Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Getting Around on the DC Metro System: Inauguration Tips
http://wmata.com/getting_around/metro_events/inauguration.cfm
Capacity Crowd Will Close Checkpoints Inaugural Parade Route Can Hold About 300,000, Security Official Says
Taken from the "Washington Post"
Security officials will count the number of spectators arriving for the inaugural parade, and when the crowd reaches capacity, they will turn people away. Officials warned that could happen well before the parade begins between 2:30 and 3 p.m.
"Once the sidewalks on the north and south side of Pennsylvania Avenue reach capacity, at that point we will close our checkpoints so no more folks can get onto the parade route," said Malcolm Wiley, a spokesman for the Secret Service.
He declined to say how many people would have to arrive to reach capacity. But according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment, capacity is expected to be between 280,000 and 300,000. That number will include only those people standing on the sidewalks; it does not include the 5,000 people who have tickets to sit on bleachers along the parade route. Officials estimate that at least 1.5 million and possibly more than 3 million people will attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Jan. 20.
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After the swearing-in ceremony, the sidewalks from Capitol Hill to the White House are expected to be packed along the entire parade route, which goes west on Pennsylvania Avenue from Capitol Hill, north on 15th Street, and west again on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.
"There's just a finite amount of people we can put on the parade route," the security official said. "For safety and fire reasons, we'll have to cut it off."
Officials said police at parade checkpoints will count each of the spectators, who might arrive as early as 7 a.m. to snag a good spot. The Metrorail system will open at 4 a.m.
Separately, two key downtown Metro stations will close early on Inauguration Day for security reasons. Those stations are close to the buildings hosting official balls that Obama is expected to attend. The early closures, on top of two previously announced Metrorail station closings, will make it more difficult for people taking public transit that day, especially if they are planning to ride the subway to attend or work at the balls at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
The Mount Vernon Square/Seventh Street-Convention Center Metrorail station on the Yellow and Green lines will close at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 20. The Judiciary Square Station will close at 4 p.m. The stations are scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. the next day.
The Mount Vernon Square station, at Seventh and M streets NW, is right by the Convention Center, which is hosting six of the 10 official balls that Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. are scheduled to attend.
The Judiciary Square Station, at 450 F St. NW, is across the street from the National Building Museum, which is hosting the Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball for active duty and reserve military.
Two other Metrorail stations will be closed all day Jan. 20 for security reasons: Archives-Navy Memorial, at Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, along the parade route, and Smithsonian, which is on the Mall.
Metro is encouraging people to use nearby Metrorail stations, including Metro Center, Gallery Place-Chinatown or Union Station. Those centrally located stations are likely to be so crowded that passengers might have to wait before setting foot in the stations and then wait again on jammed platforms for a train.
The closing of the Mount Vernon Square station will make it difficult for hundreds of people who have to work at the inaugural balls.
"If they're taking Metrorail, they will have to walk longer distances just to get to work," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.
Four years ago, the Mount Vernon Square station closed at 3 p.m. and reopened at 1 a.m. But four years ago, there were fewer balls at the Convention Center, fewer people at Mount Vernon and fewer people using the rail system compared with what is expected this year. Judiciary Square closed at 5:30 a.m. and reopened at 1 a.m.
Security officials will count the number of spectators arriving for the inaugural parade, and when the crowd reaches capacity, they will turn people away. Officials warned that could happen well before the parade begins between 2:30 and 3 p.m.
"Once the sidewalks on the north and south side of Pennsylvania Avenue reach capacity, at that point we will close our checkpoints so no more folks can get onto the parade route," said Malcolm Wiley, a spokesman for the Secret Service.
He declined to say how many people would have to arrive to reach capacity. But according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment, capacity is expected to be between 280,000 and 300,000. That number will include only those people standing on the sidewalks; it does not include the 5,000 people who have tickets to sit on bleachers along the parade route. Officials estimate that at least 1.5 million and possibly more than 3 million people will attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Jan. 20.
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After the swearing-in ceremony, the sidewalks from Capitol Hill to the White House are expected to be packed along the entire parade route, which goes west on Pennsylvania Avenue from Capitol Hill, north on 15th Street, and west again on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.
"There's just a finite amount of people we can put on the parade route," the security official said. "For safety and fire reasons, we'll have to cut it off."
Officials said police at parade checkpoints will count each of the spectators, who might arrive as early as 7 a.m. to snag a good spot. The Metrorail system will open at 4 a.m.
Separately, two key downtown Metro stations will close early on Inauguration Day for security reasons. Those stations are close to the buildings hosting official balls that Obama is expected to attend. The early closures, on top of two previously announced Metrorail station closings, will make it more difficult for people taking public transit that day, especially if they are planning to ride the subway to attend or work at the balls at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
The Mount Vernon Square/Seventh Street-Convention Center Metrorail station on the Yellow and Green lines will close at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 20. The Judiciary Square Station will close at 4 p.m. The stations are scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. the next day.
The Mount Vernon Square station, at Seventh and M streets NW, is right by the Convention Center, which is hosting six of the 10 official balls that Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. are scheduled to attend.
The Judiciary Square Station, at 450 F St. NW, is across the street from the National Building Museum, which is hosting the Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball for active duty and reserve military.
Two other Metrorail stations will be closed all day Jan. 20 for security reasons: Archives-Navy Memorial, at Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, along the parade route, and Smithsonian, which is on the Mall.
Metro is encouraging people to use nearby Metrorail stations, including Metro Center, Gallery Place-Chinatown or Union Station. Those centrally located stations are likely to be so crowded that passengers might have to wait before setting foot in the stations and then wait again on jammed platforms for a train.
The closing of the Mount Vernon Square station will make it difficult for hundreds of people who have to work at the inaugural balls.
"If they're taking Metrorail, they will have to walk longer distances just to get to work," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.
Four years ago, the Mount Vernon Square station closed at 3 p.m. and reopened at 1 a.m. But four years ago, there were fewer balls at the Convention Center, fewer people at Mount Vernon and fewer people using the rail system compared with what is expected this year. Judiciary Square closed at 5:30 a.m. and reopened at 1 a.m.
Beyonce, Bono, The Boss part of Obama concert on Sunday, Jan 18th 2009 @ the Lincoln Memorial
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) is pleased to announce the producers and initial talent lineup for WE ARE ONE: THE OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, the Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inaugural, to be presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday, January 18 (7:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT). The event will be free and open to the public, kicking off the most open and accessible Inauguration in history.
The special will be executive produced by George Stevens, Jr. (The Kennedy Center Honors), and produced by Don Mischer (Olympic Ceremonies) who will also direct the special, and Michael Stevens (The American Film Institute Salutes) who is also writing the special, and will be a production of The Stevens Company in association with Don Mischer Productions.
Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.
“Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail,“ observed George Stevens, Jr. “We will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today.“
“This is a great opportunity to capture an historic event in a very meaningful setting,“ noted Don Mischer. “We will have the statue of Abraham Lincoln looking down on our stage and a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people lining the mall—a tableau any director would relish.“
“We have found that the great artists are eager to take part and each one is working with us to find music that expresses the optimism and hope that people bring to the Obama inauguration,“ said Michael Stevens.
Televised to the nation, the Opening Celebration will be a declaration of common purpose and new beginnings. The Sunday afternoon performance will be grounded in history and brought to life with entertainment that relates to the themes that shaped Barack Obama and which will be the hallmarks of his administration.
HBO will televise the event on an open signal, working with all of its distributors to allow Americans across the country with access to cable, telcos or satellite television to join in the Opening Celebration for free.
The 56th Inauguration promises to be the most inclusive in history, and the Opening Celebration is one of a series of inaugural events that reflect that commitment. On Saturday, the President-elect, Vice President-elect and their families will journey to the nation’s capital via train, holding events that are free and open to the public along the way. They will be joined by a group of everyday Americans they met along their road to the White House. On January 19th, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President-elect Obama will call on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. A new website, USAservice.org, makes it easy for Americans to organize service events or find existing events to participate in. To date, nearly 5,000 events have been organized across the country. That evening, Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and their families will host a free “Kids’ Inaugural” concert to honor military families, broadcast live on the Disney Channel and Radio Disney.
This spirit of openness will continue on Inauguration Day, when, for the first time in history, the entire length of the National Mall will be open to the public for the swearing in ceremony. Local D.C. students have also been given the chance to receive tickets in front of the White House for the Inaugural Parade for themselves and their family members based on the submission of essays answering the question, “How can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?“
On the evening of Inauguration Day, the first ball that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will attend will be the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. The ball will be broadcast live on ABC and over the Internet, bringing together neighborhoods across the country in the spirit of unity and celebration.
The sum of these public events is an Inauguration that allows more Americans than ever before to come together as one nation and one people, united in our resolve to tackle our greatest common challenges and move this country forward together.
The special will be executive produced by George Stevens, Jr. (The Kennedy Center Honors), and produced by Don Mischer (Olympic Ceremonies) who will also direct the special, and Michael Stevens (The American Film Institute Salutes) who is also writing the special, and will be a production of The Stevens Company in association with Don Mischer Productions.
Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.
“Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail,“ observed George Stevens, Jr. “We will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today.“
“This is a great opportunity to capture an historic event in a very meaningful setting,“ noted Don Mischer. “We will have the statue of Abraham Lincoln looking down on our stage and a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people lining the mall—a tableau any director would relish.“
“We have found that the great artists are eager to take part and each one is working with us to find music that expresses the optimism and hope that people bring to the Obama inauguration,“ said Michael Stevens.
Televised to the nation, the Opening Celebration will be a declaration of common purpose and new beginnings. The Sunday afternoon performance will be grounded in history and brought to life with entertainment that relates to the themes that shaped Barack Obama and which will be the hallmarks of his administration.
HBO will televise the event on an open signal, working with all of its distributors to allow Americans across the country with access to cable, telcos or satellite television to join in the Opening Celebration for free.
The 56th Inauguration promises to be the most inclusive in history, and the Opening Celebration is one of a series of inaugural events that reflect that commitment. On Saturday, the President-elect, Vice President-elect and their families will journey to the nation’s capital via train, holding events that are free and open to the public along the way. They will be joined by a group of everyday Americans they met along their road to the White House. On January 19th, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President-elect Obama will call on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. A new website, USAservice.org, makes it easy for Americans to organize service events or find existing events to participate in. To date, nearly 5,000 events have been organized across the country. That evening, Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and their families will host a free “Kids’ Inaugural” concert to honor military families, broadcast live on the Disney Channel and Radio Disney.
This spirit of openness will continue on Inauguration Day, when, for the first time in history, the entire length of the National Mall will be open to the public for the swearing in ceremony. Local D.C. students have also been given the chance to receive tickets in front of the White House for the Inaugural Parade for themselves and their family members based on the submission of essays answering the question, “How can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?“
On the evening of Inauguration Day, the first ball that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will attend will be the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. The ball will be broadcast live on ABC and over the Internet, bringing together neighborhoods across the country in the spirit of unity and celebration.
The sum of these public events is an Inauguration that allows more Americans than ever before to come together as one nation and one people, united in our resolve to tackle our greatest common challenges and move this country forward together.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Obama Speaks on the Economy (@ GMU)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
OUR ITINERARY FOR THE INAUGURATION (MEET US AT THOSE SPOTS)
Hello All & Welcome Back to the Blog:
It's been a while since I've posted anything, but, for good reason, how can you top the evening Barack Hussein (yea, I said it!) Obama was selected to be our 44th President of the United States..
Well, that day has come, its Inauguration Time.....So, to get things started,
provided below is a itinerary I created to keep everyone involved and a "hotspot" location throughout Washington DC..
So, Welcome to DC!! The Time is Upon Us (only 13 days away)
* The blog will be updated as we move forward to this wonderful day..
**Also, a special should out to my cousin, Kim Baum (she just rec'd a "OFFICIAL" inauguration invitation...So, for those that will be staying with me and Misses, get your pads, ready, because she will be taking the opportunity to provide you her autograph (LOL!)
FRIDAY (1-16) LOCATIONS:
Late Night Happy Hour/"Hotspot" Information..........
-Option #1
11pm-2am
*21 and above after 9pm*
@ Lucky Strike Bowling Alley
701 7th Street NW
Washington DC 20001
(Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Stop)
202.347.1021
Additional Info.....The following are not permitted:
- Athletic wear, sweats or sports jerseys
- MC colors
- Excessively baggy clothing (Tuck-ins are not permitted)
- Sleeveless T-shirts
- Plain white T-shirts (short or long sleeve)
- Construction boots
- Headgear
- Chains
-OR-
Late Night Happy Hour/Hotspot Information...............
-Option #2
11pm-2am
*21 and above after 9pm*
@ Bar Louie
http://www.barlouieamerica.com/washington
701 7th Street NW
Washington DC 20001
(Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Stop)
Telephone Number 202.638.2460
SATURDAY (1-17) LOCATIONS:
Brunch Information................
11:00a-1:30p
(FYI- Brunch goes from 10am-3pm)
@ Front Page
http://www.frontpagerestaurant.com/
1333 New Hampshire Ave NW
(1 Block from Dupont Circle Metro Stop)
Telephone Number 202.296.6500
Late Night Happy Hour/Hotspot Information................
10:00p-2:00a
@ Matchbox DC
http://www.matchboxdc.com/
713 H Street NW, Washington DC 20002
(1 Block from Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Stop)
Telephone Number 202.289.4441
SUNDAY (1-18) LOCATIONS:
The Official “Inauguration Kickoff” Event Information....................
Date of Event Sunday, January 18th, 2008
Time of Event • T.B.A.
@ Lincoln Memorial Monument
Independence Ave SW & 23rd St SW
Washington DC 20001
( Intersection of two streets near the Lincoln Memorial)
Additional Info.......
President-elect Barack Obama will kick off the schedule of official inaugural activities in Washington, D.C., with a welcome event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday afternoon. The event will be free and open to the public.
Event: Obama-Soca-Rama Inauguration Day Fete @ De Island Loft
"YES WE CAN, YES WE DID!"
What: Club Party
Host: East Coast Caribbean Events-Caribbean Nationals for Obama
Start Time: Sunday, January 18 at 2:00pm
End Time: Sunday, January 18 at 8:00pm
Where: De Island Loft - DC Farmer's Market District
"Plenty of Free Parking and you can also take the RED line Metro to New York Avenue and walk 2 blocks."
Food provided by the infamous Garage Boyz (DC MudMas) Chef , Captain Black Beard
Menu: Curry Goat and Dumplings, Curry Chicken, Spanish Rice and much more!
Alongside Sheldon the Corn Soup Man
To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=43681247303
“The Last Sunday of the Bush Era” Happy Hour/Hotspot Information.............
6:30p-11:00p
@ Lauriol Plaza
http://www.lauriolplaza.com/
1835 18th Street NW, Washington DC 20009
(7-8 Blocks from Dupont Circle Metro Stop)
202.387.0035
MONDAY (1-19) LOCATIONS:
“MLK Had A Dream and We Are Here to See It” Happy Hour/Hotspot Information.........
5:00p-8:00p
@ Ozio Restaurant and Lounge
http://www.oziodc.com/
1813 M Street NW, Washington D.C. 20036
(7-8 Blocks from Dupont Circle Metro Stop)
Telephone Number 202.822.6000
“The Obama Era Begins” Information.........................
Date of Event Tuesday, January 20th, 2008
9:00am-til?
Obama Inauguration
Inauguration Parade
U.S. Capitol & Pennsylvania Ave -Washington DC
Additional Info.....
The President-elect and Vice President-elect and their families will participate in the traditional inaugural ceremonies and events. For the first time ever, the length of the National Mall will be open to those wishing to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Festivities will commence at 10 a.m. on the west front of the U.S. Capitol and will include:
•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”
After President Obama gives his Inaugural Address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House with groups traveling from all over the country to participate.
The Official Inaugural Schedule.................
The PIC will release further details about official inaugural events at a later date. You can find the latest information at www.pic2009.org
Obama, Bush and ex-presidents have 'historic moment'
President-elect Barack Obama, President Bush and all of the surviving past presidents got together Wednesday for a historic meeting at the White House.
Barack Obama meets with President Bush and past presidents in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
Barack Obama meets with President Bush and past presidents in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
"One message that I have, and I think we all share, is that we want you to succeed. Whether we're Democrat or Republican, we care deeply about this country," Bush told Obama before lunch with the former presidents.
Bush and Obama were joined by Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Obama thanked the president for hosting them and said he was grateful for the opportunity to get "advice, good counsel and fellowship" from the group.
Obama's press secretary said the presidents had a "very constructive conversation" and Obama appreciated "the spirit of bipartisanship they showed" in wishing him success.
"The president and the former presidents had helpful advice on managing the office, as well as thoughts on the critical issues facing the country right now. The president-elect is anxious to stay in touch with all of them in the coming years," Robert Gibbs said.
Presidential historian Doug Brinkley said it's "very smart politics for Obama to keep a channel open" with the former presidents.
"If he has a policy initiative that he wants to lead the country behind ... if he could get the signatures, the green light from all of the ex-presidents to say, 'Not only am I for this, but I have all of the ex-presidents backing me' -- that's powerful," he said.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the last time all of the living presidents got together at the White House was in 1981, and she called Wednesday's meeting a "historic moment."
She said the president was "delighted" to host the luncheon.
"Each of them expressed their desire for President-elect Obama to have a very successful presidency. During the lunch, they had a wide-ranging discussion on many different issues facing the United States, and they all look forward to remaining in contact in the future," Perino said.
The meeting marked the second time Bush has hosted Obama since the election. Obama suggested the meeting with all of the former presidents when he and Bush first met in November.
Perino said earlier she didn't know what they would talk about, but she said she'd love to be able to hear it.
"I'm sure all of us would love to be flies on the wall and listening to that conversation," Perino said during Tuesday's daily news briefing.
Perino speculated that they would discuss what it's like to raise children in the White House and how to protect them.
Brinkley predicted that first and foremost, the presidents would recall what it was like to be president.
"All of them will have little anecdotes. They'll see something in the White House that will bring back a memory. They'll try to bring some levity to this -- make it a very special and engaging and actually a fun afternoon for Barack Obama," he said.
Secondly, Brinkley said, the conversation would probably turn to what's going on in the Middle East.
Brinkley said that all of the men will be on their "best behavior," but, given the personalities at the luncheon, there could be some tension.
"The friction, if there is any, is between Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, who are known to not like each other at all," he said, pointing out that the Clinton team did not like Carter "parachuting for peace into Bosnia, North Korea and Haiti" during Clinton's administration.
"That's the relationship that is not warm, it's not good, and if you are a body language expert, you might home in on that," he said.
President Bush may find himself the odd man out at the meeting, at least in terms of popularity.
Bush registered only a 27 percent approval rating in a December CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey.
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In contrast, Obama had an 82 percent approval rating.
A new poll out Wednesday indicates that 69 percent of adult Americans approved of how Clinton handled his job as president, while 64 percent of adult Americans gave a thumbs up to Carter and 60 percent approved of George H.W. Bush.
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