Posted on 12/22/2008 6:07:48 AM PST by jessduntno
By Mary Beth Sheridan Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, December 22, 2008
Officials are casting doubt on an early projection that 4 million to 5 million people could jam downtown Washington on Inauguration Day, saying it is more likely that the crowd will be about half that size.
D.C. authorities said the earlier estimates, provided by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), were based on speculation surrounding the historic nature of the swearing-in of Barack Obama as the nation's first African American president. After weeks of checking with charter bus companies, airlines and other sources, they're reassessing.
"It's more of an art than a science," City Administrator Dan Tangherlini said. "The fact is, earlier it was speculation. Now we're beginning to flesh it out and what the physical capacities of the system are."
The Secret Service has dismissed the high-end estimates of 4 million to 5 million people. But there is universal agreement among security officials and planners that massive numbers of people will flock to the swearing-in of Obama (D), who had drawn huge campaign crowds.
Turnout could easily reach 2 million, officials said, far outstripping the 400,000 who attended the 2005 inauguration of President Bush. Although it is possible that 5 million people will descend on the area in the days leading up to the inauguration, it appears unlikely that trains and local roads could get them all to the Mall and parade route Jan. 20, officials said.
Jawauna Greene, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Transit Administration, said that inaugural planning committees had initially considered up to 6 million attendees.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said the most recent estimates she has gotten from the Presidential Inaugural Committee and federal and local officials project between 1.5 million and 3 million people.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“The hype of the 10,000 man march.”
He lost the gays because of Rick Warren, so there will be no million man sashay...
“That quote was exactly what I had in mind when I posted.
I’m blanking though, was that FDR or Teddy?”
Sorry, I cut off the lead in:
Hyphenated American is phrase coined or popularized by Theodore Roosevelt in a 1915 speech to the Knights of Columbus. Roosevelt said:
It just may be possible that recent headlines are already having a halo-tarnishing effect.
Also, many less-affluent people are re-thinking if they can take the time off and afford the travel and hotel bills in light of the current situation.
Also, a significant portion of said fans may be unable to fight their way through the snowdrifts outside their doors or the ice on their streets and sidewalks...
Let’s get a pot going - will the Obamas walk any distance at all, and if so, how far, in blocks?
My bet: They will walk less than one block, if any at all. Mee-shell MaBell is terrified of an assassination, and she wears the pants in that family.
I’m in for one cyber-dollar.
They need rock bands and oceans of free beer to get the attendance up.
FFDR wouldn't have had the huevos to say that, I should have known better. Thanks!
No the leeches will already be there in attendance. They will be waiting for all of our taxpayer dollars to rain down from the sky.
It’ll probably rain frogs and the Potomac will turn to blood.
“They need rock bands and oceans of free beer to get the attendance up.”
There used to be a country rock band called Free Beer and Chicken...made for some interesting signs and disappointed crowds...that would be a giggle...hey I’m putting the band back together for a gig in DC...
Washington DC is full of Gays. They will be their just for the party.
No matter how many thousands attend the pro-life event, the media lowballs it & are stingy with pictures.
Every single year.
Significant that the most abortion minded President's inaugural we've ever had will be followed 2 days later by the recognition of 36 years of abortion.
Maybe....just maybe....because we have allowed 36 years of abortion resulting in 50 million unborn babies dying... we have a Barack Hussein Obama who hasn't met an abortion he doesn't approve of.
I read that carrying an umbrella is prohibited along the parade route (security violation). Freezing rain and sleet sounds perfect to me.
Maybe people are calling in gay...
If not, the Obamites are the types that would make you leave your valuables at home if you're standing amongst them......
I think folks are paying attention to the recent increase in “global warming” and opting to stay home. They don’t want to risk getting sunburn.
“I’m hoping that it will either be 33 degrees and a freezing rain all day or 3 degrees and bitter cold”
I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
What???? Is the “government” of Kenya also banning the Obama relatives from attending (what with multiple wives there ought to be thousands of first cousins alone.)
Anybody gotta link to the long range weather forecast for Jan 20?
"You don't expect us to attend the inauguration at our own expense, do you?"
They’ll blame the lack of interest on the rotten economy...which is Bush’s fault, of course.
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