Hope you have a good time. Seems like all that money could be spent elsewhere, like maybe on tsunami aid or somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, but hey - you only get inaugurated twice!
Better luck next time.
Speaking of comfortable shoes and not to put a damper on the Brickers’ evening, but what are the anti-shoe bomber security protocols going to be? Is going to a ball going to like getting on a plane?
Personally, I think the whole to-do ought to be skipped on the grounds of “There’s a war on” but that’s a minority position.
Oh, cool! Take lots of notes and pictures!
Congratulations Bricker. I’ll be looking forward to reading your account of the entire soiree.
Tahiti isn’t an independent nation. There is no US embassy or consulate in French Polynesia.
So clearly there’s a need. Point this out to George. And once you’ve got him nibbling on the bait ask if you can have a few online friends over to the consulate for a pool party.
If he doesn’t go for that, ask if you can at least be appointed as special Republican Party Ambassador to the SDMB. Tell him there’s a void that needs to be filled. And ask about hazard pay.
Congratulations and have a good time.
Ahem… updates are clearly in order, sir! We want all of the scoop.
I found myself looking through the crowd for Bricker even though I didn’t even know what he looks like. Maybe I was just hoping to see some guy in a tux and a SDMB T-shirt having a grand ol’ time.
So report back to us! How close did you get to Bush? How packed was it? How was the food? Was it an open bar?
We attended the Independence Ball, which was at the new Convention Center in Hall A. This was the source of some confusion; we spent some time in line for the screening for Hall B, which was another of the official balls. But we got straightened out, through screening – just like airport travel, divest yourself of all metal and you’ll go right through.
Food was fantastic… open buffet, everything from a steamship round of roast beef to shrimp to roast chicken to salads galore to an amazing round of desserts. Atkins was definitely on the back burner. The bar was cash - of course - but the food was free and plentiful.
The crowd was mainly black tie. I wore a tux with a deep blue vest and matching bowtie - tied by hand, I might add. Mrs Bricker was stunning in a blue dress.
Enthusiastic crowd, although the story that the President would be at ours first was hype, as it happens. But he and the First Lady made a brief appearance, danced for a bit, then he shook hands with some of the muckety-mucks present, and he smooched Laura befoe waving goodbye before being whisked off to the next ball.
The party sort of stepped up a notch after the President left. I’d say maybe 1/4 of the crowd also left, and the demographic of the room shifted … younger, shall we say.
Great time. I’d do it again in '08 if it weren’t for that pesky 22nd Amendment. 
Maybe you’ll get another Bush then anyway.
I’m glad Bricker had a good time, but let’s not get carried away. Moreover, I plan on attending an inaugural ball myself in '08, so Jeb is just going to have to wait.
I have such a dirty mind. This line can be taken in so many different ways.
OTFS, you know, Dopers have operatives everywhere. It is so freaking cool. We really need to get some kind of Fez Headwear ( and maybe some symbols to clash…oook oooook!) so we can spot each other at this clambakes.