Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, January 5, 2009
(UNDATED) - Thousands of Hoosiers are making plans to watch President-Elect Barack Obama take the oath of office on January 20.
Tickets to the inauguration are available only through your congressman's office. Seventh district representative Andre Carson's spokesman Micah Ragland says Carson's office alone received several thousand requests for the fewer than 200 tickets Carson's been allocated.
The office will hold a lottery this week to see who lands them. The only other avenue to score a ticket is through Obama's inaugural committee itself, which is conducting an essay contest on the question, "What does this inauguration mean to you?" 10 winners will receive not only tickets to the swearing-in but a hotel room in Washington.
The committee is encouraging entrants to donate money to help pay for the privately-funded festivities, although a donation is not required in order to win.
You can still attend the inauguration without a ticket. The two-mile-long national mall will be open, and is expected to be jammed. A ticket gets you standing room closer to the capitol steps, where U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath to Obama and Vice President-Elect Joe Biden.
But the half-mile or so of space closest to the rostrum will be reserved for members of congress, their families, and foreign dignitaries.
Tickets are standing room only. Strollers and folding chairs are not permitted.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.