Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Inaugural Preparations Report

The International Herald Tribune and the New York Times report:
Even as plans to celebrate President George W. Bush's inauguration were taking final shape, the capital on Tuesday appeared more like a city under siege.

Hour by hour, the city of grand buildings and marble statues seemed to disappear behind curtains of steel security fences and concrete barriers.

Piece by piece, the massive security plan that officials promised would be the tightest ever in post-9/11 America began taking final shape despite the absence of any specific threat and seemingly without regard to the temporary inconveniences to local residents and visitors.
Having walked through DC today, I have one question: from what angle were these reporters looking that 3-foot crowd control fences block out the city? The reporters should try to get through a crowd of summer tourists.
Officials tightened the broad perimeter surrounding the Capitol, the parade route and the presidential reviewing stand near the White House as construction teams added more security fencing that put more of the city's public spaces off limits.
Yeah, we couldn't go sit on the chairs that they set up for the seated attendees. Bummer. Should they just wait and put those up Thursday morning?

The biggest inconvenience of the day was a delay on the blue and orange Metro lines caused by a sick passenger. Is that the President's fault too?

Update, Feb. 14: A few of my photos from DC are now available here.

No comments: