Support and protest await Eastern Iowans at Trump inauguration

A week from Friday, Donald Trump will take the oath of office and become the 45th president. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to travel to Washington for the inauguration. Among them, at least two Eastern Iowans—going for two very different reasons.

Some wear their politics on their sleeves. Rachel Zanoni, of Marion, will be wearing hers on her head in a few days. The 19-year-old college student, her mom and others were knitting political statements, Thursday evening.

Cat hats, specifically, made in reference to that now infamous clip of video in which the Republican president-elect was caught on tape saying “…grab them by the pxxxx.”

"It sort of turns his words against him,” said Rachel. “We're reclaiming."

Rachel will do that reclaiming in D.C. She'll be taking part in the “Woman's March on Washington.” It's an idea that started on Facebook weeks ago with just a few. It has since likely become the biggest Trump inauguration protest. More than 100,000 are expected to march in front of the Capitol, January 21st.

According to the group, the "rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us…" The march aims to send a message to Trump "that women's rights are human rights."

"The kind of language Trump uses,” said Rachel, “it's just a shocker that was not a deal breaker for anywhere near enough people to keep him from getting elected."

Not too far away, in Cedar Rapids, a totally different tone.

"I've never been to an inauguration,” Brett Mason, former Linn County GOP Co-Chair. “I'm very much looking forward to this one."

Brett will be there with his wife, Debbie.

He sees Trump's swearing in as a pivotal moment in American history. An opportunity, Brett says, for change from the political insiders of the past.

Brett looks forward to Trump being a job creator, an economy stimulator and strong on immigration.

"Obama's inauguration was dramatic,” said Brett. “It was something new. Everyone was looking for something new and some change. I think the same thing on this one. Debbie and I are going out and we can't wait."

And neither can Rachel. Though she and Brett's political differences are many, their anticipation for next week is identical.