A little while ago I showed you the barricades ready to go in my neighborhood, and this morning they were out and fully manned.
The Hummer is a new development. I got up this morning, intending to putter a bit and then head to breakfast at Cafe Atlantico before slipping into the Newseum. Then I turned on the teevee and realized that that was a very bad plan. So I got myself out of bed, dressed and walked to the second closest entry point from my house. The closest was also the closest to the big Metro station, so I decided to skip those crowds. And yet, this is what it looked like at the entrance to the 3rd street tunnel around 8:30.
That was just the line to get into the security screening line. I have no idea who those shoes belong to, they're not mine. Very strange, that.
I got through that crowd of people, which truly could have turned into a stampede situation. I hugged the wall of the tunnel it ended, then stuck near the barricades. At that point, the police lost all control of the crowds - the set-up was poor and people hopped over lawns and moved barricades. I behaved myself until it seemed unsafe to do so, then walked over to the Newseum, thankfully joining a more civilized line to reach that spot. We stood outside for another hour, but it was worth it. I didn't manage to join the throngs watching the big screen TV in the front of the building because there were just too many for me to tolerate.
So I watched from the multi-screen theater in the building instead. There was one very strange thing about all the video screens showing different media outlets from CNN to Fox, ESPN and Al Jazeera...there were two screens on a channel playing infomercials.
Still, it was a great (and warm,) way to watch the oath being administered.
I watched part of the parade from the building, long enough for the Presidential motorcade to pass by. I did manage to snap a picture of the Obamas walking on the big screen, just so you can see how big the screen actually is.
Oh, and if you hadn't figured it out from the incessant mentions, CNN was on station inside the Newseum.
I will say that the man who was coordinating the 3D website for CNN's "The Moment" were charming and even though they were very busy, he took the time to show me what they were doing. I can think of all kinds of things you could do with this technology.
So far DC has done pretty darn well this weekend, with not many hiccups and a couple of truly heroic moments, one from a New York City chef and one from a Metro police officer this afternoon.
For those of you who are still reading, send good thoughts the way of those two and to Sen. Kennedy's family and staff.
We ended up in the frightening crowd at 1st and G, and almost bailed even though we had West Front South Standing room tickets (with 50,000 or so other people). D did a little reconnaissance and found a pretty clear path to our gate.
The energy at the Capitol was pretty amazing. In the end we were happy we stayed.
Posted by: SpindleRose | January 20, 2009 at 09:03 PM