My date with Barack

One of my favorite movies of recent years is a documentary called "My Date with Drew". It chronicled the attempts of one man to meet and have a date with Drew Barrymore. In the end, with perseverance and good luck, wish became reality.

I am now setting myself a more modest goal. I don't want to have a date with Barack Obama, I only want the date of January 20,2009 to be the one myself and my family will talk about as being part of a defining moment in our history. I am looking for 4 free seats to the inauguration.

My first attempt to secure a place in family lore was to follow up on the report that tickets to the swearing in were being distributed by Senators and Congressmen free of charge. My local congressman introduced my wife to me over 31 years ago. He was a guest at our wedding. My call to his local office, several days after the historic events of November 4, resulted in a polite response from one of the office staff that the tickets they were allotted were gone by 9:30 AM on the morning of the 5th. I did not even get a chance to grovel in front of my old friend.

The enormity of the quest was only reenforced when I investigated further. I read a November 10 report from CNN of ticket brokers asking as much as $20,095 for a single ticket to the inauguration. In that same article, Senator Diane Feinstein was quoted as saying she heard of tickets being sold for at least $40,000 apiece.


Methods to turn a profit from this event run rampant. When I go to Stub Hub I find offers to attend an 'inaugural gala' either the night before or the night of the election, but no seat to the swearing in. I also learn that America Tours can give me a 4 day vacation to NY and Washington and the tour guide will find the best available place where you can see 'as much as possible' but can't guarantee if you will be able to see the parade or how close you can get to the events.

The NY Times (November 28,2008) advises that house rentals are going for up to close to $60,000, outside of Washington, for the days leading up and including the inauguration.

CNN reported that 250,000 tickets have been printed for the inauguration and that the same are being held in 'a secure location'. Of course they are, because they are worth more than a ticket to any other event in the history of mankind.

I have just over 50 days to beg or steal (I don't want to have to borrow) my way in to the hottest event ever. I could suggest that many of the seats (if not already given away) be handed out by lottery, but this wouldn't provide any certainty of success. I might think that for admission to the event you have to swear under oath that you voted for Obama for President, but I doubt any Republicans would fess up and give up their seats. In any event, this still wouldn't bring me any assurance of reaching my goal.

I am asking for your help. Circulate this post to anyone and everyone you know. Maybe there is one person out there who will be in position to give my family the greatest holiday gift we have ever received.

In exchange, I can only offer the power of the written word. I can promise that the person's generosity will be the subject of a post announcing my eternal gratitude and extolling the virtues of my benefactor. Your good deed will long be remembered and praised.

Like Barack Obama, I want to trust in the audacity of hope. I want to believe in miracles. Remember, it is the season of giving.