Planning to attend the inauguration? Good luck.

[BuyingThyme]

Planning to attend the inauguration? Good luck.

By Dale Eisman
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 8, 2008

WASHINGTON

Want to be a witness to history next month at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration?

Be prepared for one of the worst traffic jams of your life as you travel north from Hampton Roads on Interstate 95. Once you get here - if you get here - expect to stand in line for hours to get through security.

Then, unless you're one of maybe 200,000 lucky or well-connected people in a crowd that could top 2 million, or 3 million, or 5 million, depending on the source, you'll probably watch the swearing-in from a cold spot on the National Mall, a mile or more away from Obama's location at the west front of the Capitol. Your best view - your only view, really - will likely be on one of a series of giant television screens.

To get close, sort of, you'll need a ticket for admission to the Capitol grounds. Your odds of snagging one of those are slim; they're available only from members of Congress, each of whom will be allotted a few hundred, at most.

...

http://hamptonroads.com/node/490794

[Lex]

1. As much as I'd like to be there, and even though it's only 4 hours away,

I'm going to watch it from the warmth of my home on CSPAN so I can actually see things a bit better than standing on the Mall looking at a Jumbotron and wondering where the best place is to find warm drinks and a bathroom.

[mucifer]

2. I was in Grant Park Chicago with tickets on election night. I waited in long lines.

It was great fun! I recommend it. Even with a ticket I saw Obama on a jumbotron that was actually behind another jumbotron. Looking back at the night it would have been just as much fun to be in Grant park without a ticket. It was being there with so many happy people that made the night amazing. Of course there weren't 4 million people and it was 50 degrees outside.

[tabbycat31]

3. as much as I want to go

I'm most likely not. The group I'm involved wtih is going, but i have an 8am class the next day.

I could Amtrak it but I'm sure the trains will be very crowded.

[Hutzpa]

4. Nice one Dale,

debbie downer....

Its helps to dampen folks enthusiasm, sure does.

[Mike Daniels]

14. Hey it's reality. The 24 hour bar routine alone is a disaster waiting to happen

I have numerous friends who live in DC proper (all Dems and Obama voters) who have no intention of trying to get anywhere near the inauguration.

If the 4 million projected people are herded onto the Mall each person is going to have about 15 square inches of space (standing shoulder to shoulder). Throw into the mix a bunch of people who are intoxicated from being out till 5 a.m. and you are going to get some people who are going to respond negatively and aggressively to a simple accidental nudge esp. after standing in a crowded area for 4 to 5 hours in bitter cold. All it takes is for one person to strike back at someone else and that crowd is going to get ugly fast.

I hope that it goes without a hitch and that anything that may happen off script is minor but my gut says it's going to be the opposite.

[Beacool]

5. You couldn't drag me to DC for that event.

It's going to be a mad house with millions of people converging to the city. I'll watch it on TV from the comfort of home.

:(

[Whisp]

10. heheheheheh.

but I bet a Clinton could drag you down...

they have already. ;)

[Beacool]

11. Wiseguy, ha?

:spank:

[Whisp]

12. not so much wise, or a guy

paddle paddle
:)

[Beacool]

15. Well, how can one tell with all the "undeclareds" on this board.

:eyes:

[mwei924]

13. That's the point though.

There's gonna be tons of people there and it's exciting. It'd be fun being in a crowd to watch something as HUGE as this.

[Beacool]

16. Oh, I'm sure that it'll be exciting.

I'm just not into those kinds of crowds anymore. Same here when it comes to parades. I rather watch the Thanksgiving Day parade from the warmth of my home than freezing my backside on 5th Ave. only to be able to see the top of the floats and balloons.

:-)

[boppers]

6. I want a pony.

Why don't I have a pony yet?

[FrenchieCat]

7. By the time the media is done discouraging everyone and anyone,

there will be 10 people there. But as long as one of them is Obama getting sworn in, I don't really care. :)

[boppers]

8. Hey frenchie:

One of my friends (who works at the DC offices of AFL-CIO) says that people at DC metro stops are flyering and offering residents $2000 a night(!) to leave town and offer their house to others for the event.

I'm thinking they're trying to keep it under 20-30 million folks.

It's gonna be one huge, freaking, nationwide, party, the likes of which we've never seen before.

[FrenchieCat]

9. That's what I want to see! I want to see some celebrating!

I'm gonna find an Inaugural party out in my neck of the woods; possibly in San Francisco. I've got to start looking into it! :party: