Photo by RemyGDC
Strictly speaking, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are a few hours into their second terms in office, having taken their official oaths of office earlier today in private ceremonies at the White House and U.S. Naval Observatory, respectively. So, tourists go home! The deed is done, and there’s no reason for you to stick around.
Just kidding. There’s still lots of time to spend bales of cash in the District of Columbia with tomorrow’s full schedule of presidential pomp.
The ceremonial swearing-in of the president and vice president begins at 11:30 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, though, with 500,000 to 700,000 people expected to be in the live audience—and with airport-style security checkpoints corralling them around the National Mall—it’s best to arrive earlier. A map of ticketed and non-ticketed entrances is available from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
WHO IS PERFORMING AT THE INAUGURATION?
The event will open with musical performances by the United States Marine Band; students from P.S. 22 in Staten Island, N.Y.; and the Lee University Festival Choir from Cleveland, Tenn. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will deliver opening remarks before introducing Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of civil rights icon Medgar Evars, who will give a benediction. Schumer, mercifully, is not scheduled to sing.
Later in the ceremony, James Taylor will sing something boring for your mom“America the Beautiful”, Kelly Clarkson will sing “Since U Been Gone”“My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”, and Beyoncé will sing whatever she damn well wantsthe national anthem.
Following President Obama’s second inaugural address—which is something of a performance itself—the poet Richard Blanco will read a new composition written especially for the inauguration. Blanco’s selection is particularly noteworthy; he is the first Latino and first openly gay poet to read at a presidential swearing-in.
WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE?
Oh, if only we could have the inauguration today, when it’s 60 degrees and sunny! Tomorrow won’t be nearly as nice. Temperatures tomorrow morning will hover in the high 30s and possibly reach 40, but will plummet in the afternoon when a front of polar air rushes into the region, perhaps even bringing a bit of snow to dust the finery of people queueing outside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center ahead the official inaugural ball.
CAN I TAKE METRO TO THE INAUGURATION?
Yep. Metro will be running on a rush-hour schedule from 4 a.m. until 9 p.m. tomorrow, though there will be a few noticeable changes. For one thing, it’ll be really crowded (duh), though not nearly as clogged as January 20, 2009 when the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency recorded 1.1 million rail trips and 423,000 bus rides. Still, three stations—Smithsonian, Archives-Navy Memorial, and Mt. Vernon Square—will be closed all day. The Yellow Line will only run between Huntington and Chinatown.
Meanwhile, Metro recommends that the four open stations closest to the ticketed zones be used by spectators holding the relevant tickets. People with yellow (Third and D streets NW) and orange (First and D streets NW) passes should use Judiciary Square, blue ticket (D Street and Delaware Avenue NW) holders should head out at Union Station, gold (Third and C streets SW) and green (Second and D streets SW) ticket holders should exit at Federal Center SW, while red pass (South Capitol and C streets SW) holders should get out at Capitol South.
More Metro information can be found here.
CAN I RIDE MY BIKE TO THE INAUGURATION?
You sure can! The District Department of Transportation is setting up bike parking for hundreds of cyclists at the intersection of 16th and I streets NW; from there, you’ll have to huff it on foot.
Additionally, Capital Bikeshare will set up corrals at Farragut Square for users arriving from north of the Mall, and at Independence Avenue and 12th Street SW for customers coming in from the south side.
More about biking tomorrow can be found here.
CAN I WALK TO THE INAUGURATION?
Yeah, why not? However, Pennsylvania Avenue NW will be closed to all traffic—including pedestrians—between the Capitol and the White House for the inaugural parade route.
HOW MANY STREETS WILL BE CLOSED?
Lots. Just like it does at this time every four years, downtown D.C. currently feels like more of a barricaded fortress than a pockmarked streetscape of construction zones, office towers, and chain restaurants. Should you need to drive between now and Tuesday morning, be mindful that scores of roadways will be closed. Most Potomac River crossings will remain open, however.
CAN I STAND IN THE THIRD STREET TUNNEL?
Don’t be stupid. The so-called “Purple Tunnel of Doom” is among the roads that will be closed to all traffic—motorized and otherwise. But, if you’re feeling that nostalgic, you can always bash your head against a brick wall.
WHERE WILL MY LOCAL LEADERS BE?
While you’re freezing your ass off and holding in your bladder, many of the District’s top officials will be kibitzing inside a $342,000 parade review stand jutting out from the front of the John A. Wilson Building along with invited guests. Mayor Vince Gray will be marching in the parade.
CAN I GO TO THE BATHROOM?
Um, that’s a little personal. But if nature calls while you’re at the swearing-in, the National Mall has been outfitted with 2,400 portable toilets. But John Banzhaf, a law professor and litigation troll at George Washington University, says that might not be enough.
WILL PRESIDENT OBAMA RIDE IN A CAR WITH “TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION” PLATES DURING THE PARADE?
Actually, in 2009, the newly sworn-in president and Michelle Obama got out and walked. But those pro-statehood plates made their public debut yesterday, when a trio of White House sport-utility vehicles were part of a motorcade that whisked the president across town.
I HAVE A TICKET TO THE INAUGURATION BUT I DON’T FEEL LIKE GOING. CAN I SELL IT?
We’re not going to stop you, but Senator Schumer might!
CAN I GO TO THE INAUGURAL BALL? A lot of organizations are throwing inaugural balls, but there are only two official soirees where the president and vice president will take a lap, and only one of those was actually open to the public. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is playing host to both the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, which is for active-duty military and veterans, and the main ball, tickets to which sold out when Ticketmaster screwed up and put them on sale the night before they were scheduled to be released. Here’s Craigslist. Good luck.
WHO IS PERFORMING AT THE INAUGURAL BALLS?
Guests at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball will be entertained by Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Chris Cornell, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, and Marc Anthony. The main ball will feature Alicia Keys, Black Violin, Brad Paisley, Far East Movement, fun., the cast of Glee, John Legend, Katy Perry, Maná, Smokey Robinson, Soundgarden, Stevie Wonder, and Usher.
Look, they didn’t ask us. Maybe there should have been a White House petition asking President Obama to sign an executive order to have Yo La Tengo play for seven hours.
WHO THE FUCK SIGNED OFF ON CHRIS CORNELL PERFORMING TWICE?
It’s a national outrage, and hopefully House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) will launch an investigation on Tuesday.
DID ANYONE EVER BUY THOSE RIDICULOUS INAUGURATION DEALS?
Not all of them. Although the entirety of the Morrison House Hotel in Alexandria was available for $200,000—monogrammed pajamas included—no one bit, says Jaclyn Randolph, a publicist for Kimpton Hotels.
THIS IS EXHAUSTING! WHERE CAN I GET A DRINK?
Perhaps the best—maybe only good—thing about inauguration is that the city government allows a select number of bars and restaurants to stay open and serve alcohol until 4 a.m. More than 150 establishments across D.C. will be staying open late today and tomorrow. Read the list or check the map.
I’M GOING TO AN INAUGURAL PARTY WITH AN OPEN BAR. DO I NEED TO TIP MY BARTENDER?
What are you, an asshole?
WILL DCIST BE COVERING THE INAUGURATION?
Finally, an important question! You bet your sweet web clicks we are. We’ll have people up at the Capitol, down on the National Mall, along the parade route, and at the inaugural ball. We’ll be writing up the madness all day, so keep your browser tuned to DCist and follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #inaugurationist.
