When the buzz began in earnest about the Commander in Chief’s Inaugural Ball scheduled for Jan 20, it seemed like an idea whose time had come.
And it already had — four years ago.
President George W. Bush held the first Commander in Chief Ball in 2005 at his second inauguration. (We have proof. See photos above.) Both President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama have cited the event as a way to honor and thank servicemembers, especially those serving in hostile areas. Obama aides have said this event will be for enlisted members and junior officers (as opposed to the mid-and senior-level officers who have been hiding in some obscure Bomb Shelter (read: Pentagon) corridor for the past seven years). Those who have been injured in military action, families of those killed, and spouses of those deployed will be included, according to Obama aides.
Sounds like it could be a big crowd, so it’s a good thing the ball is at one of the best venues in D.C. — the vast National Building Museum. Unencumbered by annoyances like interior walls, this is the perfect pad for a big, big party. A Fox-Trotter’s dream. A Viennese-Walzter’s speedway. Plenty of room for a never-ending Conga Line. Getting there, well, we’re sure people will don cross country skis, if they must. Hopefully, the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee has thought of, say, a shuttle that picks up at several stops in the area.
The Commander in Chief Ball is one of 10 official presidential inaugural balls. The president-elect and Future First Lady Michelle Obama say they’re hitting all 10. And why not? They have a limo and a driver plus a ton of security that can get them into any ball or D.C. see-and-be-seen club. He’s the new chair of the board, and it’s his big day.
Ticket specifics have not been announced, though official entry to any of the 10 balls seems to be tougher to score than classified info at the Pentagon or word from DoD about the secretive and ongoing “Buck Sloane (not his real name) Investigation.” Buck (despite his two-star status) deserves a couple of tickets for pain and suffering at the hands of the DoD inspector general.
Let the countdown begin. Party on.