Capital gets ready for human tide of admirers

WASHINGTON is bracing itself for an onslaught today as the city’s population begins to swell in anticipation of tomorrow’s inauguration of Barack Obama as America’s first black president.

Officials said the event would be unprecedented. It is seen by many as America’s chance to regain its reputation in the world and embrace change after the unpopular presidency of George W Bush.

Estimates put the cost at $40 million (30m) and police chief Cathy Lanier said between one and two million people were expected to arrive in the capital.

The District of Columbia’s delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, told reporters: “You can’t judge by past inaugurations. It’s going to break all the records. They’re going to come with or without tickets. It’s each man and woman for himself.”

US authorities face a logistic nightmare with gridlocked roads and packed subways as temperatures drop to around 2.5C.

City administrator Dan Tangherlini said getting there would not be pleasant. “I don’t want in any way to discourage anyone. I just don’t want them to come and be completely shocked by what they find,” he said.

To accommodate the expected numbers, the presidential inaugural committee has opened the entire National Mall to the public — the first time it has done so for an inauguration. Those attending will be able to watch the proceedings on one of 10 giant screens being erected in the park.

The record for the largest ever crowd on the National Mall was set in 1965 for Lyndon B Johnson’s inauguration, with the park service putting the figure at 1.2 million people.

In 1981, Ronald Reagan’s inauguration drew about 500,000 people, and Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration drew about 800,000 people, according to park service estimates.

Homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff said: It will be the most security, as far as I’m aware, that any inauguration has had.”

No specific, credible threat has been made, US intelligence officials have said, but fears remain that the high-profile event may be an attractive target for terrorists.

But despite the large numbers expected to travel to Washington from outside the capital, there are reports that some hotels still had vacancies.

With 10 days to go it was estimated that 600 rooms were still available, dotted around the city.