D.C. lines are long, but crowd is friendly

Published 11:00 pm Monday, January 19, 2009

It seems nearly everyone in D.C. has a camera around their neck. Even Rep Rick Larsen, D-Everett, is hoping for a good snapshot of Barack Obama today.

He’s borrowed cameras so he, his wife and their two sons can each have one for the event. He wants a good photo of Obama with his hand on the Bible.

Nearly a quarter-million people showed up with their hands out at the offices of federal lawmakers Monday.

They did not come to protest or lobby. They came for their inauguration tickets. Hordes of inauguration-goers packed the Capital South Metro station Monday on their way to pick up tickets from their representatives and senators.

The station got so overwhelmed, Metro riders said the guards lifted the gates and let riders leave the station without paying.

Hilary Hager of Everett said it took her 15 minutes to get out of the Metro station. She then got in one of the long lines leading to the front doors of the Cannon House Office Building, where she was headed to get her ticket from Larsen’s office.

She described the scene this way:

“There are thousands and thousands and thousands of people, and three lines to get in,” she said. “It’s unbelievably packed.”

He didn’t think he’d have much of a chance, but Adam Coady called to Larsen’s office to see if he could get a ticket to the inauguration.

Coady, who grew up in Monroe and is attending law school at Georgetown University, was thrilled when he got the call that he was getting a ticket. Larsen held a lottery to give away about 200 tickets to the inauguration.

The city has been much more packed than usual, but, Coady said, everybody has been exceptionally friendly.

To the ire of regulars, the Potbelly Sandwich Works in Washington, D.C., cut back its menu and raised prices on some items for the inauguration.

They’ve got three special meal deals: Barack’s Fave, the Lincoln Ave. and The Full Belly.

Former Snohomish County Councilman Bruce Agnew was among those braving bone-chilling temperatures in order to get their ticket.

Agnew served on the County Council from 1980 to 1987 as a Republican but said he voted for Obama because he likes the Democrat’s positions on energy.

Agnew, who attended the 1989 inauguration of the first President Bush, said this one is different.

“There is so much more energy,” he said. “The crowds are remarkable. Everywhere you can just feel an energy.”

How cold is it?

Well, Everett City Councilman Mark Olson said it’s colder than 1993 when he attended President Clinton’s first swearing-in, but not quite as cold as when he came to the second in 1997.

He said he recalls the temperature was about 22 before factoring in the wind chill. Today is expected to be around 31 degrees.

“Ninety-seven was fiercely cold, a biting cold,” he said.