Yippee! Just confirmed I have tix for the swearing in ceremony.

[HughBeaumont]

4. Do. NOT. Take. Large. Bags. PERIOD.

GOD, in 2005, I was stuck on the 7th St. security checkpoint. Literally thousands upon thousands of people, since 7 AM, crammed shoulder-to-shoulder trying to get in, and on one of the coldest days in D.C. that I can remember (had to have been in the low teens, and I'm not kidding; It was CLEVELAND cold that day). Why? Because nearly 1/2 to 3/4 of these dumbasses bought large back packs, duffel bags, purses, coolers, etc.

Find out when I got up there . . . it was a total of FOUR entries for thousands upon thousands of people. FOUR. There should have been at least 16-20 entries. The military posted at each of these four entries do an extremely thourough search (flashlights and prods) of everything you're bringing in . . . took about 3-5 minutes per person, depending on how large your bag was. Square these inadequate numbers of security personnel against the giant throngs of people and you got a nice 8-hour logjam on your hands. In 10-degree weather. And every hour, you got to smell random gas passings. And there was no escape.

I BARELY made it into the parade in time to see the President and the First Lady leave their limo and wave to the crowd.

I'd look at forecasts ahead of time. So far in D.C., it's been in the high-30s to mid 50s in January . . . in Cleveland, we call that "April". But anything can happen, so dress accordingly. I'll be taking some Coldgear with me so I don't lose feeling in my legs and feet like last time.