As one of the thousands of ticketholders who waited, waited and waited (for over four hours in 30 degree weather) at the Blue gate (the companion to the Purple gate on the House side of the Capitol), only to have the gates closed on us and unable to get in, I can only hope that the inaugural committee takes all of these complaints seriously and learns from its mistakes four years hence.  They did all of us a disservice.  Fortunately, an elderly man near us in line had the foresight to bring a transistor radio - about 10 of us huddled around him to listen to the swearing in and President Obama's speech.  It was the only consolation for what otherwise was a heartbreak for everyone who was left outside.

While not a good thing because it disappointed so many people if that is the only snafu of the event they are lucky.

Sure Di, write your letter. Maybe these no-loads should hire some lawyers and sue the government for millions. It is the American Way.

The other alternative is to have these people come in to the White House and have Obama take the oath again. Seems to be an everyday event for him.

Maybe we just shouldn't have these epic swearing ceremonies. Maybe just so something low key and semi-private with one pool camera for those that want to watch. Maybe we could spend $10000 on the inaugeration and not the hundreds of millions it's taking now.

Maybe.

Could the 'Tunnel of Doom' be considered to be torture?

Someone asked the question:

If your suspect dies from the torture you inflict, I'd have to say you'd be a pretty lousy "interrogator," wouldn't you?

Tim, Harrisburg (Sent Thursday, January 22, 2009 4:35 PM)

---------------

Depends. Depends on who saw it and who you wanted to make an impression on. If other prisoners were present when the one terrorist died, then I'd say that the others would have an impression.

it is easy to assume that the uniformed officers where operatives from hannity and rush.
But seriously, I noticed that most of the uniformed officers working in DC during the inauguration were out-of-towners.
I was given wrong road directions more than a dozen times that resorted to using the GPS on my cellphone for directons.

They missed the entire ceremony? That's the funniest and most unimportant thing I've heard since the Inaugaration. Big deal.

I was an eyewitness at the now-infamous Purple Gate entrance to the inaugural ceremonies.  My daughter and I held North Standing area tickets specifying admission to the inaugural ceremonies via the Purple Gate.  We arrived at the area of the Purple Gate shortly after 5:00 a.m. on January 20th.  We were instructed by uniformed officers to stand in a line two-to-three people wide that, at that point, stretched for approximately two blocks.  We stood in the line as instructed, but as the hours passed the situation deteriorated and there was no further involvement by or instructions from the police or anyone else.  

The line outside the Purple Gate began to swell until, by approximately 10:00 a.m., it was no longer a line but instead a tightly-packed crowd that extended from sidewalk-to-sidewalk on First Street NW approaching the intersection of Louisiana Avenue NW.  It became difficult to move within the crowd, and I feared the crowd might surge, so I urged people around me to remain calm and stay on their feet.  In my life I’ve been in many crowds at sporting, political and other large events, but I’ve never witnessed a situation as poorly managed and potentially dangerous as this one.

As the time for the swearing-in ceremony approached, people in the crowd began to realize that they would not gain admission and they slowly dispersed.  My daughter and I then sought access to the National Mall via other gates but found they were closed, so we missed the ceremonies.  To my knowledge no one was actually admitted via the Purple Gate.  

Again, the most unsettling aspect of the incident was the utter lack of crowd control or communication by officials.  One officer with a bullhorn could have kept the crowd informed or instructed people to move towards one of the public gates so they wouldn’t miss the festivities.  Many of the people near us in the crowd reported that they were campaign volunteers and other worthy ticket holders who had traveled long distances and made personal sacrifices in order to attend.  It was heartbreaking to witness their disappointment.

While the debacle at the Purple Gate did not overshadow the many positive aspects of inauguration day, the situation does warrant action.  Again, it was the utter disregard exhibited towards the dangerously-packed crowd, and the complete failure of official communication, that were most troublesome.  I was also astonished to read a statement by Capitol Police Chief Morse published in the WASHINGTON POST that "There's nobody that didn't get to see the inauguration today who had a ticket."  This is simply not true, and although I understand that Chief Morse later retracted this statement, the fact that he made it in the first place indicates that he had poor command over a potentially dangerous situation and that he spoke irresponsibly without knowledge of the actual situation.  I can assure you that if it was up to me and many others in the crowd outside the Purple Gate, he would be relieved of his command as a result of what occurred.

Is the Tunnel of Doom a replacement for Gitmo?

From an earlier post:

The GOP is not obstructing and cannot obstruct ANYTHING. The Donkey's or Jackasses(if you prefer) have control of Congress.  
Barry, Washington D.C. (Sent Thursday, January 22, 2009 12:41 PM)
___________

Oh really?  So, the minority party in congress can't obstruct anything? Then how did Dole and Gingrich manage to shut down the goverment for several days in a hissy fit for not getting their way?

There is a big difference between a majority in congress and having a fillibuster proof majority in congress.  A fillibuster proof majority will mean the minority cannot obstruct.  Since that fillibuster proof majority does not currently exist, they can obstruct all they want.

Thanks for playing though, and we have some lovely parting gifts for you.

Jackson, Seattle

Uh, Jackson.  When the government shut down, Dole and Gingrich had the majorities.  And it was actually Clinton who stood in the way of passing a budget and precipitated the shut down.

Clinton actually ended up benefiting politically,  but your facts are all wrong.  On the other hand, it is true that a minority party can obstruct.  As an example, I give you the Democrats during the Bush administration.

Please return your prize winnings and don't expect parting gifts.

To the Americans who did not witness the live inaugural. GET OVER IT! What did they expect? I suppose they would've seen the entire event from 80 rows back if they were on the street. It's like a live NFL football game, unless you are on the first seats at the fifty yard line you're not going to see anything anyway. They were there,they felt the excitment, they can see the playback up close anytime they want. They were part of the historic event, it doesn't mean THEY were the event. They should feel lucky they had a chance to go, unlike the other 298 million of us. Suck it up like tough Americans!

No more red and blue states -- only purple tunnels.

Mayor Sam Adams admitted this week that he lied to cover up his relationship with a teenage legislative intern because a potential mayoral candidate had spread rumors that Adams had sex with a minor.

Adams, 45, said the teen was 17 when they met in 2005, and that the relationship did not turn sexual until the boy turned 18. He said he lied because he was afraid voters wouldn’t believe that his young lover had turned 18 before they started having sex.

Should this democratic mayor of Portland be allowed to remain in office?

Reading this response has set me at ease after two sleepless nights, and several points of breaking down in tears. Mr. Van Hollen, you finally wrote out the truth about what we experienced in that tunnel. You acknowledged what truly happened and I pray that others will do the same so this never ever happens again.
I would like to add that the spirit of hope and peace was alive in that tunnel although we were forgotten. The true spirit of humanity was evident on this day as no riots, fights or even angry words broke out among the trapped crowd.

For all that went right on that day, it's heartbreaking that for these ticket holders things went so wrong. I feel they should at least get an apology for being denied access to this once in a lifetime event they wanted so desperately to see.

what a lawsuit coming on now, even though most of white americans were not given ticket's to this event and why are we calling it the tunnel of doom, did somebody die there??????? and why everytime I post something on this site I have to give up MY personal information, where every other site I am registared

Again I ask, "What was so 'historic' about this inaguration?"  If it's because obama is black, then doesn't that make you a racist?  You're making it about color, and not being a President.

I thought this obama guy was about change?  How is continuation of racism change?

He, our new President, should be ashamed for perpetuation the idea that his color is what's important.  If he didn't feel this way, then why all the fan fare?  Why didn't he DOWNPLAY his blackness and play up that he was the right man for the job.  This just show's me he's just another black man that feels intitled because of the color of his skin.

I feel so badly for these people who couldn't make it into the mall for the inauguration. Even if their ticketed sections were full, people could have at the very least been led into the mall and directed to go further back. There was room for more people back where we were. It wasn't a great view, but we at least had the big screen tv, which is probably how the majority of the people saw the swearing-in. It was certainly better than nothing, which is what these poor people got.

These stories that are coming out are really troubling. A lot of money was spent on airline tickets and hotels. So to be shut out completely just isn't right.

Who cares, I voted for McCain.

I made many sacrifices to be there. I live in CT. and brought my 16 yr old daughter to witness history. The tunnel experience is way more than anyone can imagine. We all waited patiently and helped each other by being kind and thoughtful. People shared their snacks and there was so much peace and love to be found. Right now the facebook website is our only solice. It is more like therapy to be able to share what happened. In fact, the experience of coming out of the tunnel after four hours was more like a movie.I will never ever forget this day.

Although the purple ticket holders certainly had the worst situation, there were thousands of silver and blue ticket holders who could not get into their sections either.  I had silver tickets, and my daughter and I were prevented from seeing the inauguration.  The easiest part of the entire logistics planning would have been to have enough metal detectors and security screeners to match the number of tickets issued, and this simply did not happen.  Virtually all the resources were concentrated within the secure perimeter of the mall and the parade route, with absolutely no communication for the dangerously overcrowded throngs of ticket-holders outside, obediently waiting to gain admittance. There was absolutely no police presence, authority, or signage to direct the huge flow of pedestrian traffic that should have been well anticipated.  

Future inauguration planning MUST:
1) Print only the number of tickets that correspond to a number of people that will fit in the allotted space and can get through security in the allotted time.
2) Calculate the amount of time per person needed to move through a security checkpoint and set open times for checkpoints accordingly.
3) Have at a bare minimum one volunteer per 10,000 ticket holders outside of the gates to usher people in ticket lines and pass communication from gates back to people in line. STAFF should do this, not police.
4) Have a plan for where long lines will go and rope lines to contain them.
5) Have a plan and way to communicate to and direct people in ticket lines in the event of unexpected gate closures.
6) If logistics cannot be handled, have a smaller ticketed area and open more of the mall to the general public.
7) Apologize and express condolences to all who are shut out for reasons beyond their control.

Regardless of the JCCIC investigation findings, I've been robbed of a lifetime experience. Further, I brought along my 10 year old cousin to witness history in the making -- an experience I knew would solidify his drive to overcome the obstacles in his life as a young African-American kid living in poverty and within a single parent home. We did everything right to get to the blue gate a little before 8am, including leaving at 4am from Richmond, VA. He endured the bitter cold, the long waits, and even the butterflies in his stomach. But, as our fears became reality in that we would not get through, he started to cry. His tears cut me deeper than missing the swearing-in.

Feeling defeated and in desperate need of a restroom, we walked to Union Station. There, we did see the last 20 seconds of Obama's speech on the television.

So, I ask my fellow blue and purple ticket holders to consider their loss as a political contribution and withhold any future contributions until you recoup your loss. For me, the experience was priceless, so the math is simple.

Amazingly, during our ride home, he tried to console me by saying he enjoyed the trip and that he experienced his first train ride (metro) and saw several Washington monuments, Union Station, Dorothy Height, and Wyclef Jean.

It  was plain and simply sabotage to tamp down the numbers.

Someone in a high place should be fired for thisResignation is not on.

Clive Ocnacuwenga
Jamaica

Typical of the mistrust in our country, we now must waste more money to investigate an obvious error in the handling of the crowd at the inaguration?????

Perhaps there is a Federal Grant for this, there seems to be a grant for everything else, which is a part of the reason for our country's financial plight at the moment.

Get serious, errors occur.  Have you not ever made an error???

DiFi, how about a "Tunnel of DOOM" inv. into prosecuting Bush/Cheney.  Remember FOIA?  So how about a SECRET inv.?  Remember the important thing is to look serious for the far left nut bags!

There will be NO PROSECUTIONS, Obama won't support any!  Can you guess why?  Because Bush/Cheney DID EVERY ILLEGAL ACT HAND IN HAND WITH POWERFUL DEMOCANTS.  The "opposition party" in 00' - 08' were fully in bed with them on EVERY illegal act!  Duh!  they jumped into bed with the democants and spent six years chasing each other around the oval office playing "naked co-ed bi-party power grab".  If there EVER were a seriuos prosecution Bush/Cheney JUST MIGHT EXPOSE Pelosi hilsy etc.  the end result might even cost the democants a seat or two.  THAT CAN'T HAPPEN, so a prosecution WON'T HAPPEN, DUH!!

Didn't ANY of you left wing posters EVER notice how your precious democants rolled over for Bush?  You never wondered why?  This isn't a two party system.  It is a one party system that has two subsidiary parties that act as public faces to distract you.  Like a big corporation running two "competing" products.  When you compete against yourself, you control the game.

So there going to investigate this but not real issues like torture, human rights violations, warrentless wire tapping, or policizing of department positions????? you know real issues?

muahahahaha

OMG, ARE WE REALLY GOING TO HAVE A FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION OF THIS.  People were warned that if they went they'd be taking their chances.  Besides, weren't the tickets FREE!  What do they plan to do with their findings, give folks a REFUND!

I truly feel sorry for the people who got shafted, but this is really a big fat waste of time and resources.

(Makes me glad I stayed in Philly and watched it from the lawn of the Constitution Center.)

(From another post)
>>>jawillie, isn't it time to drop the 'prosecute Bush/Cheney' line?    
Jowillie (Sent Thursday, January 22, 2009 4:39 PM)
==========
Sure I'll drop it, as soon as Bush and Cheney are prosecuted for war crimes as the line says.  BTW, I'm really flattered that you chose to use a distortion of my handle as your own.

Prosecute Bush/Cheney for war crimes!
http://jawillie.blog.com

2,000,000 attended a peaceful celebration.  Be glad.  

The people crying foul over this are obviously left-overs from the Bush years.  It's not about "who did me wrong"......it's about restoring our nation to the stature and grandure of the greatest nation on earth.  If missing this inauguration seems to be the greatest injustice of your life, you're pretty lucky.  Not another dime should be wasted on this issue.

Someone asked the question:

If your suspect dies from the torture you inflict, I'd have to say you'd be a pretty lousy "interrogator," wouldn't you?

Tim, Harrisburg (Sent Thursday, January 22, 2009 4:35 PM)

---------------

Depends. Depends on who saw it and who you wanted to make an impression on. If other prisoners were present when the one terrorist died, then I'd say that the others would have an impression.
Mike T., Iowa (Sent Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:49 PM)

------------------------------

You raise an interesting point Mike.  If you did kill the person, would that be considered "torture" of the person watching?  What if you only made it appear that you killed that person so as to loosen the other's tongue?  We're talking emotional pain here, so at what point would that be torture to the other person?

Interesting thoughts.

Sadden America, You are wrong about Obama being a racist. Infact I voted and campaigned for him and not once did I look at voting for a black person. I voted for the person that I thought would do the best job. I think the reason people are so inthusiastic about Obama is the same feeling those people had getting out of that tunnel. We are happy to get rid of the Bush people.It is a big relief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I was in that "Tunnel of Doom" and I think some who have posted here are completely missing the point. This was not just your normal, it was busy, not everyone could get in, kind of thing. Thousands of people were crammed into the tunnel which runs under the mall, approximately under the Silver ticketed standing section for the inauguration. Not only were these Americans crammed into the tunnel put in a dangerous situation without crowd controls but those standing above us were also endangered. The line which was unsecured ran under the mall and one unstable person, bent on terrorism, could have caused not only a mass loss of life, but could have destabilized our country at a tenuous time, during the transition of power.

Yes I missed the inauguration, but it could have been so much worse. We do indeed need this situation to get more scrutiny.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):