Obama: Massive security @ inauguration

In a front-page article in last Sunday’s paper about beefed-up security at the inauguration, the Washington Post again missed the forest for the trees.

Based on figures compiled from the Post article, the total security presence for the 2009 inauguration will be 67 per cent larger than for George W. Bush’s 2005 inauguration, while total attendance - currently estimated to be between 1.5 million and 3 million - will be four to eight times larger.

In other words, the proportional security presence at Barack Obama’s inauguration will be anywhere from half to nearly a quarter of that provided for Bush in 2005.

According to the figures reported by the Post, the FBI’s Washington Field Office will bring in a 20 per cent larger force than is typical for an inauguration. The Park Police, which oversees the National Mall, will increase its force by 66 per cent. The D.C. police presence, bolstered by 4,000 officers from outside the District, will be 25 per cent larger than that at George Bush’s 2005 inauguration. Relative to this year’s expected turnout, those increases would be paltry without a massive increase in military personnel acting as security.

Also 11,500 active duty troops will be in Washington on Inauguration Day, compared with 7,000 in 2005, a 64 per cent jump. But if the 5,000 servicemen and women who traditionally participate in the inaugural parade are discounted as security, the size of the military’s security footprint, in real terms, will increase from 2,000 to 6,500, a 225 per cent larger force than in 2005. According to the Post, 1,300 unarmed National Guard soldiers will bolster the ranks of 1,000 Park Police tasked with controlling the 309 acres of the National Mall.

The remaining 5,000 military personnel – a full brigade – will assist “with crowd control, communications, security, medical care, logistics, weapons detection and other needs,” the Post reported.
That means Obama’s inauguration, with a substantially smaller security presence relative to crowd size, will be substantially more militarized. Given that inaugurations are exercises in symbolism, filling Washington with thousands of uniformed troops seems like a potential public relations gaff. Obama rode into office on a wave of public discontent with the Iraq War. The last time the National Guard flooded DC’s streets was 1968, during the race riots that exploded after the assassination of Martin Luther King. A militarized inauguration could evoke both.

For Chicagoans, it’s frenzy over parties, events & balls
For sure, most Chicagoans are exhausted now that the holidays have passed, but they are very excited about Barack Obama’s inauguration in Washington DC. Expectedly, Oprah is going to attend. A lot of Chicagoans are planning on going out to DC for the 44th President’s inauguration on January 20, 2009 to see it in person because they are so excited.

Others have to work at a day job and will be in Chicago’s frigid snowy cold watching TV on that day, yet will still be thrilled to witness history. If you are considering going to Barack Obama’s inauguration in Washington DC, you might have a hard time finding tickets. All 240,000 of the Inauguration Tickets were available for free but by request from your local representative or senator. So, all the requests were early and now people are turning around and selling some for very high prices. Probably not what Barack intended.

And since a lot of the hotels are booked too, the next best choice is following along at home and having an Inauguration party of your own.

There is an Inauguration Schedule, Inauguration Blog, and a lot of information already online 35 days before the event from the PIC Presidential Inauguration Committee. Barack’s teams are so organized and on top of things, this seems like such a change for the better in the communication department. The web teams that built all these sites for the campaigns and now after the elections have done a great job with it.

Inaugural Schedule:
Yesterday, January 17, Barack Obama traveled by train to Washington for the Inauguration. Kind of an old fashioned twist.
Today, January 18, the Official Inaugural Activities begin with a welcome event on Sunday in the afternoon. It is open for the public to attend.
On Monday, January 19, which is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a National Holiday, President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden will commemorate the holiday with community involvement activities in the Washington DC area.

By THE SUN PUBLISHING