On O'Malley's Day, Warm Wishes and Olive Branches

Photos
O'Malley Begins With a Call for Unity
Governor cites work to do on college tuition, health care and pollution.

The theme was One Maryland, and Martin O'Malley promised an inaugural ball accessible to everyone in Maryland -- with tickets at $50 a head and a whole lot less glitz than at outgoing Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s bash four years ago.

Democrats proved last night that they know how to party like populists.

The 9,000 guests who packed the Baltimore Convention Center to celebrate the inauguration of O'Malley and Lt Gov. Anthony G. Brown were dressed in everything from couture to casual.

First lady Catherine O'Malley wore an elegant satin gown of navy and light blue -- but there were jeans and flapper-style dresses, at least one Scottish kilt and a lot of business suits.

"O'Malley is like that," said Nate Williams, a mortgage broker from Upper Marlboro dressed in a suit and tie. "He's a pretty laid-back kind of guy. I was gonna wear my tux, but thank God they made it black tie optional."

Whispered his companion, Angela Campbell, "I bet this is a lot less stuffy than the Republicans were."

The gala offered a smorgasbord of seared scallops, roasted corn and crab soup, Australian lamb chops, crabcakes, chicken saltimbocca and truffles donated by 75 restaurants from Silver Spring to the Eastern Shore.

The food wasn't as plentiful as guests had hoped, though. By 8:40 p.m., the line for a coveted cheeseburger slider was 50 people deep.

The crowd was much happier in the main hall, where the new governor had taken the stage with his band, O'Malley's March, for a symbolic rendition of Bob Dylan's classic "The Times They are A-Changin'." The audience went wild, snapping photos with their cellphones.

As the governor rolled up his sleeves, a man in the crowd yelled: "Next stop New Hampshire! Does this compete with Barack Obama? That's all I'm saying."

Handshakes and Some Protein

---

The festivities began at 8 a.m. with a prayer breakfast that doubled as a thank-you event for Prince George's County. There were a few thank-yous and a lot of prayer, but not much breakfast for the governor-elect.

Almost every time O'Malley raised his fork to eat his scrambled eggs, he was interrupted by an extended hand or a nudge from former state senator Gloria G. Lawlah, trying to introduce him to someone.