Crowds descend on Washington for Inauguration

Downtown Washington was bustling with activity Monday
afternoon as city officials prepared for as many as 2 million people expected
to attend President-elect Obama’s historic nomination on Tuesday.

Despite the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday that kept most
of the usual K Street workers at home, signs of Tuesday’s crowds were evident
in the visitors on many corners pulling suitcases behind them, headed for the
nearest Metro station.

{mosads}More than 40,000 law enforcement officers will be on hand
Tuesday to control crowds at an event that has turned Washington into a city
that resembles an armed encampment.

From the FBI’s 40-foot bomb truck to the six-foot fences
lining the sidewalks around the Capitol, a nearly two-mile perimeter — complete
with metal detectors and K-9 units — has begun to be established in
anticipation for screening the spectators of Tuesday’s events.

Groups of National Guardsmen stood on every street corner
along Connecticut Avenue, shaking hands with passersby and smiling for
photographs. The guardsmen were unarmed but wore fatigues.

Barricades are in place near the Hilton hotel that is
hosting a dinner in honor of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) Monday night. Obama and
Vice-President elect Biden are among the guests.

Evidence of the hundreds of thousands who attended Sunday
afternoon’s star-studded concert on the National Mall could be seen until the
early-morning hours along Connecticut Avenue, as visitors and residents alike
stayed out later after an evening of parties and gala events throughout
downtown.

The crowds were in a celebratory mood, making the night
reminiscent of Nov. 4, when Obama won the presidential election and thousands
took to the streets in celebration. Dupont Circle was swarming with people in
evening dress, crowding the sidewalks as they tried to hail taxis at 2 a.m.
Monday.

By 8 a.m., downtown had turned into a comparable ghost
town. But as the day warmed slightly under overcast skies, the streets became
flooded again with cars.

Some have estimated the total cost of Obama’s Inaugural
events could top $150 million, as throngs descend on D.C. to witness the first
black president take his oath of office, nearly 220 years after George
Washington did.

In 1996, more than 2 million visitors came to Atlanta for
the 17 days of the Summer Olympics. And though D.C. has slightly more people
living in it, Atlanta is twice the land size of D.C., meaning more space to
accommodate the visitors.