WTF?? Inauguration tickets??

I've been researching DC hotels for the inauguration. Doing searches of all kinds, including hotels with inauguration packages, I happened upon websites selling tickets to the inauguration and the parade.

Does this mean that if we want to see Obama's inauguration or parade, we have to PAY??

The rest is free.

I had to pay for the Clinton inauguration.

only if you want seats on 'bleachers' set up along the route, I think. That's how its been done recently; may change. Check into what 'parade' includes, in the packages.

that stinks

but the parade route extends from the Capitol, along Pennsylvania Avenue, to the White House. That's a fair amount of property.

In any event, wherever one is, the BEST one could do would be to get a momentary view of people inside limousines. Unless some decide to walk, as did the Carters. And then the parade.

I don't know at what point mere pedestrians might be excluded; I live in DC, paid once, and once was able to view from office window.

Lafayette Park, across from WH, would have a fairly distant view of reviewing stand.

Inaguration Day for Obama to be able to get out and walk the last part to the podium. Unlike *, who couldn't do it because people were throwing things at him.

far worse his way.

The packages probably include bleacher seating for the parade and tickets to an inaugural ball. I went to Clinton's in 1993, and we had to pay for the ball at the DC Convention Center.

That's pretty much what we suspected, but in this new world of the Patriot Act, we weren't sure. So I thought I'd ask the experts here! :)

Depending on the price of the tickets, it might be worth it. How much have the prices been in the past?

a DU meetup!

I've promised my family, we will drop whatever else is going on and...just GO. I don't care how we do it. We need to be there.

Obama is sworn in. We are all flat broke (they are college students, I was unemployed after a serious illness for over a year) but somehow I am going to get those girls to a history making moment. Told them we couldn't attend any official functions -no gala balls (we aren't the gala ball type of gals) but we could stand along the parade route and maybe squeeze in with another half a million people to see him take the oath. Might have to sleep in my car, take a "wash-up" in a gas station bathroom and eat Cheez doodles and drink bottles of water on the trip but we are going. Period. We'll dance in the streets, celebrate and then hit the road home so they won't miss any more classes than necessary. I've now got the 17 year-old and the 12 year-old wanting to come. Their father is apoplectic at the thought of a Dem prez and his kids attending the inauguration - that's just a bonus.

BTW - if anyone knows of cheap lodging in the DC area would you please PM me? I've got a promise to live up to and I intend to do just that. Keep your fingers crossed that gas stays down!

...seemed that way for the last inauguration, haha.

unless they call in the Army.

Tough crowd that year, I tell ya. I don't expect quite so many there in protest this time around.

have to somehow find a DVD of the inauguration. I'm going to watch that thing so many times, it's crazy. So I need a DVD of it. Every moment of it. I don't know if anyone will produce and sell such a DVD, but I'm going to do my damndest to find one.

The Clinton inauguration in 92 was the first thing I ever recorded on a VCR, LOL, and though I no longer have a VCR, I still have the tape that has "DO NOT TAPE OVER" written on the spine.

Sorry to go so off-topic, you just reminded me of that. I would just DIE to be able to see it in person!

And one can download YouTube videos with this website:

(warning: includes ads for adult websites)
http://www.downloadyoutubevideos.com

the other night. It was difficult to find a reasonable room.

for inauguration tickets, you'll find several sites. I can't vouch for the reliability of any of them (obviously).

Where did you find a hotel? We would like to be as close to the city as possible.

nt