The Inauguration of President Obama |
After the November 5th election, I received thousands of requests from
constituents for tickets to the 2009 presidential inauguration ceremony
in January. I was inspired that so many of my fellow Americans wanted
to participate in this historic event. Unfortunately the demand far
exceeded the limited supply of reserved tickets I was given by the
Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. I conducted a
random lottery to ensure that everyone who requested tickets had a fair
chance. All told, I gave a total of 100 tickets to 50 residents of the
14th Congressional District.
I was truly amazed by the unprecedented turnout. Nearly 2 million
people braved the cold and the crowds to celebrate a new era of
leadership and a new chapter in American history. People poured into
Washington, D.C. from across the United States to stand on the National
Mall where they were able to watch the festivities on giant video
screens. It was an honor to participate in such a landmark moment in
American history.
While all presidential inaugurations are historic, the 2009
presidential inauguration is one for the record books. As America's
first African-American president, Barack Obama has reminded people
everywhere that with hard work and determination anything is possible
in our country. For more information on the 2009 presidential
inauguration please visit the Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies' website at: http://inaugural.senate.gov
- Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney
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