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Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony: How to get inauguration tickets

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Ichingcarpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-07-08 12:51 PM
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Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony: How to get inauguration tickets
LA Times Travel


So, let’s start with the basics.

The events: There are many — the parade, the swearing-in ceremony, the balls, etc. — and different committees (some of which haven’t even been formed yet) plan different aspects of the inauguration and issue and distribute tickets differently. Confusing enough for you yet?

The tickets: Let me just say this emphatically for those who still have money to burn despite the recession: Anyone selling a ticket to, say, the swearing-in ceremony, simply doesn’t have the goods. The 240,000 tickets that have been printed for this event “are in a secure location,” according to the committee.

“Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth,” Howard Gantman, staff director for the committee, said in a release. “Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism.”

The truth: Tickets to the swearing-in ceremony are free — but you have to request them from your U.S. representative or senator. Best to call his or her Washington office if you haven’t already. (I called the office of my congresswoman, Jane Harman, and got a staff person who didn’t yet have much information but helped me navigate to the “request a tour” form on Harman’s website so I could get a virtual place in line.) Demand will be high, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get tickets if they run out.

The loophole: It’s not illegal to resell your ticket, but it is, well, discouraged. “We can’t stop people from turning around and selling those tickets, but it goes against the spirit of an open public inauguration,” said media spokeswoman Carole Florman. But constituents won’t be able to pick up their tickets until the day before the event — leaving little time for an EBay bidding war.

The weather: After all that, even if you are one of the lucky 240,000 who gets a ticket held on the west front of the Capitol building, you may get shut out if the weather tanks. Inclement weather could force the ceremony inside (as it did in 1985 when President Reagan’s inauguration was held inside the Rotunda), dropping the number of spectators from hundreds of thousands to a few hundred.

Everything else: The parade and balls are organized by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which is just being formed. This committee determines the type of inaugural events to hold, raises private money to fund them and decides how to distribute the tickets.

More on that when I get hold of those folks…

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/obama-inauguration-t-3224/
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Hope And Change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-08-08 10:58 AM
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1. K & R!
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Doityourself Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-08-08 11:21 AM
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2. My senator isn't even accepting anymore calls for tickets...glad I got in early n/t
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myrna minx Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-08-08 09:56 PM
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3. Kick.
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Scooter24 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-08-08 10:36 PM
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4. I went through the concierge at my hotel.
We're staying at the Ritz-Carlton, and the concierge was more than helpful on my request. I left him my credit information and a pre-authorized limit so hopefully he will come through. He seemed pretty confident though. It's going to cost us a fortune, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for us, so we decided to just do it.

As in years past, DC's luxury hotels will also have several packages for its guests, including VIP tickets to the parade, swearing-in, and a Inaugural Ball. They always say you "can't buy a ticket," but for the right amount, that always changes. These packages are huge money makers for both the committee and hotel.


The Ritz-Carlton is offering Politically Correct packages at the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown and the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC from Jan. 17-21, 2009. The $99,000 Georgetown Politically Correct package includes a four night stay in a Presidential Suite, Gucci luggage, two tickets to the inaugural parade and an official inaugural ball, a four-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman to relax after the festivities have ended, and a host of other special amenities to make your stay perfectly regal.

The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC’s Politically Correct Package includes a four night stay in a luxury suite, an $8,000 Custom Judith Ripka “Heart of the Nation” Pendant designed exclusively for the Politically Correct package, two tickets to the inaugural parade and an official inaugural ball, and personal styling services at Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase, MD, including a complementary designer dress and tuxedo. These amenities, and many others, are available at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC for $50,000.

From Jan. 17-21, the Mandarin Oriental Washington will present its “Presidential Privilege” package, designed to help couples visit the city in ultimate style. The package includes a five-day, four-night stay in the hotel’s luxurious 8,000 sq.-ft. Presidential Suite with daily breakfast in the suite; designer outfits for inaugural events from Ralph Lauren; a chauffeur-driven Maserati Quattroporte; an exclusive dinner for eight guests at Mandarin Oriental’s signature restaurant CityZen, prepared by James Beard Award-winning Chef Eric Ziebold; and daily spa treatments, priced at $200,900.

The Mayflower, a Renaissance Hotel, is also getting in on the action. Start with the Ultimate Presidential package including a three-night stay in the hotel’s Presidential or Mayflower suite; limo service to and from point of arrival and departure; his and hers inaugural jewelry from noted local gift shop, Tiny Jewel Box; Dom Perignon champagne with Baccarat toasting flutes from Tiffany & Co; in-room massage for two; 24-hour butler service; a custom-designed inaugural cocktail by legendary bartender Sambonn Lek of the hotel’s historic Town & Country Bar; inaugural petit fors specially designed by the hotel’s pastry team; and his and hers inaugural garb from Burberry to keep guests warm during the inaugural ceremony. The Ultimate Presidential package is a one-of-a-kind experience for a cool $51,000.

The Mayflower is also offering a package far easier on the wallet, the Inaugural Suite package starting at $1,500 per night with a three-night minimum. Guests booking this package will also get access to the exclusive Mayflower Club level which offers several food and beverage presentations throughout the day as well as a dedicated concierge plus a different commemorative inaugural gift each night at turndown.

The Fairmont Washington, D.C. Hotel mixes in a little bit of "green" with its red, white and blue with its Eco-Inaugural Package, which includes a four-night stay for two in the hotel's two-bedroom Lexus Hybrid Living Suite, which is designed and furnished with organic materials and rapidly renewable resources. The package also includes a custom ball gown from organic designer Linda Loudermilk, organic spa treatments for pre-festivites pampering and a Lexus LS 600h L hybrid vehicle and driver. The guests will also enjoy an organic in-suite midnight supper with eight of their "constituents." The package is priced at $40,000 and is available Jan. 18-21.

At the Renaissance M Street Hotel, inauguration-goers can take in a little bit of culture with their history with the "Inaugural Picture of Washington" package. Available Jan. 18-21, the package appeals to photography buffs with a welcome bag from the Corcoran Gallery of Art and two passes to its ground-breaking exhibition of political portraits by photographer Richard Avedon. Guests also receive a custom "Renaissance Photographer's Walking Map of Washington," showcasing the city's most powerful cultural and political hotspots, plus breakfast for two at the hotel's M Bar and an invitation for happy hour with "Abraham Lincoln," who will hold court in the hotel lobby from 4-8pm Sunday through Tuesday. The package starts at $679 per night; a 3-night minimum stay is required.

Phoenix Park Hotel is offering a special package to ensure that your stay in the District for inauguration is top-notch. Just minutes from Capitol Hill and the National Mall, the hotel’s Presidential Inauguration Washington D.C. includes rates starting at just $699 per night for single or double occupancy.

The redesigned Park Hyatt Washington invites guests to celebrate American talents, heritage and culture with four nights of elegant and patriotic living in its spacious Presidential Suite. Guests of the exclusive American Talents package will toast the New Year and the new administration in the nation’s capital with butler service, daytime use of the hotel’s custom Audi A8, reservations for the private Chef’s Table at the celebrated Blue Duck Tavern (based upon availability), two VIP tickets to the Corcoran Gallery of Art as well as a National Symphony Orchestra performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in-room couples massage, and a variety of additional services and amenities to make your stay in the District memorable. The American Talents package can be reserved for $42,000, inclusive of tax and gratuities, through Jan. 10.

Capitol Hill Suites is joining in the inaugural fun as well with their Live Like a President fantasy package, designed to pamper guests during their Inaugural stay and help them get into the festive spirit of the event. The package includes accommodations for two in the hotel’s newly renovated luxury guest suite, tickets to an inaugural event, a personal chef to prepare an in-room meal, car and driver service, in-room massage, $1,000 shopping spree, and more. The package sells for $20,000 and includes a donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation.

The newly renovated Hyatt Regency Washington is offering two different packages to accommodate everyone in style. For couples, the Historic Inauguration package ($25,000) includes all the pampering a couple could want throughout four nights in the grand Presidential Suite. Amenities for the four-night stay include exclusive limo service, private butler service, breakfast-in-bed each morning, two dinners in-suite, a spa day for two, and two tickets to the inaugural parade. The flashy Presidential Entourage package ($75,000 for eight) includes a welcoming reception in the exclusive lounge at Article One, butler services in each suite, a spa day for eight, a private tour of historical monuments, as well as tickets to the inaugural parade.

Not to be outdone, Kimpton Hotels in the Washington, DC area has announced its special Kimpton Inaugural Package - the Ba ’Rock’ Star Treatment. The package includes in-room hair styling services; in-room makeup application for the inaugural ball; in-room manicure and pedicure, utilizing Kerstin Florian products; a gourmet platter of snacks to fuel up on before heading out for the night; choice of a 50-minute Calm Mind Massage to de-stress or Aroma Journey Massage to liven the senses; and a gift of therapeutic Detox Mineral Bath Salts. The package can be purchased for $705 as a side package for any guestroom or services can be ordered a la carte through the hotel's spa service company, Relax and Rejuvenate. The package is based on availability and will be available from Jan. 17 to Jan. 21, 2009. It will be available at the Hotel George, Topaz Hotel, Hotel Madera, Hotel Rouge, Hotel Palomar Washington, DC, and the Hotel Monaco Washington, DC.
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Piperay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-09-08 02:40 AM
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5. THANKS for the info
not that it's likely I could go but just in case it's nice to know how to get tickets.
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Hope And Change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-09-08 09:38 AM
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6. Kick!
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Hope And Change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-09-08 09:41 AM
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7. Calls for inauguration tickets through the roof

Calls for inauguration tickets through the roof


Lolly Bowean | Tribune reporter
November 8, 2008

There have been calls from forgotten childhood classmates, from long-gone girlfriends and boyfriends, and even from the widows of deceased Chicago icons.

In the three days since the election of Barack Obama, the demand for tickets to Inauguration Day events has been unprecedented, local congressional officials said.

"It's crazy," said Sharon Jenkins, spokeswoman for Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.). "We're in a unique moment in U.S. history. Every day under Obama's administration is a first, and people want to be a part of it."

Tickets to inaugural events are free of charge and distributed through members of the incoming Congress. The ceremonies are coordinated by different committees, and the tickets to the events are distributed differently. Events include a morning worship service, a procession to the Capitol, a swearing-in ceremony, an address, a parade and balls.

Jenkins said Rush's office received about 400 phone calls from residents about the Wall Street bailout package over a two-week period. But in the three days after Obama's election, the office logged more than 1,500 phone calls from people seeking tickets.


more...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-obama-tickets-08-nov08,0,1861618.story
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