Thank you for your interest in attending the 2009 Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2009. This will be a historic event, and we encourage you to attend. At this point, my office has received many times more the amount of Inaugural ticket requests than the number of tickets we have been told we will receive. For that reason, and I am very sorry to say, that we are no longer accepting ticket requests since there is no chance we will get anywhere near fulfilling all of the requests we have already received.
Even so, I do not want to discourage you from attending this historic event. Just because we are unable to provide you with tickets does not mean you cannot be a part of this momentous day. When I came to Washington, D.C. to the 2000 Inauguration, I was not a Member of Congress. I came as a citizen and stood outside the fenced area far back from the stands where the Inauguration occurred. I came wanting to be a part of a Texan being inaugurated and will always remember that historic day, though it was very cold and I had to rely on the giant screens to see what was going on. As I stood with so many other inspired Americans in our Nation’s Capital, I was overwhelmed with pride to be a part of that significant moment in our great nation’s history. Back at that time, it meant so very much as I did not know I would be up on the platform with the participants during the next Inauguration nor did I know how disappointed I would be at this point over this administration’s recent missteps.
The Inauguration will take place on the west front of the U.S. Capitol Building, and viewers will be gathered along the Capitol lawn and the National Mall. Only part of the National Mall is designated as a ticketed area, so those without tickets may still view the ceremony from their own section. Furthermore, gigantic big screen TV’s, many more than have ever been used in previous inaugurations, will line the National Mall so that everyone can be sure to see these remarkable events.
There are expected to be record-size crowds in Washington, D.C. during the Inauguration, so the most important thing is to plan ahead for housing and transportation. Most hotels are already booked and very expensive, so we encourage you to find accommodations as soon as possible. Also, traffic will be extremely heavy, but Washington D.C.’s public transportation system of buses and underground metros make getting around the city convenient. However, be prepared that these public transportation systems will be overwhelmed with visitors as well. This inauguration ceremony is expected to draw the largest crowds in history so plan on using patience while here. Some metro stations further away from the city have parking garages if you would like to leave your car there for the day and commute in. For more information about Washington, D.C.’s public transportation system, you can visit http://www.wmata.com/.
Also, for information about other Inaugural events and Inaugural balls, you can visit http://www.presidential-inauguration.com/. Understand that many of the balls and activities require you to apply and get them directly from President-Elect Obama’s Inaugural Committee and we will not be able to assist with those. The website in this paragraph should direct you regarding those events.
The parade from the Capitol to the White House winding through downtown has some places that require tickets. But, most of the areas do not. Again, in 2000, I moved to different non-ticketed areas, but there were so many people and I did not often get the view I hoped for. I know you understand the historical nature of this event, so please understand that if you choose to journey to Washington, whether you have a good vantage or not, you will always be able to say you were here. The memory will always be with you.
This will be a historic occasion, and we hope that you will be able to participate in these unforgettable events. I want to help anyway my office or I possibly can, so call us for possible tour suggestions or help during your planning stage or while you are here. I look forward to seeing you in Washington, D.C.!
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Louie
