Americans rush plans for Obama inauguration (could be as many as 4-5million people)

[LynneSin]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gF3m-HjwoaTV9L3dalXJ4WAuPGzQD94LC7201

Americans rush plans for Obama inauguration
By GILLIAN GAYNAIR and BRETT ZONGKER – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pattie Brew, daughter of a North Carolina sharecropper, had let almost a century go by without casting a vote for president or joining the inaugural crowds only three miles from her home in the nation's capital.

"I never had no interest in it because my vote don't matter anyway, so I never even took the time to fool with it," said the 97-year-old woman known as Mother Brew. "I knew white people had the right of way here, you know."

But on Nov. 4, she slipped on white gloves and pearls and found her way to a polling booth. And on Jan. 20, she wants to see the country's first inauguration of a black president — not from a couch at home but from somewhere closer by.

"So much history in this, honey," Brew said. "You gonna get me a ticket?"

From the District of Columbia's historically black neighborhoods to Honolulu, Americans who had let many presidents pass them by are clamoring for a chance to be a part of Barack Obama's inauguration. There are lengthy waiting lists for tickets to the inauguration and balls. Hotels have filled up as far away as West Virginia.

Organizers can only guess at the size of the crowds, but the estimates range from 1 million to an unprecedented 5 million, which are certain to include many African-Americans who feel connected to the White House for the first time.

The crowd will include people like Mark Anthony Jenkins of the Bronx, N.Y., who runs the online Black Singles magazine. Jenkins has rented 10 buses and has already sold out four for an $80 journey that leaves at 4 a.m. and includes Obama T-shirts and snacks. Jenkins hired 10 cameramen to document the experience.

[BuelahWitch]

1. I sure hope Pattie Brew gets her ticket!

Can't help her there but I can give this a kick!

[LaurenG]

2. A family member lives near the capitol

she was offered big money to sub let for a week. If she does that I'll be staying home - she was my place to stay.

[applegrove]

3. Isn't it exciting? I feel so happy for all the people whose hearts are so full

after so long. Especially the little old ladies everywhere. Makes me want to weep which I am sure I will do on jan 20th.

[goclark]

4. I'm set to go but I've heard from a friend that lives

in DC that one of his friends has a boat "the size of a tub" and he just rented it for $10,000 for the week.

He said,people are asking him to get them a ticket to anything, "even watching a Cat chasing two rats - they'll pay anything."

I'm worried about getting a Rent A Car at BWI.

I've have the house in DC that I rented 4 months ago but I can't even imagine what it will be like IF we can't get a Rent A Car.

And if we do ----
Where can we go?

Where can we park?

We'll try to get our groceries in Maryland and hope the markets are still stocked.
We are arriving the Thursday before but still -- by the weekend it will be wall to wall people even if only 2 million people are there at that time.

Any suggestions are welcomed.

[pimpbot]

6. It'd probably be better to spend the money on a taxi

and public transportation. Between the daily price of a rental car and the gas, I'd go with mass transit. Schedule an airport shuttle from the airport to your lodging. Then cab it to the closest metro stop (bus or rail). There will be NO WAY to drive into DC on Jan 20.

[goclark]

8. Here is our situation - 4 seniors with bags

because we are from CA and we can't handle cold weather. : (

The driver has a bad back and I think it would be extremely difficult for us either way.

I will try to convince him about the shuttle, that is a good idea.

We get in the evening of the 15th, so the traffic should be better but still --- I am worried.

I sprained my ankle last week and I am so afraid that I'll have a hard time on the trip but I'm going! :bounce:
Thanks so much

[Shakespeare]

7. You really won't need a rental car.

There's a shuttle at BWI that takes you to the nearby Amtrak station, and for next to nothing (haven't checked the prices lately), you can take the train into DC's Union Station. From there, you can take Metro (the subway) almost anywhere in the city, with the exception of Georgetown, and if the house you rented is in Georgetown, it's just a quick cab ride away. And there are markets all over the place, so you'll be able to load up on groceries easily when you get there. PM me if you want to, and let me know the address where you'll be staying, and I can tell you some good markets and/or restaurants nearby (I used to live in DC).

I'm not sure if you've ever been to DC, but it's really a pretty small area, and most of what you'll be headed towards for the inauguration is on the metro lines (if not in outright walking distance). It'll sure be a lot easier than trying to deal with parking in DC (which is hard to find, and can be VERY expensive).

I'm jealous--you're going to have a great time!!

[goclark]

9. Thanks, see my post below ~ I lived in MD/DC when I was

a kid.

Visited several times in the summer as an adult but can't even imagine how crazy this will be.

I really want to see the News Museum and the excitment of the city.

:bounce: can't wait!

[Max_powers94]

5. One day trip for me I can't afford the hotels nor Motels