feel very humbled that we have a society that will help each person and a president who is helping create jobs so I can have one when I need one."
Danger and alarm
For Leslie Packer, a Mormon mother of eight from Lindon, Utah, stepping out to publicly support Trump first on Facebook and then in campaign speeches was what she called "a dangerous place to be."
"There weren't very many Mormon women for Trump," said the daughter-in-law of the late President Boyd K. Packer, an LDS Church General Authority.
Leslie Packer had high expectations Friday. Trump surpassed them. "He was phenomenal, she said. "He called out what needed to be called out and the people who needed to be called out, and he did it right in front of them. He's that much of a patriot."
"It's liberating," she said. "It was absolutely historic. We had a revolution that was as big as '76. We were losing our country. Today was one of the most remarkable days of my life."
"We picked a good inauguration to be our first," she said.
On Friday, it was Zinaida Bougri who felt alarmed. Trump's speech was nationalist rhetoric that reminded her of fascism, said the 22-year-old who is studying political science and and environmental studies at the University of Utah.
"That worries me a lot," she said in an email. "In short, America is divided and I'm worried for the future of this country."
Bougri will participate in the Women's March on Washington on Saturday, she said, "to show my support for the resistance of fascism, sexism, homophobia and climate denial in the new administration."
All-nighter ahead
The protests began on Friday. Protestors lit a limo on fire and injured six police officers. Police made more than 200 arrests. The news worried at least one American Fork parent, but Roper said the students were never in danger and felt safe with National Guardsmen on every street corner directing traffic.
Tabernacle choir leaders said the music that infused Inauguration Day was a way to provide healing. Utah performers Lexi Walker, the Piano Guys and Olso shared their musical talents at the inaugural balls on Friday night.
Singing in the inauguration ceremony was an opportunity for the choir to share the healing and powerful message of music with the entire world," choir president Ron Jarrett said in a statement.
Choir director Mack Wilberg said, "Music plays an important role in presidential inaugurations because music is the universal language and is a great way of unifying."
The choir has 360 members, and 300 applied to make the trip. Organizers randomly selected 215 for the choir's seventh inaugural performance.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the faith's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also represented the church at the inauguration. They were unavailable for comment.
Roper and her American Fork High School classmates went bowling Friday night, then headed to bed. She didn't expect to sleep, though.
"Our group probably will pull an all-nighter talking about our experience," she said. "That's the once in a lifetime I'll be able to stand on the National Mall for an inauguration. I'll be able to tell my kids that I saw government class come to life."