Tonight:
9°c
£10,000 a ticket to watch Barack Obama being sworn in as President
Paul Thompson in Miami11.11.08
TICKETS for Barack Obama's inauguration are being offered on the black market for up to £10,000 each.
The tickets are free but there is so much demand from Americans wanting to be present that brokers are demanding five-figure sums - and all hotels within a 60-mile radius of Washington are sold out.
More than 250,000 tickets are being printed for the swearing-in ceremony, when Mr Obama will stand in front of Capitol Hill on 20 January.
But at least one million people are expected to take to the streets of Washington DC for the occasion.
Most people will have to stand in the National Mall as only 30,000 seats are provided around the podium when Mr Obama takes the oath of office as the 44th President of America.
The Joint Congressional Inaugural Committee, which is responsible for the event, has cautioned people against placing orders with ticket brokers as they cannot guarantee to deliver.
"Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth," said Howard Gantman, staff director for the congressional inaugural committee.
Americans can apply to their congressman or senator for tickets but a large number are distributed to Capitol Hill staffers and others working within the government - and these are expected to end up on the black market.
Mr Obama got a taste of his future life yesterday on his trip to the White House for a meeting with President Bush. He travelled in a motorcade upgraded from campaign mode to full presidential level. There were the two identical black, heavily armoured limousines, one a decoy, a hazardous materials truck, a communications vehicle and counter-assault team in a 4x4. Mr Bush and Mr Obama spent an hour talking in the Oval Office with topics including the war in Iraq and the financial crisis.
White House spokesman Dana Perino described the sessions as "good, constructive, relaxed and friendly". Mr Obama's spokeswoman said the men engaged in "a broad discussion about the importance of working together through the transition of government.
Reader views (7)
Yeah how many times is it that we have seen a black President of the Western world?[ despite what we Christians know that the economy has gone bust! FYI it went bust ages ago about year .[dot]
I will be attending a couple of parties for the inauguration the rest of you need to get with the programme!
- Liz, London England
I'm all for free enterprise, but, I'm tempted to support a ban on scalping tickets for these events. The inauguration should a celebration for the people, not another event (like the superbowl, etc.) for the wealthy investor class.
- Jim, Chicago, Illinois USA
And I thought there was a recession on?That ended quickly,hope ours does.
- Steve, London
Black President? Suddenly everything has changed, a brand new world ... with the same old corruption.
- Frank, Home Counties, England
Oy Vey !!!!
- Roman Abramovitch, London ,England
£10k a ticket - truely a man for all people.
Same old, Same old.
- Big Andy, London
i admire western democracy, The Americans Election took almost two years and nobody was killied for belonging to an opposition part. If it was us in Africa partticulary in Zimbabwe Obama will be in hiding by now for winning the elections. Look at DR Congo the country the size of western Europe, vey rich in mineral resources, rich soils plenty rainfall but the Citizen of Congo still live worse than animals, worse than people in the middle ages. What can Africa do, Advertise the Job of a President/Priminister through the United Nations and the successful candidate bring his own army and civil servants?
- Matshaba Dewa, London UK
