Inauguration Watch

Inauguration: Priceless; Hotel Room: $605

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:19:08 -0500

Hotel guests paid an average $605 to stay in the District Jan. 20 when 96 percent of the rooms were booked, according to Destination DC, the city’s tourism arm. Around the region, 87 percent of hotel rooms were booked at an average rate of $335.45 on the same night, the eve of President Barack Obama’s inauguration. “Our city relies heavily on the revenues generated by travel and tourism. In today’s troubled economy, tourism, meetings and events keep our residents employed. We represent a $5.5 billion dollar industry that contributes $620 million in tax revenue to the District and employs more than 71,000 residents,” said Bill Hanbury, president & CEO of Destination DC. The group offered other facts, like 14,750 pounds of pasta were served at the six official Inaugural balls hosted at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the 555 gallons of chili served at Ben’s Chil Bowl during

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Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:19:08 -0500

Mad Scramble for Thousands of Discarded Obama Invites

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:07:17 -0500

People are picking through dumpsters near the Longworth and Cannon House Office Buildings on Capitol Hill to collect some of the thousands of invitations to Obama's inauguration that were discarded this afternoon, a source tells Inauguration Watch. The invitations were sent out to Obama volunteers and campaign donors by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. The 8-inch by 10-inch manila-colored piece of paper, with the committee seal in gold on top, did not actually get anyone into any special events this week, but rather were an official welcome to get involved in the free events, such last Sunday's welcome concert on the mall. Tens of thousands of them were dumped into two dumpsters, reports our source, and passers-by, as well as police officers in the area, have been carting them off as souvenirs. "I got a whole box full," our source said.

Plouffe Wants You

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:03:25 -0500

Now that the inauguration is history, Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe is trying to keep the President's army of supporters busy. He has released this video about how supporters can stay involved in the "movement."

Purple Ticket-Holder Planning Ceremony Do-Over

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:41:17 -0500

Barack Obama got a do-over of his oath of office. Now, a campaign staff member who got shut out of Obama's original ceremony is planning another try of his own. Gabe Cohen, 29, who spent 20 months on the campaign, is sending out notice to friends and supporters that he will lead a swearing-in listening event near the U.S. Capitol tomorrow at noon. Cohen and his mother, Judy Marks, were among the thousands of Purple ticket-holders who were denied entrance to Obama's ceremony Tuesday, after waiting for more than five hours. (Thousands of Blue ticket-holders also were shut out.) "In the same spirit of the campaign, a couple of us got to talking and we wanted to make the best of an unfortunate situation. We'll try to do it over," said Cohen, who lives in Denver and worked as a field director and state director in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and

Poll: Purple Ticket Restitution

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:26:59 -0500

As reported yesterday, those who missed the swearing-in ceremony because they were stuck outside the gates of ticketed areas will be receiving souvenir packets as apologies for their disappointment. But is that enough? Vote in the poll below. poll by twiigs.com

Sen. Feinstein: Purple and Blue Ticket-holders Will Receive Special Souvenirs (*Updated)

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:29:20 -0500

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) will be distributing packages that include a souvenir program, color photos of President Obama and other memorabilia to people with tickets who were not admitted to the swearing-in ceremony Tuesday, according to an email sent to congressional staff from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The statement instructs congressional offices to take the names of frustrated ticket-holders and tell the callers that the packages will be available next week. The announcement was sent to the Washington Post from a federal government source, who had a copy of the email. Feinstein is the chair of the inaugural committee and she has launched an investigation into why thousands of ticket-holders stood in line for hours but still were not admitted. Here's the full announcement: The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein, will have packets of the 56th Inaugural commemorative programs, invitations, photos

Reps. George Miller and Chris Van Hollen Want Answers on Ticket Meltdown

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:56:45 -0500

Photo taken by Taylor Barnes in the 3rd Street tunnel off-ramp to D Street on 10 a.m. Tuesday while waiting in the Purple-ticket line. Barnes and Barnes' father never made it into the ceremony. The pressure is heating up on Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), head of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, to explain what went wrong Tuesday when thousands of Purple and Blue ticket-holders did not get into Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony. Both Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) have sent letters to Feinstein asking for answers. In a letter sent yesterday Miller writes: "On behalf of many of my constituents and thousands of many other Americans from across the country who traveled great distances and spent a considerable amount of money to attend the Inauguration and who waited in line in their designated areas for many hours on Tuesday morning only to

Souvenir Watch: Inauguration Air

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:04:11 -0500

Maker: Brother-sister team Gabriel and Frenika Mudd Price: $3 per bottle available on eBay Why: From the product’s Web site: “Get a piece of the inauguration! 100% unfiltered, unadulterated air from the heart of Inauguration Central, Washington D.C., on 1/20/09. This is the perfect, most inexpensive way to experience the change that is in the air. Receive your own piece of D.C. that day, and be a part of this momentous occasion by getting your own bottle of collectable air from the day the world changed!” The product was originally dreamed up as a joke when Gabriel, who lives in New York, and Frenika, a graduate student in D.C., were home in Ohio for Christmas. “I started singing ‘Change is in the Air,’” (to the tune of “Love is in the Air” by John Paul Young) said Gabriel. So far the team has sold 10 or 12 bottles, said Gabriel

Video: The Endless Purple Ticket Line

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:38:02 -0500

Reader Julie Dorshkind, who sent us a photograph we used in yesterday's post about Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) investigation into what went wrong with the inauguration ticket lines, also sent us a video. Dorshkind took several short clips that we have put together to show the full extent of the line. The clips were taken at different times and are not in chronologically placed in the order they were taken; Dorshkind stood in line for five hours that day and got in at 11:50 a.m. only by leaving the Purple line and finding another entrance.

Obama Takes Oath Again

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:41:45 -0500

After Chief Justice John G. Roberts flubbed the order while delivering the oath of office Tuesday, he and Barack Obama redid the oath last night, reports the Post's Michael Shear. This is how it went down: After a flawless recitation that included no Bible and took 25 seconds, Roberts smiled and said, "Congratulations, again." Obama said, "Thank you, sir," and then added: "All right. The bad news for the [reporters] is there's 12 more balls." (Photo by Pete Souza -- White House)

Ticket-gate: Hundreds Call Feinstein's Office After Being Shutout

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:06:32 -0500

Here's the latest full story in the Post about Ticket-gate, a front page piece by reporters Pam Constable and Mary Beth Sheridan. The article details people's personal tales of woe, says hundreds have phoned the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and notes what we've told you here at Inauguration Watch already: That Feinstein has launched an investigation into what went wrong. Meantime, here are some photos readers who were caught in those ticket lines have sent to Inauguration Watch: Picture taken by Julie Dorshkind at 11:18 a.m. in Purple gate line near the corner of Louisiana and C Street. Submitted by a reader who wishes to remain anonymous. Photo taken at 10:44 a.m. Tuesday in the Blue ticket-holder line. This was on Washington Ave. between C St. and Independence Ave. Photo by Larry J. Wilson taken at 10:15 a.m. at First and D Streets, in the Purple ticket line.

Official Head Count: 1.8 Million on the Mall

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:42:05 -0500

A record 1.8 million people were on the Mall to watch Obama take the oath of office, authorities said yesterday in what amounted to a group decision, report the Post's Michael E. Ruane and Aaron C. Davis. They write: In radio interviews, [D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty] cited the 1.8 million figure, which eclipses the 1.2 million official tally from the 1965 inauguration of Lyndon Johnson. Mafara Hobson, Fenty's spokeswoman, described the count as a "collective decision" reached Tuesday inside the city's joint operations command center, where dozens of local and federal agencies were helping to coordinate security and traffic management. She said it was based on information collected by several cameras and individuals on the ground. "The 1.8 [million] was communicated out to the mayor's office and other agencies," she said The National Park Service said it would not dispute the figure. But two independent experts are disputing the

Sen. Feinstein Launches Investigation into Ticket Fiasco

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:08:18 -0500

We told you earlier today that the Joint Congressional Committe on Inaugural Ceremonies apologized for the problems that kept thousands of ticket holders locked out of the swearing-in ceremony Tuesday. Now, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who chairs that committee, has issued a separate statement saying she has launched an investigation of the matter: I have just spoken with Mark Sullivan, Director of the Secret Service, and I have asked him to convene, along with the U.S. Capitol Police, all law enforcement and other parties involved in planning for this Inaugural to conduct a prompt investigation into two serious incidents that have been reported. These reports have prompted great concern by members of the Inaugural Committee, including Senator Bob Bennett, and by Congress in general. The specific incidents include the report that a decision was made to cut off access to Purple and Blue standing areas, which meant that a large

Obama for America Staff Ball Right Now Featuring Jay-Z

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:10:20 -0500

It's a good day to be an Obama staffer. After a long campaign and transition, about 10,000 staff have been invited to the D.C. Amory for a private party featuring rap superstar Jay-Z. The event, called the Obama for America Staff Ball, is closed to the media, so Inauguration Watch isn't there, but our spies tell us the mood is festive, even though some of these staffers are reportedly among those who didn't make it into the swearing-in ceremony yesterday despite having tickets. Warmup band Arcade Fire is on stage now. More details to come, including whether there is a Beyonce sighting. Joe and Jill Biden take the stage at about 8:30 p.m. to thank the volunteers, saying that "the gift we all received exceeded the sacrifices we all made." Update 9:22 p.m.: Actor Kal Penn ("Harold & Kumar") introduced campaign manager David Plouffe, who introduced Obama. "Just for tonight,

Around the Web

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:10:10 -0500

As the city begins the long clean-up process of an Inauguration attended by over one million people, it’s time to take stock of news you may have missed in the midst of transportation delays and potential foreign security threats. In the District, Captain Chelsey Shellenberger, hero pilot of the flight that landed on the Hudson last week, was spotted at Hudson restaurant enjoying Inauguration festivities with some other members of the crew of Flight 1549. Students at the city’s colleges, semi-permanent residents of the city, also got into the act. Howard University welcomed back alumni for the occasion while almost 50 George Washington University students marched with the school’s float in the parade. On the party front, lobbyists still had the best digs. The 51st State Ball got poor reviews for a lack of alcohol and security woes, while there wasn't much dancing at Obama’s home states ball until Usher