Kathleen Flake on Rev. Lowery’s benediction:

This inauguration for many was an event in which an extraordinary oneness was experienced; a oneness demanded by the extraordinary man we chose to lead us. That was what Rev. Lowery was asked to bless or empower for future attempts. In the end, he could not do it. In the last moments, elbows splayed, he grabbed the ball from the air and with a resounding crash on the boards he told us our divisions are greater than our unity. Rev. Lowery last words for the day divided us into races again and in racist terms.