Jack & Jill Politics

I think those with tickets to the Swearing-In who didn't get in might beg to differ on the importance of events. Attending the Balls was an additional activity and should be addressed by those that sponsored it. A lot of those events piggy-backed off the Inauguration should've been scrapped.

As I am loathe to complain (it's just not my style) but I will say that there were some major planning failures all around Inauguration Day. I know many Blue and Purple ticket holders to the inauguration who never even got to the mall, having waited many hours, some since dawn. The “Purple Tunnel of Doom” is fast becoming infamous (and miraculous) for how calmly people waited for nothing, NOTHING.

Folks who spent hard-earned $$ to travel by bus for 10+ hours. Folks who hadn't eaten or drank anything for fear of either not finding a bathroom or having to use the dreaded porta-potties. Folks who, despite their best efforts, still didn't have on enough warm clothes. Folks who had already walked miles from wherever the bus was parked in an unfamiliar town with cops who, since they were also from out-of-town were just as unfamiliar with DC and seemed to have no clue about ticket colors and entrance capacity.

Worst of all, when I actually got on the mall with my silver ticket (that nobody checked) . there was plenty of space in certain areas. I was on the'away' side of the reflecting pool from the Capitol. Great view of the capital bldg and a jumbotron. I was cold but happy to be there.

I'm sure the purple and blue ticket holders would have preferred to be there than in the tunnel or backed up (for no apparent reason) waiting to get in.

Now, I know my comments aren't about the Youth Ball. But I think all of these incidents (Youth Ball, blue and purple ticket holders, Metro station fiascos, police cars and cabs trying to drive on streets that were totally jammed with people) should be investigated.

It truly is a testament to the positive attitudes of a lot of cold, tired and disappointed people that some serious “unrest” didn't happen. I don't know how many, if any, ER visits occurred for exhaustion and/or frostbite.

Basically, it all could have gotten real ugly, real fast.

It was a great day, one for the ages, but there were some major planning failures all around Inauguration Day. I know many Blue and Purple ticket holders to the inauguration who never even got to the mall, having waited many hours, some since dawn. The “Purple Tunnel of Doom” is fast becoming infamous (and miraculous) for how calmly people waited for nothing, NOTHING.

Folks who spent hard-earned $$ to travel by bus for 10+ hours. Folks who hadn't eaten or drank anything for fear of either not finding a bathroom or having to use the dreaded porta-potties. Folks who, despite their best efforts, still didn't have on enough warm clothes. Folks who had already walked miles from wherever the bus was parked in an unfamiliar town with cops who, since they were also from out-of-town were just as unfamiliar with DC and seemed to have no clue about ticket colors and entrance capacity.

Worst of all, when I actually got on the mall with my silver ticket (that nobody checked) . there was plenty of space in certain areas. I was on the'away' side of the reflecting pool from the Capitol. Great view of the capitol bldg and a jumbotron. I was cold but happy to be there.

I'm sure the purple and blue ticket holders would have preferred to be there than in the tunnel or backed up (for no apparent reason) waiting to get in.

Now, I know my comments aren't about the Youth Ball. But I think all of these incidents (Youth Ball, blue and purple ticket holders, Metro station fiascos, police cars and cabs trying to drive on streets that were totally jammed with people) should be investigated.

It truly is a testament to the positive attitudes of a lot of cold, tired and disappointed people that some serious “unrest” didn't happen. I don't know how many, if any, ER visits occurred for exhaustion and/or frostbite.

Basically, it all could have gotten real ugly, real fast.

It was a great day, one for the ages, but there were some major planning failures all around Inauguration Day. I know many Blue and Purple ticket holders to the inauguration who never even got to the mall, having waited many hours, some since dawn. The “Purple Tunnel of Doom” is fast becoming infamous (and miraculous) for how calmly people waited for nothing, NOTHING.

Folks who spent hard-earned $$ to travel by bus for 10+ hours. Folks who hadn't eaten or drank anything for fear of either not finding a bathroom or having to use the dreaded porta-potties. Folks who, despite their best efforts, still didn't have on enough warm clothes. Folks who had already walked miles from wherever the bus was parked in an unfamiliar town with cops who, since they were also from out-of-town were just as unfamiliar with DC and seemed to have no clue about ticket colors and entrance capacity.

Worst of all, when I actually got on the mall with my silver ticket (that nobody checked) . there was plenty of space in certain areas. I was on the'away' side of the reflecting pool from the Capitol. Great view of the capitol bldg and a jumbotron. I was cold but happy to be there.

I'm sure the purple and blue ticket holders would have preferred to be there than in the tunnel or backed up (for no apparent reason) waiting to get in.

Now, I know my comments aren't about the Youth Ball. But I think all of these incidents (Youth Ball, blue and purple ticket holders, Metro station fiascos, police cars and cabs trying to drive on streets that were totally jammed with people) should be investigated.

It truly is a testament to the positive attitudes of a lot of cold, tired and disappointed people that some serious “unrest” didn't happen. I don't know how many, if any, ER visits occurred for exhaustion and/or frostbite.

Basically, it all could have gotten real ugly, real fast.