Thousands -- Including Me -- Shut Out of the Inauguration: Heartbreak at the Blue, Silver, and Purple Lines

The inauguration of President Obama was truly a joyous occasion. His speech was brilliant; the images were breathtaking. However, for tens of thousands of blue, silver, and purple ticket-holders, the inauguration went bafflingly and heartbreakingly unseen and unheard.

My wife and I were among this number. We had blue "South Standing" tickets, and arrived at the swamped area approaching the sole entrance to the blue section at 9:30 a.m. We couldn't get within 100 yards of the security checkpoint. An unmanaged crowd of thousands pressed toward the gate from all sides. Nobody knew what was going on; there were no signs, announcements, or crowd control. People around us had been waiting since dawn with no clue how to navigate the swelling, unchecked, unmoving crowd.

By 11:15-- fifteen minutes before the gates were scheduled to shut--we had gotten only slightly closer to the gate. The sinking, previously unthinkable notion that we would be shut out had become starkly real. We were still about a football field away. Children were crying and adults were shouting. Many had traveled from Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia...

My wife and I managed to escape the mob and use a connection to get into the Rayburn House Office Building where we saw the ceremony on a television into a congressional subcommittee office. Thousands of others were not so fortunate.

Someone ought to look into this.

It was no secret as to how many blue, silver, and purple tickets had been printed. Why the security gates were unable to process the ticket-holders is a mystery. Why there was no direction or organization or crowd control from the Capitol Police is upsetting. Already message boards on the Washington Post are filling up with accounts of shattered, spurned citizens.

One epitomizing comment reads:

"My mother and I came from Oregon to be a part of this historic event. I worked for the Obama campaign and continue to be a part of community organizing in Oregon. We were blue ticket holders arriving as others had at 6:00am. We weren't let into the Inauguration despite having our blue tickets in hand, because of the inept and non-existent actions of the Capitol Police. Many of us pleaded the only officer near us to bring more police and help with crowd management. We waited in a line that didn't move for hours... It was chaos. It was awful. With By 1130am when we were still anywhere near the only security checkpoint the crowd became really ugly and started crushing people ahead of them. The police did nothing. We traveled over 2000 miles - to be here in DC. We weren't allowed to see the Inauguration!"

The rejection of thousands of ticket-holders--many of whom had traveled across the country for a one-time shot opportunity to witness history-- is an unfortunate blot on an otherwise glorious day for America and the world.

Comments

[BelleoftheBlog]

I lived through BlueGate! For the first 2.5 hours in "line" everyone was happy. Then people got concerned, then upset. When the crowd started surging about 11:15 (not angry/violent ~ just desperate), I managed to escape and go toward the Mall. I found space near a loudspeaker. I couldn't see a jumbotron, but had a view of the Capitol and could hear everything.

The entire time in "line," I saw ONE so-called security officer. He had no insignia on his jacket; I think he was a rent-a-cop. We never saw any D.C./Capit­ol police/guardsmen.

It looked like there were the same number of screeners for "Orange" as there were for "Blue," yet it seemed there were more people with Blue tickets. Why didn't planners have more screeners for bigger sections? Why didn't planners do simple math and expand checkpoints? They knew how many tickets were issued (250,000). They knew how long checkpoints would be open (9 -11:45). That's over 1500 PER MINUTE to check, yet they funnelled us through five small gates.

We followed instructions. We arrived hours early. We didn't bring contraband; I saw NO bags/strollers in "line." We stood where directed. We were polite, not unruly. I didn't see anyone rush the gates, as reported elsewhere. Whatever went wrong, it can't be blamed on ticketholders. Responsibility lies with planners, on-site security, or both. All I've heard are attempts to blame others. I look forward to someone taking responsibility.

[Annie22203]

My daughter, age 13, and her uncle who flew in from Nebraska arrived at the purple gate at 6 a.m. Monday morning. A policeman carefully checked their tickets and, only after confirming that they had purple tickets, allowed them into the line that was just then beginning to snake into the tunnel. THEY WAITED OVER SIX HOURS!!! The crowd grew and grew - and obviously there were many who arrived later who never even made it into the tunnel, but went toward the gate itself. SIX HOURS, people, in the freezing cold - some food, no water - with a crowd the size that could easily riot. Instead, people were kind and generous in their frustration, and no violence or anger took over. The disappointment that these people have, however, is palpable, and that moment in time cannot be replaced. I'm so sad for all of you who held these tickets and who were treated so poorly.

[CincyJen]

(CONTINUED from previous comment) I did read later that a generator had failed in the Blue area and everyone was being hand-wanded; it would have been nice to have been informed of that; it would have been nice if someone, anyone tried to calm the crowd. It is a testament to the good nature and character of the group that nobody was hurt, honestly.

Heading back up D Street, we heard the cannon fire and knew that Obama had just become President. An impromptu street party of dejected ticket holders cried and hugged strangers, and that became My Inauguration Moment. Minutes later we made our way to The Dubliner, where we first learned about the "Purple People" who had suffered the same indignity we had, only they were stuck in an underground tunnel. We arrived just in time to see Bush's helicopter lift off, raise a pint of Guiness and sing "Na Na Hey Hey" in unison with revelers. So the entire day was not a loss... just a bitter and crushing disappointment.

Since the ticketed areas of the Capitol go through the same protocol every four years, how on earth did DC manage to pull off such an Epic Fail? While I did enjoy the Inauguration, and commiserating with the dejected at The Dubliner, I do think we deserve some answers, some explanation as to how thousands of people with hard-earned tickets were summarily dismissed.

Dan, thanks again for sharing your thoughts. Free The Blue & Purple People!!

[CincyJen]

(Continued from previous comment:)

By 10:30 it was beginning to sink in that we might now make it in at all. This was unfathomable, and we all began to feel a bit dejected. Still, we slogged it out and waited. And waited. And waited.

Around 11:15, people began chanting "What's Going On! What's Going On!" There were no volunteers, no officials, no uniformed police, nobody with a simple bullhorn to give us updates or official instructions. The crowd grew restless until finally, there was a massive push that began in the back of the crowd and swept us up. Before I knew what was happening, I found myself pushed into a tree and utterly lost. It was horrible. Soon I regained my footing and realized that the mob behind us was trying to push us all toward the people who were ahead of us, attempting to merge with them. That crowd began shouting at our mob. I finally found my friend and we moved as best we could, sideways and away from the crowd. It was now 11:35 and we knew for certain we would miss this historic moment. As we passed the Orange security area, we saw a long row of magnetometers and tons of security, and they wouldn't let us pass through there. Nobody was left at
that checkpoint, so apparently some of the security areas were well-managed, unlike ours. (CONTINUED, please see next comment)

[CincyJen]

Dear Dan,

Thank you so much for providing this account. I, too, was one of the unfortunate Blue ticket holders, and I was stuck in that "line" right along with you. We came from Cincinnati, our hearts soaring and filled with anticipation, as we arrived at Union Station. The signage was very poor, and although we had plotted our trip to the Blue security checkpoint far in advance, it was very difficult negotiating the huge throngs filing out of Union Station. Finally, a Capitol police officer pointed us in the right direction, and around 8:15 am we arrived at the area. And that's what it was... an area. The signage was horrible, there was no line, just a massive conglomeration of excited Blue ticket holders.

As you know, the mass moved slowly, slowly, slowly toward what we imagined was the checkpoint; we couldn't see it at all. Everyone around us was good-natured and well-humored; you had to have been in that crowd or else we'd have all gone insane in the confusion. Many of us, myself included, checked websites on our phone and announced updates to each other. "The blue area is still empty!" "My friend is in the orange area and she had no problem... but she says the blue area is looking full." "WaPo site says all security checkpoints jammed; please be patient." (Cont'd, next comment)

[lw500]

As a previous Obama campaign staffer with a group of ten staffers, none of got in with purple tickets. This was the least organized Obama event I have ever been to. NO ONE to help or give directions. Just one big massive sea of people waiting and not knowing where to go with purple, yellow, and non ticket holders all merged together in a mob between two buildings and a fence. This was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. I realize that this was historically the largest crowd this city has seen, but they expected it. There should have been distinct line barricades with people directing people to the end of the line throughout the city.

[John Shabe]

Our experience was similar to yours. We met folks that arrived pre 8 am at blue and were turned away. I posted some video here ... http://videos.nj.com/news_videos/

[MitchelleWS]

We waited on Washington Avenue from 7:30 in the morning because that is where we were directed by CapPolice. Finally at 11:30 when we realized that all of orange ticket holders had gone through and blue wasn't moving, we realized that we'd been told to wait in the wrong area. My 12 year old daughter and I had stood in the cold for all that time and then we learned that we weren't actually in a line for anything, that the real line was over on 2nd street, so we pushed our way over to the actual blue gate where we waited for another half hour only to learn that the gate had been closed.

Needless to say we were sorely disappointed. But the election of Barack Obama was not the realization of my lifes dreams and work. We met people from St Louis, Detroit, New York, California who only had swearing in tickets and had come all this way to be blue ticket losers. So I am disappointed, but I would be apoplectic if I'd come all that way and had a ticket and didn't even budge off of Washington Avenue.

My question though is if they were having generator problems with the blue security gate, why didn't they reroute the 10,000 people waiting on Washington Avenue to the Orange Gate, which had cleared by 10:30 or so? They could have made a decision to try to help that sea of people, and they chose NOT to help anyone.

[ChazG]

Yep, one of thousands. Many had the same problem. Feinstein? Secret Service? Metro Police? No marshals directing people for sure. Hopefully, the rest of the Obama era when it comes to the hoi polloi (sp?) will be better.

[Annie22203]

yes, stuff happens, and i think that we all realize this. But when you get to an event at 6 a.m. and the gates just DON'T OPEN - as happened in the purple area, how heartbreaking and frustrating it is. We saw huge open spaces in the purple area on television because they simply didn't open the gates. I don't blame Obama, but I do blame the committee that didn't have people available who could work on problems as they happened.

[NickHP]

I wouldn't get too mad. It was primarily number of people. Stuff happens. Yes there are planning issues, but I don't hold it against them to the point of anger. Did someone screw up putting out too many tickets? Maybe. But ticketing is a statistical thing. You only expect 75% to turn up, and then 85% show up and all commitments are off. You can't control that, and you don't want to leave the venue empty.

I got caught in a crowd of 50000 trying to get off the Mall going west across 14th st. towards the Washington Monument. There were barricades in front of us, and 10 soldiers on the street putting the barricades up so that cross street emergency vehicles could go. Even after they were gone, they wouldn't open up the gates.

Normal dispersion would have been for people to walk away from the event, but this was not allowed. The traffic flow seems to be systematic in the layout of the place, rather than germane to this gathering. After we got past the open space beside the Washington Monument, we ran into a line of 100 outhouses making a wall across the Mall. Forcing people left around them. Once past that there were a continuous line of buses not yielding to pedestrians. And the walk up 18th street was again a solid line of people.

President Barak Obama. Yes we did. But I watched from the outdoor screens, he was too far away.

[singforpeace]

This is why I didn't even give a second thought to going. I knew that whether I had tickets or not, that once in DC it would be a crap shoot to actually be able to see or hear the inauguration. Perhaps in my youth I would have chosen to weather the cold to just be in the same city but knew that I would be able to see and hear everything from the comfort of a warm home surrounded by friends. Much better arrangement for me.

[lynnn]

This happened to my mom too, well almost she left the line (real early) and did some weird maneuvering to get in (she didn't get in her seat) but yea. Sorry it happened.

[dessertsfirst]

That is so sad!
It sounds like the crowd was so unruly, that sincere individuals were unable to enjoy even the atmosphere surrounding the event. It really seems as if more could have been done to accommodate people so that they could have been in some way a part of this historic Inaugural event.

[Ashley Reynolds]

Dessertsfirst: Being a part of what is now being called "Purplegate" I can tell you that the crowd was not unruly. They were angry, cold, shivering, sniffling, and confused -- but quite civil. As one of the folks stuck for hours at 1st and D I can tell you that we were ignored by capitol police other than when they escorted Samuel L. Jackson through our mass of humanity, we were pressed even closer together so that an emergency vehicle could drive through and park about a block away, we were ignored by Capitol Police and Emergency Personnel even when a woman passed out and individuals yelled at a firefighter for help. There were no volunteers, no signs, no assistance, and for the many elderly and children -- no porta potties, warming areas, or emergency services. It is through the civility of the crowd that DC did not have riot-based fatalities on its hands. Eventually many of us left -- thankfully my cousin and I's curiosity won out and we were lucky enough to make it into the gate at the 11:00am surge after chants of "Let us in!". Folks stuck in the tunnel of Doom or on 1st had tickets, were in the cold, and only wanted answers. This was mismanagement at its best.

[CincyJen]

As a "Blue Person," I agree with you, Ashley. If it were not for the good nature and cheer of the Blue crowd, something truly awful could have ensued. It was a peaceful if frustrated mob, as I commented above. When the crowd behind us surged forward, and after I came face to face with a tree, we escaped the group and headed back up D Street, dejected but still happy. It was actually fun meeting with other dejected ticket holders at The Dubliner, where we first learned that The Purple People had suffered right along with us. There is a bit of joy shared, in our collective misery!

FREE THE BLUE AND PURPLE PEOPLE! FREE THE BLUE AND PURPLE PEOPLE!!! :-)