New Yorkers and Inauguration 2009

The end of the hajj, and this blog

2009-01-26T16:28:00.006-05:00

Now that the Inauguration is behind us, I am shuttering this blog to turn my attention to new blogs and new stories. I greatly enjoyed reporting this story, and saw my work appear in several places:

Wave Journey: Obama Fever Grips DC Shop Owners

The Orange County Register: Cold, crowds and lack of cash dampen inaugural tourism

ABCNews.com: The Monetization of Obama [SLIDESHOW]

The New Black (an online magazine): Second Thoughts on Obama's Inauguration

Epoch Times: Second Thoughts [PDF]

WNYC: Inauguration Prep

Pavement Pieces: Various articles

On the day of the Inauguration, I was among the crowds standing near the Washington Monument. As soon as the inaugural address ended, I hightailed it back to my friends' apartment and out of the cold. We flipped on the television to watch footage of the congressional lunch and parade. As CNN showed aerial footage of the massive crowd assembled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., one broadcaster suggested that a gathering of this size is usually seen only in Saudi Arabia.

It was not the first time CNN compared the inaugural trek to the nation’s capitol to the hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. In a CNN online report filed on January 17, Zain Verjee compared the size and preparation of the political pilgrimage to the Muslim religious event, which is a pillar of Islam and done to demonstrate one’s submission to Allah.

For many inaugural pilgrims who had come from across the country and the globe, the day ended in the parking lot for charter buses outside of RFK stadium in Southeast D.C. One bus, surrounded by military officers, police cars, and black SUVs with flashing lights, had sacrificed its bumper to a light pole. Weary inauguration-goers shopped for last-minute souvenirs at a stand with a “$3 and under blowout,” selling myriad t-shirts, pins, calendars, and books, all featuring Obama’s now iconic image.

A small band of 47 political pilgrims boarded a charter bus bound for New York City on Tuesday night. During the five-hour journey—which included a bomb scare that re-routed them from the New Jersey turnpike—the passengers napped, watched a “Barack Obama” biography played over the bus media system, and talked softly on cell phones to friends and relatives about the events of the day. The tour operators passed out bottles of water, canned iced tea, Doritos, Cheetos, Lay’s potato chips, and Cracker Jacks.

The inaugural crowd, estimated to number 1.5 million, was smaller than the three-million-person crowd drawn to Mecca last year, but the sentiments of the participants echoed the hajj experience. Many were frustrated by the crowds, the cold, and the handling of lines and security, but elated at being part of the historical event.

“The hardship was part of being there. It was something you just had to endure. It was not meant to be a luxurious journey,” said John McDonagh, 52, an Irish native who has lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. for the last 13 years. “It was like seeing the pope in Dublin in 1979.”

Ron Ng, 46, complained about the two hours it took to take the shuttle from the parking lot to the Mall, inept directions from National Guardsman, and the long lines at the Metro stations that forced him to walk the three miles back to the bus. “These unfortunate incidents marred a perfect day, a day I’ve been looking forward to for eight years,” said Ng. “It was a day of waiting in lines, waiting on answers. But when it mattered, I got the answer I wanted.”

People started getting agitated in the hours leading up to the noon inaugural address, said tour organizer Neal Kellman of SolidPlanIt, who was part of the shoulder-to-shoulder and chest-to-chest crowd in the middle of the National Mall. “There was some anger in the crowd. People started getting pushy. There were some fingers pointed in the face,” said Kellman.

But when Obama appeared on the jumbotrons, the crowd calmed. “You could hear a whisper. A pin drop,” said Kellman. “It was that quiet.”

Some pilgrims were celebrating Bacchus as well as Obama. “When I got back to the bus, this one guy was passed out, sleeping in the luggage area under the bus, even though the bus was unlocked,” said Kellman.

The under-bus napper, who wished to remain anonymous, is a public school teacher from Hartford, Conn.; he drank gin from a Poland Springs water bottle throughout the day. “It was a very emotional day. I was crying all over myself during Obama’s speech,” he said.

He and his friend, Mark H., 32, an environmental scientist, also from Hartford, were not bothered by the inconveniences of the day. “It’s the first time in my life that I’ve backed a winner. I’ve been passionate about many politicians, but I didn’t think someone I was passionate about would ever actually win,” said Mark H., who has supported Ralph Nader and Howard Dean in the past.

Of the pilgrimage experience, Mark H. said, “You have to be tough. Suffer a little bit. It’s like a rock festival. But I’ve never been to a concert where everything lived up to my expectations. But this did.”

Inaugural Crowd Estimated to be 1.5 Million

2009-01-21T07:43:00.004-05:00

Crowd-counting is always an inaccurate science, but the San Jose Mercury News is reporting that 1.5 million were estimated to have been on the Mall for the inauguration.

I talked to many attendees while on a bus returning to New York on Tuesday night. The general consensus was happiness at having attended, but some frustration with how D.C. handled the shuttle service to the charter bus parking lot at RFK stadium and the security for ticket-holders--tickets were checked after security lines, so many non-ticket holders held up security lines, only to be turned back.

Overall, people were elated and happy to say they were part of such a historical event.

I recently wrote a piece on D.C. shop owners capitalizing on the crowds. Here's the intro:

The Whole Foods on P Street had stocked more champagne for inaugural weekend than it had for New Year’s Eve.

The upscale grocer was also carrying special beers in honor of (then) President-elect Barack Obama’s home states, including 312 wheat ale from Chicago’s Goose Island brewery and Pipeline Porter coffee beer from Hawaii’s Kona Brewing Company. The store also stocked up on Heileman’s Old Style beer.

“Obama’s known to drink it,” said Whole Food’s specialty team member Scott Witzlsteiner.

Continue reading this article

Obama's inauguration: Record crowd gathers on Mall to celebrate 'achievement for the nation' [San Jose Mercury News]
Obama Fever Grips DC Shop Owners (story and slideshow) [NYU Livewire]

A Range of Reactions

2009-01-20T10:14:00.001-05:00

I'm watching CNN broadcast from the Mall, and I better get moving because it's filling up fast. My friends are I debating whether to line up along the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route or to go for a jumbotron near the Washington monument.

I started spotting more people in town for the Inauguration yesterday-- running into many of them on the Metro. Easily spotted, they wear Obama pins, carry bags full of Obama souvenirs, and have a kind of starry-eyed excitement about them.

Some have traveled very far to be here. I talked to a barber who has cut the hair of a South African and an Irish broadcaster. I met two Irish women in New York who are in the crowds today. I wrote about their desire to see "O'bama" inaugurated on Pavement Pieces.

Of course, there's a sizable conservative contingent who is not excited. The managing editor of the American Spectator jetted out of town to flee the excitement and spend the week in Miami. He wrote this post on inaugural hypocrisy before he left and pointed me to this editorial in the Washington Post: It's Your Party, And I'll Cry If I Want To.

Time to bundle up and head to the Mall. See you under the next administration!

Inaugural Hypocrisy [American Spectator]
It's Your Party, And I'll Cry If I Want To [The Washington Post]

How many charter buses will be D.C.-bound today?

2009-01-19T08:51:00.008-05:00

At right is SolidPlanIt's Neal Kellman handing out fliers in Park Slope for his Inaugural charter bus trip to D.C. When I spoke with him at the beginning of the month for this story, he was worried about filling his then half-full bus. But his trip has since experienced a surge in demand. "Not full yet, but I'm down to 2 rooms and a bunch of inquiries," Kellman wrote in an e-mail.

[UPDATE (10:40 a.m.): Kellman just e-mailed me to say, "I'm sold out and I was able to snag an extra room at the hotel and sell it. So if we're looking at what I considered max capacity, I'm at about 105%. I have 21 rooms, 46 people.")

The bus company from which Kellman rented his bus says he's one lucky tour operator. Brooklyn-based Best Trails & Travel experienced strong demand for bus rentals right after the election, but it dropped off a few weeks later. The company originally rented out 25 of its half-million dollar, luxury buses for trips from New York to D.C., but over the last three weeks, 12 of those buses were canceled.

Best Trails & Travel's Rosie says that other bus company affiliates are having the same problems. "I don't know of one who sold out their buses," she said.

While D.C. originally expected 10,000 charter buses to roll into town, the Washington Post reports that just 3,000 have registered for parking spots so far. And WDBJ7 claims it's even less, writing that just 2,700 buses were registered as of Friday.

More proof that there are far fewer people coming to D.C. this Tuesday than originally predicted? Or are there a whole lot of unregistered buses en route to D.C.? We'll find out soon enough. The Big Day is almost upon us.

EVEN ENTHUSIASTIC ADVERTISING COULDN'T FILL ALL THE WASHINGTON-BOUND BUSES [The New Black Magazine]
Charter Bus Watch: 3,000 Registered So Far [Washington Post]

Inaugural Events in New York City: Columbia University and NYU

2009-01-19T00:36:00.001-05:00

If you'll be in New York on inaugural Tuesday, and want to watch the ceremony in an academic setting, here's some info on events at Columbia and New York University.

You can go uptown to Columbia University and watch from the location where Barack Obama spent some of his undergraduate years. My Columbia Journalism School roommate informs me that Columbia will be holding an outside screening to simulate the National Mall experience. From the Columbia website:

Presidential Inauguration Viewing
Date: January 20, 2009 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm EST
Location: Columbia University Morningside Campus Low Memorial Library, Plaza

President Lee C. Bollinger invites the Columbia University community to join together in watching the historic Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama (CC'83).

While other notable Columbians Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt and Gen. Dwight Eisenhower have served in the nation's highest office, this non-partisan event will mark the swearing-in of the first Columbia graduate as President of the United States.

A "Jumbo Tron" screen will show the inauguration live on Low Library Plaza beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m.

The downtown kids at New York University will have warm and cozy environs for watching. New York University is screening the noon ceremony at the following locations:

NYU Skirball Center, 566 LaGuardia Place

The Kimmel Center for University Life, 60 Washington Square South, Eisner and Lubin Auditorium, 4th Floor

College of Arts and Science, The Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, Hemmerdinger Hall and Silverstein Lounge

NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South, Greenberg Lounge and Tishman Auditorium

The Woodstock of Washington: The "We are One" Inaugural Concert at the Lincoln Memorial

2009-01-18T20:18:00.012-05:00

Though much of D.C. feels like business as usual in terms of the crowd levels, that was not the case on the National Mall today. What must have been hundreds of thousands of people poured through gates on Constitution and Independence Avenues to watch a series of musicians and speakers at the Lincoln memorial.

To get a prime spot around the reflecting pool, you had to get there quite early. On the chilly, gray, overcast day, we chose to arrive at 2 p.m., just before the concert's 2:30 p.m. start time. We stood near the Washington monument and watched on one of many big screens.

The highlights:

Bruce Springsteen starting off the concert with "The Rising"

Garth Brooks getting the crowd dancing and singing with renditions of "American Pie" and "Shout" (Update: The Isley Brothers version, not the one by Tears for Fears)

U2 singing "In the Name of Love" on the stage where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech

The low points:

The terrible poetry reading by Tom Hanks. Laughably bad.

Challenger the Bald Eagle. I don't know who added this to the line-up, but it was very odd to see the eagle awkwardly flapping around while tethered to its holder's hand.

Not being able to get into the main Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool area because of the existence of just one heavy-duty security checkpoint.

Some funny things:

When Will.i.am appeared with Herbie Hancock and Sheryl Crow to sing Bob Marley's "One Love," the man next to me yelled, "Yes, Wyclef!"

When Josh Groban appeared on stage, my friend asked who he was. I explained that he's an attractive young guy who sings fairly bland songs that old women like. A woman in her 60s who overheard me started laughing, and said, "I love him. Not old women. Seasoned women, my dear."

Everyone singing along with Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen to the anti-capitalist anthem "This Land is My Your Land."

Walking to the Lincoln memorial, I was struck by the dearth of music-themed goods. Today's concert featured Bruce Springsteen, U2, Bon Jovi, Beyonce, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, and many other huge names, but there was not a CD, rock & roll t-shirt, or musician-themed souvenir to be found. Everything is Obama, Obama, Obama. He is the rock star this weekend.

Here are some photos from downtown today:

All Is Kind of Quiet on the D.C. Front

2009-01-18T10:36:00.007-05:00

Though two million people are expected to descend on D.C. for the Inauguration, things seem fairly quiet so far. I arrived in town on Friday night via the Bolt Bus-- a cheap bus that runs between D.C. and NYC, that has both electrical outlets and wireless internet. There were no traffic problems-- we made the trip in just four hours and fifteen minutes, including a rest stop.

As I walked through the city, the cold streets were quiet and fairly empty. I spotted this desolate and seemingly desperate sign offering inauguration rentals. That market has gone bust. Thousands of Craigslist ads are still offering weekend housing and "last-minute inauguration deals."

My friends and I ventured out to "Liberation Dance Party"-- a regular Friday night event at DC9--in the hopping U Street area. It was the same level of "hopping" as I remember from my many years in D.C.

I spent Saturday wandering around the Logan Circle area. Though the brunch places on P Street seemed to have more out-of-towners than usual, they were not excessively crowded. We sat down immediately at Busboys and Poets on 14th Street at 10:30 a.m. in the morning. P Street's The Commissary, an inexpensive and popular brunch place among DCites, had a 30-minute wait at one p.m.

My assessment: no evidence of the two million visitors yet. I expect they will take over the city on Monday. Honestly, I feel badly for all of the people coming. I think many are on charter bus tours that bring them into the city on Monday, and depart Tuesday. I would argue that the best events are on Sunday (the Lincoln Memorial concert) and Tuesday evening (the Inaugural Balls). Most visitors will miss these events, and spend most of their time in D.C. fighting for a cold spot along Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday morning to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade.

For those not here, here are some atmospheric photos. Choc-Obama bars:

Carl's Barber Shop on P Street:

Obama "O" Cupcakes at ACKC Chocolate on 14th Street:

How To Be There Without Being There

2009-01-17T09:44:00.001-05:00

If you're not in D.C., on your way to D.C., or planning to be on your way to D.C. anytime soon, here's an article from PC World on how to be at the Inauguration from home.

Obama Inauguration: Be There Without Being There [PC World]

The Main (Musical) Event

2009-01-16T18:12:00.004-05:00

Yes, noon on Tuesday is the MAIN event of the weekend, when Obama will be sworn in by SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts, and assume the helm of the country. But I'm a music fanatic, and I must admit that Sunday's line-up is what I'm currently jazzed about: the We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration. It starts at 2:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Memorial.

Here are the musical details from DCist:

[T]his is still surely the densest nucleus of talent and star-wattage for any presidential inauguration ever: U2! Stevie Wonder! Shakira! Usher! John Legend! John Mellencamp! Herbie Hancock! Will.i.am! Beyonce! Mary J. Blige! Plus readers Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Denzel Washington, and Martin Luther King III. And Bruce Springsteen will (we hear) perform Woody Guthrie's angry response to "God Bless America," the immortal "This Land Is Your Land." Admission begins at 8 a.m. Showtime is 2:30 p.m. The concert will be televised that night from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Starting at 8 a.m., you'll be able to gain access to the area. These are the entrances:

Constitution Avenue at 19th street

Constitution Avenue at Virginia Ave

17th street at North Elm Walk

17th street at South Elm Walk

Independence Avenue at the DC War Memorial

As I understand it, it'll be televised at seven p.m. that night on HBO. No hologram Will.i.am please!

Survival tools for Inauguration-goers

2009-01-16T13:22:00.002-05:00

For those headed to the Inauguration, here are some useful things to do to prepare for your time in D.C.:

Sign your phone or Blackberry up for traffic updates from the Washington Post

Check out the Crash Kit: "How to be at the Woodstock of Washington."

Download the iPhone Inauguration application.

Buy a Where to Pee in DC guide.

Get Inauguration Survival Alerts on Your Mobile Device [Washington Post]
Crash Kit Guide [Crash The Inauguration]

Gearing up for Souvenir Hunting in D.C.

2009-01-16T07:52:00.005-05:00

My article on Inaugural travel waning has been picked up by the Orange County Register and is on A2 of the Epoch Times today.

In the original version, before it was cut down from 1500 words to 800, I included an interview with Belinda Dixon, a fervent Obama supporter from Staten Island. A Democratic district leader and NYPD secretary, I discussed her in this (no longer prescient) post on the weather. One of her biggest regrets in not going to D.C. this weekend is missing out on the souvenirs.

Slate has an article on the wacky souvenirs on the Web at the moment. Obama thong anyone?

Cold, crowds and lack of cash dampen inaugural tourism [Orange County Register]
Thongs We Can Believe In [Slate]

More Inauguration Events in New York City

2009-01-15T15:02:00.003-05:00

I've been tracking a few Inauguration events for stay-at-home New Yorkers, including a screening at Wall Street's Trinity Church, an NYU screening, and a DL21C watching party in Times Square.

Time Out Magazine has a good round-up of events for the weekend, from a photo exhibit to a Huffington Post bloggers forum to various parties in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Note the events span Friday to Wednesday, and are not limited to THE BIG DAY (a.k.a. Inaugural Tuesday, Jan. 20).

[UPDATE (4:14 P.M.): The New York Examiner reports that the official New York Democratic Party Inaugural party will be at the Public House NYC on East 41st Street from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday night.]

If you know of other events, feel free to put them in the comments on this post. Through being incredibly persistent--she's been e-mailing me for weeks--a promoter from Frederick's Downtown has earned a shout-out for her event. Tegan Miller says, "We will have tons of drink specials and live coverage for the after parties and parades. This event will start after 5pm because most people will still be in work but it should be a really good time."

Flier at top right-- click to enlarge. I've never been there, so I can't vouch for it, but if you go, tell them I sent you! Maybe I'll earn some goodwill drinks.

If you're going to be in D.C. for the Inauguration this Tuesday...

2009-01-14T23:55:00.001-05:00

...Do not pack the following, per the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies' list of prohibited items:

* Firearms and ammunition (either real or simulated)
* Explosives of any kind (including fireworks)
* Knives, blades, or sharp objects (of any length)
* Mace and/or pepper spray
* Sticks or poles
* Pocket or hand tools, such as “Leatherman”
* Packages
* Backpacks
* Large bags
* Duffel bags
* Suitcases
* Thermoses
* Coolers
* Strollers
* Umbrellas
* Laser pointers
* Signs
* Posters
* Animals (other than service animals)
* Alcoholic beverages
* Other items that may pose a threat to the security of the event as determined by and at the discretion of the security screeners

So leave your butter knife at home. And if you're a new parent, I hope you've invested in one of those nifty sling things.

Oh, so many housing options

2009-01-13T22:08:00.000-05:00

While early media reports indicated that hotels in D.C. were sold out, and many D.C. residents were turning a quick buck by renting their homes out on Craigslist, the story this week is a different one. There are still 627 hotel rooms available in D.C., and over 12,000 in the metropolitan area—a 400-mile radius of the city—as of Jan. 7, according to D.C.’s official tourism organization Destination, D.C.

And the Washington Post is reporting that the Craigslist market has gone bust:

Those who listed their properties within a week or two of Obama's Nov. 4 election victory were able to score deals, but those who jumped on the bandwagon after that have largely been left without offers...

Since word spread of get-rich-quick glory, homeowners flocked to online sites, flooding the market with hundreds of properties seeking upward of $10,000 for the week. But supply has far outpaced demand, said real estate agents and creators of Web sites devoted to brokering deals. This week, with the holidays over, demand has picked up slightly, the brokers said, but most people are not likely to find renters.

Like the tour operators with whom I've spoken in New York, and across the country, the enthusiasm has faded. Like the homeowners who are unable to rent their apartments, many bus renters have canceled or scaled down their trips in response to a lack of demand. Though interest has picked up this week, as procrastinators finally focus on getting to D.C. for the Inauguration, the number of attendees will still likely be under two million (which is still an impressive number).

For those who are into alternate types of housing, the Washington Examiner has found a hotel in Maryland with vacancies, but there's a catch:

Pine Tree Associates Nudist Resort, located outside Annapolis, is offering to rent out rooms to non-nudists, but you may still need to be comfortable walking around in your birthday suit. "Yes, we are renting rooms," said manager Pat Sokoloski. "But as some point you have to get nude."

Those who opt to stay at Pine Tree will have to keep their Obama excitement under control.

Inaugural Rentals Begging For Takers [Washington Post]
A buff-et of housing options at Maryland resort [Washington Examiner]

New Yorkers can celebrate on K Street or in Times Square

2009-01-12T15:50:00.002-05:00

DL21C--an awkward acronym that stands for "Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century of New York"--is a nonprofit membership association for young Democrats in New York. The association is holding Inauguration parties in New York and D.C.

Those who will be in D.C. are invited to attend a Sunday night bash at K Street Lounge, a swanky nightclub that was very "in" with the college crowd when I lived in D.C. RSVP instructions here.

For those not making the trek to D.C., and who want to start drinking at 10 a.m., DL21Cers are gathering at Tonic Bar and Lounge on 49th and 7th. RSVP instructions here.

Those heading to D.C. this weekend had better pack warm clothing. Weather.com is predicting a high of 25 degrees for Friday, though the temperature is supposed to creep up through the weekend.

The Official Schedule of Events for Inauguration Weekend in D.C.

2009-01-08T14:26:00.005-05:00

The official Inauguration website finally has a schedule of events up. Here's what's on the agenda:

Sunday, Jan. 18: Inauguration-goers can hang with Obama on the steps of the Lincoln memorial. And perhaps with Bruce Springsteen as well-- more on this below.

Monday, Jan. 19-- Day time: On MLK day, Obama and Biden and their families "will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, D.C. area."

Monday, Jan. 19-- Evening: Party time at the Verizon Center. There will be a free "youth concert." I think that translates to teeny-bopper music. Maybe Miley Cyrus will make an appearance.

Tuesday, Jan. 20: The big day! The length of the Mall will be open to Inauguration-goers, with "festivities" commencing on the west front of the Capitol at 10 a.m. Here's the sked for the day, courtesy of the Presidential Inauguration Committee website:

• Musical Selections: The United States Marine Band, followed by The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus
• Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
• Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
• Musical Selection: Aretha Franklin
• Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will be sworn into office by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honorable John Paul Stevens
• Musical Selection: John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet)
• President-elect Barack H. Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln’s Inaugural Bible, administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
• Inaugural Address
• Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
• Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
• The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band “Sea Chanters”

On the night Jan. 20, there will be ten Inauguration balls. If you're not looking to shell out $300+ dollars for a Ball ticket, check out the details for this free (or "affordable") one.

It's not mentioned anywhere on the official site, but WTOP is reporting that Bruce Springsteen will be among the performers Inauguration weekend, supposedly playing during the event at the Lincoln Memorial on the 18th.

Springsteen expected to perform Jan. 18 [WTOP]

D.C. Inaugural Events: "The Neighborhood Ball"

2009-01-06T11:30:00.004-05:00

I surfed over to the Presidential Inaugural Committee website and discovered news there of a "Neighborhood Inaugural Ball." There's not a lot of information about it yet, but here's a rundown on the most important points:

It will be Tuesday night (Jan. 20, of course).

It will be held at the massive Washington Convention Center in downtown D.C. at Mt. Vernon Place.

Tickets will be free or "affordable." (Though there's no word yet on how you get them.)

"Interactive technology" will allow the Ball to be streamed online, and connected to neighborhood balls across the country.

The Washington Convention Center is ugly (see photo above) but MAMMOTH. It is the site of 5 different Inaugural balls that night, according to the New York Times. It's 2.3 million square feet, with a 52,000 square foot ballroom.

I called up the Convention Center's spokesperson who says that the ballroom space for the Neighborhood Ball can accommodate 5,000 people, though she was unsure of how many the Presidential Inaugural Committee actually plans to bring in.

By the by, through January 8, there's an open contest to win tickets to the Inauguration. You sign up here and have to write a little essay about what the Inauguration means to you. Good luck!

Obama to Attend ‘Neighborhood Ball’ [New York Times]

New York Inaugural Events: NYU Students

2009-01-05T13:33:00.001-05:00

New York University's "Office of Civic Engagement" sent students an e-mail before the holidays about watching locations for the Inauguration. (I didn't realize we had such an office, but indeed, here you go.) The University is setting up "live-feed viewing stations" around campus.

Here are the details from the e-mail:

Watching at NYU: Inauguration 2009
Save the Date-Tuesday, January 20, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

New York University will provide live-feed viewing stations throughout campus for the historic Swearing-In Ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama at the following locations:

The Kimmel Center for University Life--60 Washington Square South
» The Skirball Center
» Eisner and Lubin Auditorium

School based viewing centers will be open at select locations.

Be sure to check your email on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 for more details.

I shall not be taking advantage of NYU's screening options. I'll be watching the real-live-feed from the National Mall sidelines in D.C. I can attest to bus and train tickets being sold out-- I managed to grab some of the last tickets out there.

New York State Society's Bash in D.C.

2008-12-30T11:48:00.004-05:00

The New York State Society of Washington, D.C., is holding a brunch at the Willard Hotel on Jan. 20, reports Gannett's LoHud.com. If you're not a member of the society, attending the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. brunch and viewing will run you $350. If you've got the cash, here's where to sign up.

According to Gannett, 1500 tickets have already been sold, compared to just 200 for the 2001 Bush inauguration event. Early birds got the cheaper worms. From LoHud:

The ticket price for the brunch has risen from $100 for the earliest purchasers who would have been confined to one ballroom to $320, because the group has reserved more and more reception rooms at the hotel to accommodate more participants.

New York does not have its own inaugural ball as some other states do, but Cary said a dinner for several hundred New Yorkers is under consideration if the hotel can make space available.

New Yorkers to celebrate the inauguration in style [LoHud]

Inaugural-goers with iPhones will have a distinct advantage

2008-12-24T13:35:00.003-05:00

If you're attending the Inauguration in January, and you have an iPhone, CNET reports on a must-have application. And it's even free:

The free 2009 Presidential Inauguration Guide landing screen features an inauguration countdown, as well as the distance the user is from the steps of the Capitol building, where the event takes place.

The application also provides information about metro service and parking garage locations, a Zagat guide of local restaurants, a list of free nearby Wi-Fi zones, and information about the afterparties that are sure to keep Washington abuzz all night.

The application was developed by a law firm and a public relations firm, Patton Boggs and Qorvis, respectively. I trust their abilities to steer people to good restaurants and Wi-Fi zones in D.C., but I think the free/public afterparties will be a little too touch-and-go for an iPhone catalogue. But perhaps Patton-ers and Qorvis-ites are cooler than I am giving them credit for.

Unfortunately, this girl is iPhone-less.

iPhone app navigates Obama inauguration [CNet]

Crowd Estimates Reduced by Half (Or, it feels good to be right)

2008-12-23T10:03:00.009-05:00

Earlier this month, I voiced doubts about the huge crowd predictions for the Inauguration, based on my interviews with New Yorkers about their travel plans. I wrote:

Rather than excitement mounting, I see excitement waning. Though there have been predictions of crowds up to 5 million, I am now wondering whether the numbers will be significantly lower.

Officials in D.C. are now agreeing with me. From the Washington Post:

Officials are casting doubt on an early projection that 4 million to 5 million people could jam downtown Washington on Inauguration Day, saying it is more likely that the crowd will be about half that size.

D.C. authorities said the earlier estimates, provided by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), were based on speculation surrounding the historic nature of the swearing-in of Barack Obama as the nation's first African American president. After weeks of checking with charter bus companies, airlines and other sources, they're reassessing.

It's funny how the prediction itself has become such a news story.

Some random items have popped up in the comments on this blog. One is a fairly practical guide to inaugural rentals, per "marcella." Rates look a bit high to me there. The other is an even more practical guide to bathrooms in D.C., per "jennifer." It is poetically titled "Where to Pee in D.C."

Inauguration Day Crowd Estimate Reduced by Half [Washington Post]

Let's talk about the weather

2008-12-19T09:51:00.004-05:00

As I sit waiting for a monstrous New York snow storm, my mind is on the weather.

Belinda Dixon was one of the New Yorkers with whom I talked after Election Night who was absolutely committed to going to D.C. for the Inauguration. “It’s like going shopping at Christmas. Even if you’re not buying anything, you just want to be part of the crowd,” said Dixon, 57, a Democratic district leader from Staten Island, and a secretary for the NYPD. Her officemates actually started a "Send Belinda to D.C." fund, contributing to a jar on her desk.

But Dixon changed her mind after not receiving a swearing-in ceremony ticket from her congressional representative. Dixon walks with a cane and was worried about standing for long periods and navigating the crowds without a bleacher seat on the parade route, especially if the weather is cold and nasty. Dixon is now planning just to watch it on television in N.Y. Dixon attended Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993, when she was a Democratic delegate. “As long as you can say you’ve been to one, that’s enough. Even if this is a historic one.”

So what is the deal with the weather? Weather has varied widely for past Inaugurations. Ronald Reagan bears the distinction of the two most extreme Inaugural weather days, with the warmest Inauguration on record in 1981—a balmy 51 degrees Fahrenheit—and the bitterest in 1985—at seven degrees Fahrenheit with a below-zero wind chill.

I called up weather forecaster Accuweather to ask about their prediction for Jan. 20. They couldn't give a specific prediction this far in advance (their range is limited to 15 days). But they could talk about patterns for the month of January. They are expecting mild weather patterns that month, and suggested that it could be warmer than the average high that day of 42 degrees. Niiice.

This also means that precipitation would come in the form of rain instead of snow. Which is a good thing, I suppose. I prefer snow to rain generally, but D.C. tends to show its Southern roots when snow hits. It has no idea what to do with it. When just a few flakes start falling, the city shuts down as if it were a massive Arctic blizzard at the End of Days.

Presidential Inaugural Weather [National Weather Service Forecast Office]

An NYC clearinghouse for Inauguration-goers?

2008-12-18T08:54:00.004-05:00

The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC launched its Inauguration coverage yesterday. For Lehrer's first broadcast on the topic, he invited Washington Post metro reporter David Nakamura and myself to talk about travel preparation for the big event. Click here to listen to the show segment.

On the show, Brian Lehrer asked about any websites that provide a matching system for New Yorkers in order to coordinate travel to and lodging in D.C. I haven't found a site that fits the bill exactly. These are a few possibilities:

Facebook: Someone should invent a group travel application for the social networking site. There appears to be just one group dedicated solely to Inauguration travel: New Yorkers Road to Inauguration.

Craigslist: Check out the rideshare feature on Craigslist. When I typed in Inauguration, I got just one hit, but I am sure that will change closer to Jan. 20.

Google: While there doesn't appear to be one central clearinghouse for D.C. Inaugural trips from NYC, there are quite a number of Google hits for organized tours and bus trips. Good luck.

Anyone else have any ideas for community sites for NYC wannabe Inauguration-goers? Please post them in the comments if you do.

Inauguration Prep [WNYC]

Scaling back the crowd predictions

2008-12-17T10:51:00.011-05:00

I am not the only one doubting the numbers floating around for the size of the Inauguration crowd. Mayor Adrian Fenty has defended his prediction of three to five million people, but it turns out that his predictions are based on how many people the National Mall can actually hold. From WUSA9:

Crowd calculations are based on a 3 square-foot per-person formula. Fenty said that means the National Mall can accommodate about 3 million people, and another 350,000 can fit along the Pennsylvania Avenue inaugural parade route. Overflow accounts for the rest of the crowd predictions.

The Secret Service disputes those numbers, and is a bit more practical in gauging the size of the crowd. Secret Service Special Agent Malcolm Wiley tells ABC News:

"Based on known hotel bookings within 100 miles of Washington, a known number of planes arriving in the area, and an estimated 10,000 charter buses coming to town, the Secret Service is preparing for a large crowd, but does not believe it will be close to 4 million people."

The Secret Service does still think it will be "a larger audience than in any previous inauguration."

One question I have is how full those 10,000 charter buses will be. I have spoken with a number of tour bus operators organizing trips from New York, and none of them has completely filled his buses. Most are half full at this point, with the majority of bookings made immediately after Election Night. "I have sold only one seat in the last three weeks," said Neal Kellman of SolidPlanIt.

Feds, D.C. Prep for Inauguration Crowds [ABC News]
Fenty Defends Predictions For Inaugural Crowds [WUSA9]

Inauguration: Why celebrate?

2008-12-16T12:50:00.000-05:00

Brian Carso, an inauguration historian at Misericordia University, said people are drawn to the spectacle of the Inauguration and the celebration of their candidate’s victory. This year, Democrats will be celebrating the end of eight years of the Republican Bush administration, as well as a big moment in America’s 300-year long effort to deal with race.

Clinical psychologist Bonnie Jacobson adds a psychological perspective. She says people look to groups to reinforce moods. Being at the inauguration heightens attendees' excitement and happiness.

Carso was among the crowds at the senior President Bush’s 1989 Inauguration and an invited guest for the younger Bush’s 2001 Inauguration and said both experiences were valuable. “The peaceful transferal of power is more an exception [in the world] than the rule, and it’s something to celebrate,” said Carso.

Inauguration Events in New York City

2008-12-14T16:08:00.005-05:00

With excitement about traveling to D.C. for the Inauguration possibly waning, New Yorkers may be looking for ways to stay indoors and stick close to home. There will be a number of Inauguration events held in New York, according to Carly Lindauer, spokesperson for the New York Dems, who plan to hold a large watching party at an area hotel.

The Trinity Church at Wall Street and Broadway plans to provide a screening site for 400 people. After showing the swearing-in and presidential speech on a large screen, there will be a prayer and a three-hour peal of the church’s “change ringing bells.” The bells’ chimes can be heard in the blocks surrounding the Episcopalian church in the financial district.

“The last special event we rang the bells for was the ticker tape parade after the Giants won the Super Bowl last year,” said public relations manager Diane Reed.

What better way to celebrate "Change" than drinking until 5 a.m.?

2008-12-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

As mentioned before, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has temporarily changed housing laws for the Inaugural weekend allowing residents to sublet their housing legally. The D.C. City Council also got into the act, temporarily suspending laws for something much more important: allowing D.C. bars to stay open until 5 a.m. throughout the weekend. (Usually, bars in D.C. close at 2 a.m.)

However, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Bob Bennett (R-Utah) wrote a letter to Mayor Fenty with concerns about the party-all-night law, per the New York Times. They fear it will strain law enforcement resources.

Some feisty, late-night-loving D.C.-ites are not pleased. They've started an online petition to "Save The Parties." And there's even a Facebook group devoted to the cause (which my D.C. friends invited me to join).

Excitement among New Yorkers about the Inauguration may be waning, but D.C.-ites are still fired up.

District Raises a Glass to History [Washington Post]
Senators Urge Reversal of Longer Bar Hours During Inauguration [New York Times]

Inauguration weekend events in D.C.

2008-12-10T10:43:00.005-05:00

The main event of Inauguration weekend is Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony, but that does not take place until Tuesday. With Monday being MLK day, many traveling to D.C. hope to make it a full weekend event. While waiting for the ceremony and processional parade to the White House, what will people in town for the Inaugural weekend do with themselves?

There are official inaugural balls organized by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which are TBA as of now. And then there are unofficial balls, organized by State Societies and other groups. with tickets ranging from $100 to $1000.

The Washington Post has an article based on Destination D.C.'s listing of events:

Those parties will range from elegant to sparse, with guest lists and prices to match. Washington's A-listers usually skip balls for quiet dinners with friends and leave the public celebrations to visitors and newcomers in town.

New Yorkers, that means you!

Inauguration? Follow All the Bouncing Balls [Washington Post]

Excitement Waning?

2008-12-09T00:04:00.000-05:00

On Election night, New Yorkers poured into the streets to celebrate Obama's historic win.

Here's a YouTube video with film of the reaction on St. Mark's place in the East Village-- spontaneous dancing on the street:

... and in Williamsburg:

...and in Harlem:

When I started reporting this story, I thought that the momentum of these events would carry on to Jan. 20. As I called and reached out to sources for the story, many of Obama's supporters in New York vowed to be in D.C. for the Inauguration.

But as I continue reporting, I have found that the majority of those I talked to are now recanting. The story seems to be changing before my eyes. Rather than excitement mounting, I see excitement waning. Though there have been predictions of crowds up to 5 million, I am now wondering whether the numbers will be significantly lower.

The 'People's Inauguration'

2008-12-04T18:09:00.004-05:00

I thought the Mandarin Oriental $200k package was extravagant. But it seems like small change in comparison to J.W. Marriott's $1 million "build-your-own-ball" offer. The Washington Post reports that the 300-room package--including four suites, $200,000 worth of food and drink, and a rooftop parade-watching site just over the Pennsylvania Avenue processional route-- was booked within hours of Election Tuesday.

Given the hefty price tag, one might think the purchaser was a mega-bucks corporate type using the Inauguration as an occasion to fete business partners. Instead, it's a little known non-profit, the Stafford Foundation, which plans to give the rooms free of charge to "disadvantaged people, terminally ill patients, wounded soldiers and others down on their luck." The Foundation is dubbing it "The People's Inauguration."

The man behind the Foundation is Earl Stafford, a Virginia businessman who founded a military contractor company called Unitech. Here's what he told the Post:

Stafford said the idea was inspired by his deep religious faith and the good fortune that has come his way. The inauguration is an opportunity to remember the less fortunate and remind the country of its traditions of benevolence, he said.

"We've gotten away from those core values that made America great," he said yesterday at the headquarters of his company, Unitech, which provides weapons simulation systems to the military. "We just need to get back to caring about one another."

That's quite a contrast to all the other folks trying to profit from the Inauguration.

The Benefactor of the Ball [The Washington Post]
Spread the Wealth Around [Slate]

A housing bonanza on Craigslist

2008-12-03T10:55:00.002-05:00

With the crowds expected to descend on D.C. in January, local residents are turning entrepreneurial. While the sale of swearing-in ceremony tickets has been banned, with threats of $100,000 fines and imprisonment, there is a booming market for sublets. As of today, there are over 1,000 Inaugural temporary rentals available on Craigslist.

I talked to one area resident, an executive director of a non-profit (who asked not to be identified), who found a taker for his one-bedroom condo in Cleveland Park. He posted the sublet on Nov. 21 and had one person e-mail him. This weekend, they finalized the deal: $750 per night for three nights, which adds up to more than the rent on the condo for a month.

The D.C. government is supporting its residents' entrepreneurial instincts, with Mayor Adrian Fenty temporarily suspending laws that would make these rentals illegal. From the D.C. government website:

With the 2009 Inauguration less than two months away, hotels and motels in the District are booking up very quickly. On Thursday, Mayor Adrian Fenty announced an Executive Order, temporarily suspending the enforcement of city regulations that require residents to have a basic business license and a certificate of occupancy for short-term leasing agreements on residential property, making way for District residents to rent their homes during the Inaugural period.

The New Republic gathered some of the more extravagant listings on Craigslist by those "trying to cash in on Obama’s victory." One of them is a "rowhouse on 14th and P [that] is going for $10,000 for five nights." I contacted the rowhouse's owner, who said, "I put it up as a total lark. Haven't gotten a single hit, even after being ridiculed in the New Republic."

Rooms for Rent [The New Republic]

Luxurious D.C. Lodging

2008-11-23T13:53:00.000-05:00

As Slate notes, D.C. locals are gearing up to profit from the big crowds expected for Inauguration weekend. Area hotels are booking up fast, and raising prices on rooms.

Some hotels are really raising prices, with luxurious packages for big spenders. Five-day packages including lodging, chauffeur service, parade and ball tickets, shopping sprees, and various extras range from $40,000 to $99,000 at hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, the Mayflower and the Hyatt Regency, among others. (More details on the D.C. tourism site.)

I spoke with public relations at Ritz-Carlton about the hotel's $50,000 and $99,000 packages. There are "very interested buyers but we have not signed the contracts yet."

At least one extravagant package has been booked. And it is on the high-end of high-end, with a $200,900 price tag. Public relations at the Mandarin Oriental Washington say it has booked its "Presidential Privilege" package for two:

The package includes a five-day, four-night stay in the hotel's luxurious 3,000 sq.-ft. Presidential Suite with daily breakfast in the suite; designer outfits for inaugural events from Ralph Lauren; a chauffeur-driven Maserati Quattroporte; an exclusive dinner for eight guests at Mandarin Oriental's signature restaurant CityZen, prepared by James Beard Award-winning Chef Eric Ziebold; and daily spa treatments.

Still waiting to hear back from the Mandarin about the possibility of talking to the big spenders who nabbed this package.

Citations:
Spread the Wealth Around [Slate]
Hotel prices, bookings soar for inauguration [USAToday]

Inaugural "New Yorkers and Inauguration 2009" Post

2008-11-22T12:47:00.000-05:00

This blog will follow my reporting on New Yorkers' plans for the 2009 Inauguration.

There was a lot of excitement and political drama around the 2008 election. Now all that energy is being redirected to the Inauguration, when Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Given the historic nature of this inauguration, with the U.S.'s first African-American president to take office, huge crowds are expected in the nation's capital.

Visitor estimates vary from publication to publication:

The Washington Post reports that D.C. Metro officials are preparing to transport one of the largest crowds ever in its 32-year history, "as many as 1.6 million people."
NBC Washington News says government officials are preparing for "crowds of up to 4 million." (And then cites a Nov. 18 Washington Post article as a source)
The Chicago Sun-Times raises the ante by one million, reporting that D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty is estimating that "Obama’s inauguration could lead to an unprecedented turnout of 3 million to 5 million people."

The exact number may not be certain, but it is certain that the crowd will be huge. The hugest ever, says Fox News:

[O]fficials expect to see more people at this inauguration than any other in the past.

The National Park Service says the largest crowd ever on the National Mall was for President Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 inauguration. At the time, the park service estimated 1.2 million people attended the event.

As I report, I hope to find New Yorkers who plan to be part of this vast crowd of 1 million/4 million/5 million, and to find out, among other things, why they want to be there, how they are getting there, and where they hope to find a place to stay.

Citations:
Metro Bulks Up for Massive Inauguration Crowds [Washington Post]
Could Inauguration Crowd Reach 4 Million? [NBC News]
Barack Obama inauguration crowd estimate soars to 5 million [Chicago Sun-Times]
Secret Service Amps Up Inauguration Day Security [Fox News]