WASHINGTON -- Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has good news for those living in the District: She has 600 additional inauguration tickets.
Usually, Holmes Norton is able to get extra tickets for D.C. residents, but this year has been especially hard with the huge interest in Obama's historic inauguration.
"This large number of additional tickets respects our role as the host city for inauguration and as the new hometown for President-elect Barack Obama and his family," Holmes Norton said.
Holmes Norton said she can't reveal the source of the tickets but said she's sure those selected to get the additional tickets will receive them as a special anonymous gift and will appreciate them regardless of the source.
Two members of the D.C. National Guard helped select names for Norton's original 198 tickets earlier this week, and on Wednesday morning Sgt. Vanessa Blackwell, a D.C. native who served in Iraq, and Cpl. Steven Kemp, a Southeast resident, went through Norton's list of 10,000 names of those who requested tickets to select the additional 600. The winners of the extra tickets got a call from Norton's office Wednesday.
Those selected were advised to accept the tickets only if they are prepared for the cold weather, long-distance walking, added security and standing for long periods of time without access to restrooms facilities. Residents are also urged to leave children at home unless they're old enough to handle the unusual conditions and added security restrictions which include strollers being banned from the inaugural area.
