Inauguration "Fiasco" Leaves NYC Ticket Holders Mad at Schumer

If you were one of the 150,000 New Yorkers who tried and failed to nab one of the golden tickets to the Obama Inauguration distributed by Senator Chuck Schumer, consider yourself lucky. Schumer is now calling for an investigation into last Tuesday's utterly predictable clusterfuck, which left thousands languishing in lines far from the area where President Obama took his mangled oath of office. (Some were reduced to calling family at home and listening to Obama's address on TV via cell phone!) The Daily News obtained an e-mail sent to Schumer from one bitter ticket winner named Cathy Shannon, who writes, "I'm sorry I was a winner, as now I am a big loser. After waiting on line for 3-1/2 hours... I actually got to miss the event. It was disgraceful... The most disorganized event I ever attended in my life. Schumer says he "feels terrible" and promises he'll make it up to everyone in 2012!

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By John Del Signore in Food on January 23, 2009 11:40 AM

Comments [rss]

peanut100

I heard that a lot of people who actually DID get there very early (I'm talking about 6am early) didn't get in either.

I was there & non ticketed.

The area for Purple, Blue & Silver was VERY VERY VERY disorganized (again this was around 7am). There was minimal directing from the individuals/police officers guiding ticket holders & non ticket holders. Basically if you made one wrong turn, you could be stuck somewhere for an hour plus in a throng of people.

These people are the ones who got stuck in the "Purple Tunnel of Doom." Poor people were stuck in the 3rd St Tunnel -- that could NOT have been pleasant, as it was wall to wall people and hello, you're stuck in a tunnel!! I was nervous simply walking through it (no security going thru this either -- backpack bomb anyone??!)

I really do feel bad for people who couldn't get in & had tickets. The city did not effectively guide people in my opinion. It wasn't Schumer's fault, but the city of DC. Their infrastructure stinks.

But man, it was worth it!! :)

ides_of_march

There are many reasons to be mad at the Brooklyn Bolshevik Schumer. This isn't one of them.

EastRiver

These are the same people that show up at the movies after the previews start and wonder why they can't get four seats together dead center.

jackdonaghy

LOL@ #1's comment. I'm not sure if I loathe or subconciously enjoy those commercials...

Alright, so I have no reason to remain bitter toward that cute 4 year old that won tickets to the inauguartion (or as his/her dad probably explained - "the biggest and bestest Wiggles concert EVER").

(I'm kidding. I was never bitter...for more than 2-3 hours...)

ThisCharmingMan

I had tickets and succeeded in using them. The trick that these complainers missed was getting there early. Not a little bit early, but crazy early. I queued at my security checkpoint at 4:00 am and I was at least the 300th person in line at that point. What do these people think? I mean it was an event of insane historic proportions. While I don't think it was the most well organized event ever, it was a shitload of people, nobody was arrested, and me along with thousands of others were able to use our tickets to gain access to the Capital lawn.

snoopydog

4:00 AM comes around real early.

Great. Did you come away with any souvenirs from the Capital lawn? A hat, t shirt, program, anything?

JMH

I fail to see how it's Schumer's fault that the inauguration was a massive clusterfuck.

mocanlagunas

I, on the other hand, was extremely lucky, able to see very close-up the whole thing, warm, with a toilet nearby, food, drinks, and in my pajamas...

snoopydog

Do they get their money back at least, or car fare?

thatgirl1

Oh please. Money back for what? His office gave tickets away...plus I'm pretty sure it's not Chuck Schumer's fault the inauguration was unorganized. Something tells me he didn't have his hand in the inauguration event planning committee.