"It is the same passions of the 1960s playing out again almost 40 years later in the sense that it is the same dividing argument," he said. "That is, there is a war on, and young liberals are exercised about it to a similar degree as then."
"They feel . . . the war is immoral because it is a superimposition of American values on Arab values, and Americans and Iraqis are dying in the process," Morris said.
Guests on the dais turn to the flag during the national anthem, including, at left, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and White House chief of staff Andrew H. Card Jr. and, at right, former counselor Karen Hughes and chief political adviser Karl Rove.
(Bill O'leary -- The Washington Post)
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Contributors
Washington Post staff members who contributed to this report include Tara Bahrampour, Karlyn Barker, Bill Broadway, David Cho, Michele Clock, D'Vera Cohn, Tim Craig, Alicia Cypress, Susan DeFord, Lila de Tantillo, Daniel de Vise, David S. Fallis, Nicole Fuller, Annie Gowen, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Hamil R. Harris, Peter Hayes, Aruna Jain, Mark Jones, Allison Klein, Fredrick Kunkle, Theola S. Labbe, Allan Lengel, Carol D. Leonnig, Susan Levine, Jerry Markon, Geraldine Marmer, Terence McArdle, Carol Morello, David Nakamura, Amy Orndorff, Joshua Partlow, Bobbye Pratt, Sue Anne Pressley, Olwen Price, Bridget Roeber, Brigid Schulte, Daniele Seiss, Mary Beth Sheridan, Nikita Stewart, Lena H. Sun, Martin Weil, Eric M. Weiss, Vanessa Williams, Yolanda Woodlee, Bruce C.T. Wright and Molli Yood.
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"This is much more of a religious war than in Vietnam, and that just makes it worse, because nothing stirs passions more than religious issues," he added.
The protesters' loud and often profane speech seemed to gain them little, and it proved costly to some who came just to watch the parade. Dick Rasmussen, an Air Force pilot from Woodbridge, said he, his wife and three sons, ages 13, 11, and 9, were unable to enter the route at Seventh Street just after noon because a rowdy group of protesters began hurling snowballs and rocks as they stood in line. He said people began pushing, so he and his family left the area for fear of being trampled.
"A lot of protesters were yelling about the inauguration costing $40 million," Rasmussen said. "But look how they were acting. That's when their argument goes out the window. Well, we spent how much money to protect regular Americans against you. If you're going to protest, protest peacefully."
Shortly before 3 p.m., a group of black-masked self-styled anarchists rushed the security gate at 13th and E streets NW, apparently trying to break through. Repelled by security, they stood chanting until a phalanx of about 20 riot officers arrived to disperse them.
By the time the presidential motorcade arrived at 13th Street, the protesters had moved to the sidewalk in front of 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., the National League of Cities building, where they beat on drums and set fire to two American flags. Guests on a fifth-floor balcony were stunned to see the flags go up in flames.
"Oh, boo!" shouted Charles Lyons, past president of the National League of Cities.
"I'm a Democrat! Go to hell!" shouted another guest in agreement.
As guests from other balconies began throwing ice at the protesters, they responded by shouting, "Jump!" and "Peace now!"
Meanwhile, the group began trying to set fire to a curtain of red, white and blue bunting stretched across the building's facade.
"It hurts me so deeply to see the lack of tolerance here today," Ginny Bankov said as the protesters melted back into the crowd. "It saddens me to see the destruction and vulgarity. I just want everybody to be safe."
Because access points were limited by security, there were plenty of places where those who came to celebrate had to endure profane lectures from those opposed to the president and the war.
After Bush finished his speech at the Capitol, those with tickets to the bleachers along the parade route were forced to squeeze down a narrow path through a zone thick with protesters who mocked and derided them, some shouting obscenities. "How are you enjoying your tax break?" shouted one man. "Draft Republicans first," shouted another. Some spectators reported getting sprayed with water by protesters.
