Inauguration Fever in the Big Apple

Photograph taken at the "We Are One" concert by Marcus Gilmer for Chicagoist

Everyone is getting ready today's inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, least of all the residents and visitors in Washington D.C. The Swearing In begins at 11:30 a.m.: Vice President-elect Joseph Biden will be sworn in around 11:46 a.m. and Obama will be sworn in ten minutes later, according to the NY Times' cool interactive graphic showing the events—and schedule—happening tomorrow.

If you or your friends, family or associates are in D.C. for the festivities, they may have faced long lines to pick up their Inauguration tickets from the House Offices Building and are probably bracing themselves on their journeys for the Swearing In, Parade, and any of the Inaugural Balls (pedicabs were brought in!). And let's not even get started about the rumored lack of Port-a-Potties (the Washington Post map shows their locations) for the expected crowds of 2 million. Cities and states have sent police officers and National Guard soldiers to D.C. to help the authorities out; NY State sent 200 from the National Guard, but the NYPD won't be there, apparently due to a previous 2005 assumption that the NYPD couldn't be there.

But if you're in NYC, check out our list of Inauguration events—including yoga in Bryant Park at 8 a.m., locations where you can watch it on big screens, and other celebrations. Also, Starbucks released their list of locations where the Inauguration will be screened and there are many NYC locations, but if you decide to watch the ceremony from your home or office, much of the coverage will begin at 8 a.m. (if not earlier on cable news channels!), but coverage will "kick into high gear" at 10 a.m.

ABC News, CBS News, NBC/MSNBC News, CNN, and Fox News are all offering streaming video on their sites, as well as extensive coverage of the events from morning throughout the day into the evening. Many networks are airing specials and finishing the evening with 10 p.m. wrap-up reports; Newsday's Verne Gay has some tips. And for some historical perspective, MSNBC.com has video of past inaugural addresses—including some from FDR and Woodrow Wilson!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on January 20, 2009 1:09 AM

Comments [rss]

Billiamsburg

when do he start givin us the repration and the free mony for bean on welfare and gt my cousin and brother outta jail mister obama they is is ppolitical priosners of the white man.

Peter

Just think what the Port-a-Potties will be like after a few hours.

SikBug

I really wish I was there for this one. This is the first one I will have missed since before Clinton. The Bush ones were only entertaining with all the people protesting and rioting against him.

ides_of_march

The media bashed Bush for holding expensive inauguration ceremonies but not a peep about Obama's which is costing about three times more and at a time when everybody is supposed to be tightening their belts.

Politburo

It is not costing three times more.. the actual festivities are only a few million more, pretty much in line with inflation. Some reported figures include the security costs, which are traditionally not included in the "cost" of an inauguration. One cannot fault Obama for the security or crowd situation (though I'm sure you'll try).

However there were certainly a few dems who attacked Bush four years ago, and there is no doubt that they have very special tickets for today's events...

EastRiver

I still think it is hypocritical for Democrats to be having rather lavish inaugural balls during an economic crisis. There were very loud protests in 2005 about Bush having parties during wartime. At least tone it down.

virgilstarkwell

a far cry from eight years ago...

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=bush+inauguration+protests&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Felix Hoenikker

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/01/obama-to-fight.html

BO to support continued warrantless wiretapping.

Forget about any move to investigate Bush administration's malfeasance regarding torture.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

EastRiver

Yawn. The NSA was monitoring everyone phone calls, faxes, and internet traffic when Clinton was President. You didn't think those huge arrays of satellite dishes conveniently located a few miles away from every major telecom company's downlink location were owned by ESPN, did you?

Politburo

Your link doesn't say what you claim it does.. all it says is that the Obama Administration will perform the constitutional duty of defending a law passed by Congress in court.

Felix Hoenikker

I'm suggesting that benign neglect of bad law is equivalent of actively supporting it, and that Bush's status quo will not be changed as much as BO's rhetoric would suggest. A new congress led by a new president can undo bad legislation, if motivated to do so.

I'll go out on a limb and predict that GWB's actors will 'walk' on torture as surely as RWR and company did on Iran-Contra.