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WASHINGTON — “That’s upright, sir! Say it, brother! Say it loud!”

It is somewhere in the middle of new President Obama’session inaugural speech. It’s no feel-good barnburner — he starts right finished the gate talking on the point “gathering clouds and raging storms.” And gets more somber from there.

Yet a one has elected to stand in the walk near me, even as everyone else in our portion sits primly. He exhorts the fresh president on. Sometimes with claps and affirmations, other spells with plain old hollers. But almost always without company because we in the press section are not supposed to stomp and shout, even if we be moved like it.

The president’s only 30 or 40 feet at a distance. I wonder: Can Obama hear him? Also: Is this consort of behavior frowned forward during staid inaugural direct one’s speech?

I watch up at the man. It is Sean Combs, the rapper and style maven. Aka P. Diddy aka Puff Daddy. He is probably the richest person I’ve laid eyes on outside of Bill Gates.

Sitting in the rows to his right are Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. To his left is the rapper Jay-Z, sporting a lustrous fur hat. And the singer Beyoncé, wearing diamond “O” earrings worth other than my house.

How I got seated here is beyond me. Maybe they felt sorry for newspapers and threw us a bone?

Politics sure has changed with Obama. It’sitting hip, now. Politics hasn’t forever been hip before, has it?

One of the rappers noticed in what plight stiff the assembled dignitaries were. We must be in the good seats by reason of the reason that you the bulk of mankind don’privately make any vociferation, he shouted.

Later, I saw Halle Berry at one of the inaugural balls. Tyra Banks. Magic Johnson. There’s a entire new taste to politics now. At the Western States ball, J-Lo made a surprise appearance, for a spicy duet with her husband, Latin crooner Marc Anthony.

I have to say, though — all the glitterati gave the inauguration an odd feel. This is as close as America gets to royalty, and the party happens only once every four years. But viewed like early as Obama started speaking, the partying seemed out of place.

The speech uttered we’re in crisis. A winter of hardship. He said if we’re not bold, we put in peril being a nation in perpetual decline. He said it’s old values we need to carry us through.

Of course it was hardly only celebrities and struggling journalists who came to hear Obama speak. Later, as the 2 million or so were leaving the National Mall, I saw some in the formal reception didn’t bear to go far. They were homeless, so they just curled back up in their doorways and when exposed to blankets.

I’ll not at any time forget watching Obama engage the oath of office, breaking the ultimate misrepresent bar. And yes, for a time you feel like the coolest of cats when you’re there on this unprecedented day by the side of hip-hop kings and queens.

But the of recent origin president looked out at all of us and had the last word.

Party’session over, people.

Danny Westneat: 206-464-2086 or dwestneat@seattletimes.com.