There are flights available, but they are disappearing, and they aren’t super-cheap, either. Not even Southwest has great options at this point, and I may have to reluctantly bail on the idea of a non-stop flight completely. Nevertheless, we’re going to make this happen!
We have friends in Southern Maryland who are really great people and would probably open their home to us, but there are allergy issues involved with their pets. Besides, it’s probably better to stay within public transportation distance, I would guess, because I’d imagine trying to actually drive into DC that day would be suicide, no? Can someone in the know confirm this?
We went last week. In the future, I think you’ll find Inaugurations much less crowded before the election. We had our pictute taken next to Barak on the platform constructed on the Capitol steps… well, next to the lumber that will be the platform on the Capitol steps and where he’ll probably be standing. I’ll never understand why other people put these things off until the last day.
That’s on our list. In fact, one of our options is to spend the majority of our time (we’re probably going to arrive back east on Friday or Saturday) in New York and then take the train down to DC the morning of the inauguration, just staying in town for the day. We’ve never been to New York, and we have been to DC, so it might be a nice way to spend a mini-vacation.
I usually find inaugurations to be boring pomp and circumstance. I might’ve considered going to this one just to see how it might be different, but it’s on the other side of the continent. I have a job, after all.
Went to the last one. Not to support Bush, but for the experience. Tickets were required, if I recall correctly – we had 4, though. I don’t know if this year’s will be ticketed or not, but if demand is what I’m guessing it’ll be, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. That area isn’t small, but it’s not really huge, either.
Does the inauguration have to be in DC? If not, Obama should consider moving to a larger venue… here’s my suggestion.
Stupid question. The swearing-in is supposed to take place at noon. How foolish would it be to try to catch a flight out of Dulles at 4:30pm? There’s a significant cost difference in trying to fly back home Tuesday evening vs. Wednesday, but I wasn’t sure if that would leave us enough time to see the inauguration and still get to the airport in time.
I really want to go, and could stay with my parents, but my mom (and what little information I could find online) seemed to indicate that you need a ticket. Does anyone know the real logistics with regard to attending with or without one?
You don’t need a ticket to attend the inauguration, and there will be plenty of events that will be open to the public. However. . . you won’t be anywhere near the stage for the swearing in without a ticket, and you probably won’t meet anyone interesting at the public events.
Not stopping me from going anyway.
I’m working our contact list right now for invitations and tickets. So far, even the big muckety-mucks like my boss aren’t assured of anything yet, and I just learned that there are already like 2,000 people on the list at Barbara Boxer’s office. :eek:
Looks like I can try to get there early and push in as close as possible. I have a friend of the family in DC proper who will put me up, and now I just need to find a flight.
While I would call the opportunity to be close to the action during the swearing-in ceremony nearly priceless, this is just absurd. [Warning: link goes to eBay]
An old friend of mine is fairly high up the food chain in a government-run institute, and already knows people on the transition team. I have asked to be her date if she gets invited to anything noteworthy. So maybe.
I don’t think I’ll be there, but I just wanted to share this photo someone sent me today. To me, it really exemplifies the hope and spirit that Obama’s campaign workers had!
Ok anybody who wants to have a tour of the Capitol, let me know. Congressman Brad Sherman’s office just told me they’ll be happy to make special arrangements for me to put together a group tour for up to 10 or so people, and tell them that we’re friends of the Congressman’s so we’ll get the red carpet treatment.
Tickets to be anywhere near the steps for inauguration are going to be almost impossible to get, since there are so many more members of Congress this year, they’re spread much thinner. I’ll keep you guys posted if we have any luck with that, though.
