Obamania, D.C.
If President-elect Barack Obama really wants to put a dent in that federal deficit, he might consider coming up with a license deal for his own image. The streets of this city, where the population is 56% African-American, are taking on the feel of London before a royal wedding.
Sidewalk stands that normally sell umbrellas and souvenirs are now hawking all kinds of Obama-themed merchandise: hats, t-shirts, posters. The same is true of store windows all over downtown. Congressional offices report being swamped by requests for tickets to the inauguration. (And the local hotels are offering packages that can top $200,000 for a four-night stay, a chauffeur-driven Maserati and daily spa treatments.) Meanwhile, the locals are suddenly hearing from friends and relatives everywhere. As the Post reported this weekend:
In Mitchellville, Elease Houston's nephew called from Atlanta. In Georgetown, Kyle Gibson received an e-mail from a buddy looking for a bunk. And in Northwest Washington, Astrid Trinh fielded calls from loved ones in four different European countries.
"My house has turned into a bed-and-breakfast for the inauguration," said Trinh, 46, an administrative legal assistant at a Virginia law firm. "I've got people coming from Belgium, France, Switzerland and Spain. I think there will be about 15. . . . I told people they could come and I'll figure out the beds later."
Just a reminder, if you are headed our way: Dress warmly. The national mall can be pretty cold in January.
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I second Kathy's idea: a Swamprat Rendezvous at the Inauguration. This would actually draw me out of the catacombs. KT, care to organize something, with Time sponsoring?
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KT here--
TIME sponsoring? Ha! Have you heard what's going on around here lately? However, I will personally buy a round on inauguration day for any Swampland commenters who make it to our nation's capital. Time and place TBD.
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I'm looking into the possibility of faxing myself to and from Jim Clyburn's office as an alternative to bedding down with strangers.
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I'll make samogon if someone provides me with a washing machine and a large sack of sugar.
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Hey if KT's buying drinks I and mine are certainly in
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KT this little Swamprat in Oz is simply green with acceptable envy..oh my oh my how I'd adore to be there. Have you any idea how this story has captured the world's heart? Maybe if I seriously ask the travel angels magic might happen!
I'll raise my glass to you all on THE day!...(by the way an American pal of mine rang a big bell 20 or 30 times when the wondrous 270 had been reached)
Goosebumps even imagining that January day...
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Elvis Elvisberg Says:
" .. Holy cow,.."
Ah, my fellow Hindu .." .. Amy Goodman on CNN. Just pointed out that the WH was built by slaves, will now be inhabited by people descended from slaves. Wow. A different world..."
The campaign season was memorable in many ways. Among them was the sheer amount of campaign images that one was bombarded with on the internet.
Now and then there were images that gave one pause - as if confronted with a stark snapshot of our lives and our past that had been suppressed.Like the image one saw now and then of a tear silently running down a stolid face ..
And a still inner voice that reached out and whispered to the image, "Weep not, Child."
A milestone was within reach (Madelyn). And a milestone had been reached (Makeba). There is still work to be done. -
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[...] if you live in or near D.C., consider renting out your home at a great price for those inauguration-hungry folk. It'll get you right out of your holiday [...]
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