Yahoo Sport 
Trump supporters wish rest of the country shared their enthusiasm for the inauguration
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration has been marred by boycotts from Democratic officeholders and by top-shelf musicians who have refused to perform at the festivities. But Trump supporters and allies who have come to the nation’s capital for the events expect an exciting celebration and wish the rest of the country would get on board.
Boris Epshteyn, who was a senior adviser on Trump’s campaign, is the director of communications for the Presidential Inaugural Committee and has been serving as a pitch man for the proceedings. In an interview with Yahoo News on SiriusXM’s POTUS radio channel on Thursday, Epshteyn relentlessly stuck to his message that the inauguration is “all about the people” rather than any big-name talent.
“It’s about the peoples’ voices being heard throughout this country and throughout the world,” Epshteyn said. “We also have great performances. We have Jackie Evancho, a wonderful young talent, performing at the swearing-in. We have the Mormon Tabernacle Choir — “America’s choir,” as dubbed by Ronald Reagan. So we have these wonderful, wonderful talents.”
Kanye West met with Trump last month, and Yahoo News asked Epshteyn if the president-elect asked the rapper to perform.
“We’re focusing on the folks who are going to be there,” Epshetyn said. “Of course, there’s a lot of friends of the president-elect. … He considers Kanye West a friend, but we’re focusing on the wonderful performers we have here.”
At Trump International Hotel D.C., just down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, revelers packed the bar on Wednesday night. Kim Davis, a former Trump campaign volunteer from Mendocino, Calif., had some choice words for the Democrats who are skipping the swearing-in ceremony, suggesting the decision showed that their “character is flawed.”
“On the flip side of that, Donald Trump has great character, as well as [Vice President-elect] Mike Pence, and they will make America great again,” Davis said. “And I say ‘God bless America’ and I say ‘God has blessed America.’”
Davis was accompanied by her son, who did not give his name. He argued that the inauguration was being treated differently from President Barack Obama’s 2009 swearing-in ceremony.
“I remember whenever he first got elected, I was at school and they actually stopped class and they said, ‘We’re going to watch this because this is history in the making.’ I don’t feel like they’d be doing that at school for Donald Trump just because of the color of his skin, which to me, politically, is just as big of a deal,” the man said.
Ray Suttle, an attorney from Virginia, was at the bar with his girlfriend. He said they would be attending the ceremony and a ball and were hoping to “have some Trump champagne.” Suttle urged Trump’s opponents to “just give him a chance.”
“I’m sorry that people are upset that Trump was elected. I would say, ‘Hey, it’s a peaceful transfer of power, give him a chance,” Suttle said. “I guarantee you in 100 days, he’s going to get more done than any other candidate did in 100 days.”
Another young man at the bar who declined to give his name pointed to the hotel’s luxurious decor as evidence the inauguration will “be the best one ever.”
“When you walk in and you see the crisp lettering with the backlit details and the gold edge, you realize that we can enunciate a Trump presidency in a credible and reasonable way,” the man said.
Though the man clearly loved the hotel’s appearance, he was far less happy with the service. As we spoke, a waitress approached with his check.
“Don’t leave us hanging next time,” the man said to the waitress. “We’ve been here for like 45 minutes. Don’t let me tell the president-elect!”
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