It's a Packed House in Washington

Millions will crowd Washington, D.C. today as they prepare to watch the Inauguration of the first African-American President of the United States, Barack Obama.

By: Daniel Gilbert | TriCities.com
Published: January 20, 2009

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama is the man of the hour, the dominant story of the nation’s capital, except when he isn’t.
The record crowds that were filling the city Monday, jamming the metro stations, shutting off major traffic arteries, are a byproduct of the inauguration – except when they take it over.
No one came with the goal of being stuck in a crowd, but everyone is, and when the human traffic grinds to a halt, the conversation turns, not to the historic election, but rather to the masses.
In the Metro stations, people stopped on escalators to snap photos of the congestion. On Capitol Hill, where people lined up all day by the thousands to collect tickets from their representatives, they split into different lines and spoke frequently on cell phones to see which one was moving faster.
Peddlers hawking portraits and buttons and clothing stamped with Obama’s likeness strolled up and down the lines. So did others selling tickets to inaugural balls. “Jump-start the economy,” one called out.
“This is good,” said a woman in line outside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill, where the line stretched at least two city blocks. “This is preparing us for tomorrow.”
“Oh, this is just ridiculous,” said one woman as she took in the lines.
“You’re in the right line,” said a District of Columbia police officer. “You’ll get there eventually.”
Some Metro stations were so crowded that people with fares were held back.
“Smile and be patient,” a metro official gruffly admonished.
“Wait until you get off the train before you get on,” shouted a man as he made his way off the subway.
“Two minutes, longer train,” pleaded another metro official as travelers packed the platform. Two girls tried to pass by him. “We got a train coming, I don’t want you right on the edge,” he said. “Hey, stop walking ’for you get crushed by a train, lady.”
“I wonder how they’re going to do this tomorrow,” remarked one passenger.
“Oh! Got children, got children!” said a woman pushing her way out of a train behind a child.
At one point, transit officials stopped travelers from exiting the station just before the escalators. How were they regulating the crowds?
“By sight,” said one metro officer. “By how we feel. And that’s how it’s gonna be.”
Abingdon resident Kay Saul had planned to depart for the inauguration at 5 a.m.; on Monday, she pushed that back to 3 a.m. – an hour before the first train departs.
Vern and Anita Presley, of Buchanan County, were still hashing out what time they would head to the metro.
“She was thinking 4 a.m. I was thinking 6 a.m.,” Vern Presley said.
“We’ll be there at 4 a.m.,” said his wife.
dgilbert@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2558

It's a Packed House in Washington

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