For inaugural, get up early

From NBC’s Pete Williams Be in line by 9 a.m., but don't bring your umbrella, even if it's raining. That's the advice from the congressional committee responsible for the formal portion of the Jan. 20th inauguration.  The swearing-in program will begin at 11:30 a.m., so that the oath of office can be administered to Barack Obama at noon, as the Constitution requires.  Security checkpoints for ticketed guests open at 8 a.m., and the committee recommends that ticket holders arrive no later than 9 a.m. to get through screening. The committee, calmly understating the problem, says, "Getting to the swearing-in ceremonies that morning will be very difficult because of the large crowds. In addition to the 240,000 ticketed guests, a million or more people are expected to view the inauguration from the National Mall, along with hundreds of thousands of others who plan on watching the Inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue." ...( read more ) (link)