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Washington Getting Ready For Obama Inauguration

The Associated Press

Construction on a reviewing stand in front of the White House has begun. President-elect Barack Obama and his family will view the inaugural parade from the stands after he is sworn in Jan. 20.

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By KATIE CORONADO

News Channel 8

Published: November 7, 2008

Now that the election is finally over, preparations are in full swing for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama.

The historic swearing-in ceremony will happen in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, the day after Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

As written in the U.S. Constitution, the president must be sworn in before noon on that date. Everything from the moment he raises his right hand and places his left hand on the Bible has to be timed down to the second.

Carole Floreman is communications director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which is responsible for the swearing-in ceremony. She says the platform on which the president will be inaugurated is under construction, and is being built from scratch.

Floreman also says 240,000 tickets have been printed and placed in a secure location.

Tickets are free and will only be given to senators and representatives to distribute. She stresses that tickets will not be distributed until January.

"There are a lot of Web sites and people making claims right now that they have tickets available to sell, and we just want to caution people about those claims," Floreman said.

Ana Cruz served worked on President Clinton's campaign in Tampa and served on his inaugural committee in 1996. She hopes to serve on Obama's committee as well.

"It's one big ball after another,'' Cruz said. "It's also a logistical Super Bowl - planning balls, planning the parade, the inauguration ceremony on the steps of the Capitol."

If you're lucky enough to attend, Cruz has a few tips: Buy your airline tickets and book your hotel now and plan to bundle up. It's cold in Washington in January.

For more on the presidential inauguration, go to http://inaugural.senate.gov/2009/index.cfm

Reporter Katie Coronado can be reached at (813) 259-7197.

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