bye bye obama. gotta head west.
1 thought first, tho:
the other day my sister asked me - she 2 was 1 of the 1,800,000 in the mall - if i thought u could succeed @ helping cure our many ills. it was a simple question 4 a labyrinthian situation, but still i offered a simple answer...borrowed 1, actually, from all the people i met along the way to washington 2 feel history make small arm hairs stand up: the haitian amer ex-prosecutor from brooklyn, the students from d south & the upstart artist behind this portrait - folks whose born-again-optimism (along w. your brisk early days in office) reveal u've already started.

good luck.

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read my lips: more new puppies.

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clinton spokesman said this was the 1 loyal friend slick willy felt he had in DC.

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BTW...@ the newseum's presidential pets exhibit, the weekly voted 4 them 2 adopt a shelter dog by droppin change n that tube.

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belushi appeared @ breakfast in balmer.

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restaurant week in baltimore means money prix fixe menus incl. ea spot.s best tastes - like those at deliciousnessish mezze in fells point, who also does mean sangria in 2 shades.

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lil local lore on d walls of duda's in balti's historic fells point. ghosts of balt colts on d wall; ghost stories common on cobblestone streets outside. nothin illusory about 40 cent shrimp deal @ duda.s tho.

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national aquarium in baltimore sits on a harbor right in downtown. cool joint...but MBAQ.s reign as the best isn.t in danger from this direction.

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temp risin @ upsetting news: my obama shop @ union station sold out of obama hot sauce ('heat u can believe in'). same goes 4 bobbleheads. i demand a recount.

couldn.t leave DC w.o taking down a specimen of their signature foodstuff...the 'half smoke.' w. d works.

1mo insight from newseum...a map of world.s free press. (red = unfree/censored, yellow = partly, green = free).

here.s a scoop.

yes.

best bathrm tile decor theme of all time?

hee hee.

the pisser takes the piss outta d media @ newseum...w. classic media missteps like this n d bathrm tiles.

as 1 pulitzr photo of the year winner says, 'it.s not a photo contest.' here r some of the most striking of all the winners on display @ newseum.

racial hatred erupts after new bussing laws, 1976. (chicago, i think, but don.t quote me.)

south african nat.l congress - zulu conflict, 1991.

philadelphia, 1986.

rwandan refugees, 1998.

sudan, 1994.

mo pulitzer pics. this is boston fire, 1976.

secret service shuttin down union station rush hr.

the pulitzer photog exhibit is worth the price of adm alone ($20. $2 press discount!). this shot won after okla city bombing.

the bells n whistles here - the chopper hanging in the lobby, the biggest elevator of its kind (left ), the 4 D movie among them - r cool...but the simple power of the images and words produced by a free press r more than enuf 2 dizzy & inspire by themselves.

from 9/11 to jesse james' assasination...this place documents the way history is documented in vivid and accessible ways.

the vast media treasues here incl. both historic papers dating back 100s of yrs 2 today.s intenat.l press.

the newseum filled the last developable space on penn ave in 07. what a beautiful, compelling, invaluable use of space.

bye bye long johns. it.s 50 F. these double deckers make sense again.

people - crowding numbers reapproaching normalito.

local media is ranking feinstein near d top of dems dat mite make obama.s life harder than anticipated. (she.s always been cool wit me.)

musta been d marty mcfly vest. a guy who looks like christopher lloyd approaches me near Newseum. when he asks 'where is 12 th & E?' his voice confirms his ID.

my personal fav front pg comes fr. hawaii, hang loose shaka bra incl.

from florida.

the lauded Newseum just off d mall posted yesterday.s front pages out front...

'painting w. statue of liberty,' roy lichtenstein

'jack in pulpit V,' georgia o'keefe

'nude woman,' pablo picasso

weekly publisher erik cushman - who worked kitchens here 4 several summers - sez the east wing of nat.l gallery of art is 1 of his fav places in DC. architecture alone merits a visit.

'i shall never forget...these things even if i am condemned to live as long as god. never.' -elie wiesel, nobel laureate

'we r the shoes, we r the last witnesses...b.c we r only made of fabric & leather & not of blood & flesh, ea one of us avoided the hellfire.' -moses schulstein, yiddish poet

names of jews help shape architecture here.

heard sumpin in holoc museum film on rwanda that resonates w. what BO said @ lincoln show...'u hav 2 c the other as yourself.'

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holocaust mus had 1+ hr. wait earlier...the crowds havn.t left yet. fortunately they.re 10 min now. i call dat a nice lil window of time to post a few capital capsules.

Lil guy came fr. old england 4 historic american moment.

vegetarian sando @ venerable old ebbitts grill - portobella, feta, peppers & mo - b.w slabs of fried eggplant.

malcolm X marks d spot.

generals of the daughters of the amer revolution. 1963.

george wallace, former gov of ala., w. his valet, jimmy dallas. 1993.

wish i could export this genius to MMA 4 an xtended run...richard avedon.s 'portraits of power.' as powerfully human - despite d singular influence of many of his seemingly superhuman subjects - it closes this week so hustle over 2 www.corcoran.com 2 c what u can.

lil midday serendipity...came 2cocoran 4 exhibits & was shuttled over 2 interview some peeps presenting lincoln.s 1864 victory speech. it only saw daylight for 6 hrs for the US's 200th...now it.s on display 4 2 days b4 an auction. experts tell me it.s exptd 2 fetch 3 - 4 million.

so tuesday's1.8 million is a pretty neat number. but thurs may present a sexier one: 40. as in degrees. as in toasty. & glorious.

many of protesters r young...

reams of people gatherin in mall - where they r handing out these signs - 4 abortion protest.

adams-morgan's bukom cafe has got itself a strong african identity, live afro reggae-jam music & malty kenyan beer named after an elephant named tusker. 1 fo me, barkeep.

adams-morgan neighborhood & character-rich not-quite dive bars. place 2 go 4 grubbn ethnic. the naan @ jyoti is as big as obama expectations.

sunset, day 1. end of a new beginning.

the onion had a great headline a lil while back - 'obama 1st black 2 win worst job in america.'

hirshhorn museum & sculpture garden is a DC must do. poor guards hadda ask me 2 leave 4-12 times.

obama has been busy since d inaug (pictur.d). same goes 4 his alert authors...the texts keep on coming 2 my phone. FWD: Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. -Pres. Obama. Visit WhiteHouse.gov for full speech.

taking pics at natl spy museum is strictly prohibited. so how did i extract this shot of ring guns? just have leon panetta call me. on a secure line.

this lil lady on display @ smithson is 33+ ft long. giant squid.

green is so chic. kermit.s a hit at music art sports segment of amer hist museum. so is henson.s other greenie, oscar d grouch, & seinfeld.s 'puffy shirt.'

& they say obama has a tuf job.

beauty of a blu sky new day. yes i did sign up 4 the lottery 2 hang @ la casa blanca. this is EPA bldg across from natural hist museum.

biden rolls by (shockin that his cabin is so lit up). i turn 2 folo then get shouted off the trail by intense DC cops. i turn uptown & cross thru some cement blockades & get stopped by a fist in the chest. 'whoah' i say. 'what d f---' ' it.s a police chkpoint.' a tall cop sez. 'duh.' ' but this dapper young man [ who just thumped me ] is dressed normally - rather nicely.' i reply. 'hard 2 kno. i.m on ur team.' 'oh' is d only response i get. i pedal on.

this guy sez he runs d bus pickups n lil chinatown. just ran off d other hustler i was talking 2. both nice guys. but i gotta say the city.s n a dam good mood.

Don.t care how.tired u r. how can u put this energy 2 bed.

tail end of BO brigade leavin conf center. in chinatown they say his energy comes fr. natural herbs.

he & michelle keep goin...7 mo balls...and the texts from their website keep coming 2 my phone. d last 2 sed offer your suggestions 2 help govern and offered an invite 2 watch em waltz on TV.

beyonce stood me up. j.k. but this is 3 blocks fr. r dinner party. thank god they don.t have a telecast of r dance flo.

these dope dudes holding it down @ poets & busboys - ndelible - have dedicated every song 2 some dude named obama.

the crowd here cheers - is the band coming on? they look confused...nope - folks watching tv see obizzer just got out of his ride to say hi.

poets and busboys...a new cafe-bar-rest-club on the hill named for langston hughes. u can.t go anywhere around here without running into a major face. sheesh. i.ll take this scene over more moshing w. the masses. draining.

d view dat was from grant.s statue.

'people will remember u by

'people will remember u by what u build, not what u destroy.'

rite on q

rite on q

this crowd is gonna let

this crowd is gonna let bush have it

ouch. bush sr. gets booed.

ouch. bush sr. gets booed. clinton gets a cheer. then crowd starts in on 'hey hey hey... goodbye'

ironic part...didn.t even chk my

ironic part...didn.t even chk my ticket. it.ll make a nice souvenir

pics aren.t transmittin...good newz is

pics aren.t transmittin...good newz is i somehow made itin despite sillymisdirected lines, secret.service & 2-3 million

good morn claustrphobia

FWD from inaug team: Inaugural Weather Update: It is 23 degrees with windchill of 12 degrees. Forecast is for 29 degrees with a 20 percent chance of snow. Dress warmly for the day...translation - that may mean no jersey or t shirt & shorts

sirens continue 2 b the most common sound as dawn slips onto d sky.

here.s an early indicator of crowds... FWD: Inaugural Metro update: As of 5:30am the Branch Ave, New Carrollton and Greenbelt parking lots are full.

pretty surreal lil scrap of paper.

i do beleev dat.s busta rhymes.

Snuck n2 hip hop inaug thru coat check. dat.s bill bellamy & sweetie. lightly good lookin pair.

gotta love dozens of blocks closed to cars...but not bikes.

the bosco pizza @ critically acclaimed pizzeria paradiso n georgetown, 1 of washingtonian.s top 100 spots n a town w. 1000s. goes great w. a presidential pils ($4.44).

hallelujah 4 a borrowed bike...
the only way 2 navigate the knotted & salted streets of georgetown w. any efficiency.

the Manifest Hope: DC show celebrates the artists who used their voices to amplify & motivate BO.s grassroots mvmnt. here r some of the works...inc 'the carbon anamoly' by stanley squirewell.

'here' aniekan udofia

'that one: history' justin hampton

'homeland security blanket' sebastian martorana

get u a look @ some of this stuff...'fabric of a leader' by van taylor
monroe

u.d think BO showed fr. d mad commotion at DC gallery. instead - our own governator. wack camera fone plus shoving = blurry pic. that.s him on d left.

line around the block for.manifest hope limited run art exhibit in georgetown. got in w. help of an artist...pretty stunnin stuff. i.ll.get a slide shw up soon.

on d obama inaug website u can sign up for texts on weather, traffic & other newz - in this case, service oppos. haven.t seen much info so far...c if that changes 2moro

22 hrs 22 min 22 sec until inaug. and about 22 degrees expected.

'we cannot walk alone.' obama quoted king in aug., accepting democr. nom 45 yrs 2 the day of MLK.s lincoln memorial I Have a Dream speech. 'and as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.'

the big time balls really start rolling 2nite w. al gore.s green ball starring sustainability, micheal franti & friends being one of no fewer than 75 blockbuster blowouts i count over d next 2 days...not incl. d infnite club shows like this 1.

while obama.s advisors.are hinting @ a speech 2moro heavy on personal responsibility...thousands of DC folks r getting a jump w. national service day. the biggest local event will be @ RFK stadium assemblin 75k care.packages 4 soldiers. the national mall could use a makeover with help from kids like these after 400k attended the 'we r 1' show.

obama.s white house-adjacent observation deck, where he.ll review the rest of tuesday.s parade after reaching his new digs. he.ll gamely share 1600 penn. ave w. his mama in law. (and they say he.s so bright.)

great thing about everyone and their mama co opting barack.s image 2 make a buck isn.t the infinite corny t.shirts or even metro passes. it.s this ad 4 a guitar sale. (obama did not pick up any instruments at today.s concert...tho he did say how much the performers & their guitars remind us 'just what it is we love about america.')

le bar @ swank sofitel hotel in downtown DC. beth cort & her huband mayor dan & i thot we were d VIPs...then usher walked in fresh off lincoln monum appearance w. stevie wonder. here beth texts her son word.

sittin in one of the many bleachers lining pennsyl avenue in prep 4 parade that ends at this place. word on hill is unprecedentd security will mean obama can.t do as much baby kissin as bill clinton but @ least he won.t hav 2 speed away like lil W did.

old ebbitt grill. DC institution. 1 block fr. obama.s new pad. w. a 2 hr. wait 4 a table.

sunset fr. roof of a jumbotron trailer as mall empties. 'if this is like this' sez d DC native up here 'imagin tues' then the thuggish technician sez 'if i catch u up here tues...u will b arrestd.'

view fr. atop a dumpster b neath wash mu sittin next 2 a tanzanian transplant lookin @ jumbotron as obama sez 'we just need 2 recognize ourselves n 1 another.'

garth brooks' 'bye bye miss amer pie' got em dancin.

lincoln lawns wide open but they.re sending civilians n2 d uncivilizd wall of people a quarter mile fr. microph.

10s of thousands peeps & what looks like 2 jumbo screens

n route - n mass - 2 lincoln concert

humvees& mp.s in d.streets near mall.

she has my vote.

covering the event 4 univ n. carolina student TV...former weekly intern kate howard. girl is getting accomplished in a hurry. check out www.katehoward.com.

lil ways fr diane feinstein as she opens the event...@ press table in back of rm. but willie brown.s only 1 table closer.

1st course @ CSS affair...wher d main dish is fashion by proj runway.s nick verreos.

interesting morning. almost burned my host.s kitchen down when i put an electric tea pot on stove. clean up effort slow down neccesstd a cab 2 make calif state society inaug ball~luncheon n time...&negoti8tin closed streets n bridges is a litely insane affair. late...& w.o credentials that never made it via fed ex.

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'everybody do what u doin -smile n bring a sunshiny day.' -elikeh, a DC-west african hybrid invigoratin it up @ rock n roll hotel just n-east of capitol

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d cop manning the capitol east reports that his area looks better than ever...the inaug gav the workers inspiration 2 complete thier serially d layd monster project mere days ago. looks gr8 by day; stands silly-beaut ee fully silent & empty by nite.

here @ d hawk n dove the bartender sez d veteran politicians drink burbon. the selection is good...if limited. the local hawk amber ale.s good 2, & d orders come out as quik as the character of d patrons...who 1 politico describes as members of 'hollywood 4 ugly people.'

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welcome 2.hawk n dove, celebrated capitol hill watering hole. everybody here seems 2 do sumpin interesting - or @ least relevant - & d 'famous' crab reuben earns my endorsement.

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mobby happy scene @ MSNBC studio @ 7th & jefferson on d nat.l mall gives me 1st real itchy indicator that irrational mass hysteria is all fun & games when its just a few hundred people running round. as evening temps dip...u can sense crowd.s already swellin. (meanwh. i may lose a pinky from texting n cold. small sacrifice. really. my pinky is tiny.)

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while d reflection pond is iced over...will.i.am and s crow warmed up 4 2moro.s show, which is y d lincoln monum is roped off.

distant lincoln memorial 24 hrs b4 a concert w. u2, beyonce & d boss (& many mo) will fill the mall.s massive lawns.

um...brr. way 2 cold 2 text. hav 2 duck n2 wash monum viz center 2 thaw 1st.

soon 2 b endangerd species - open metro seats. jan. 20 the city will run lines @ rush hour levels fr. 4am - 9pm. '& they don.t hav a very good track record holding up' warns 1 local.

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after fri.s temps dipped n2

after fri.s temps dipped n2 single digits...rite now it.s a tropical 14 w. chance of snow. tues lil chance 4 sno but b.low freezin

each state gets 2 pik 2 statues 2 place in capitol complex. this1 sits in sparklin hall of new multi multi million $ capitol viz center & belongs 2 obizzer.s home hawaiian islands. reppin d 1st african amer president.s state? kamehameha, d 1st king of d land of luau.<

in the land where d lobbyists (virtually) live & advance their agendas, d most advanced place...accding 2 Compassion Over Killing...is java green. while OB weighs a ban on lobby-loco special interests, java eschews meats n waste in favor of organic gingbob & fair trade bananas & tea. after a tofu & avocado wrap w. seasame soy dressing & chili java sauce (my pals got d jobche noodle w. broc, kale, carrot & a dumpling), i c how d tiny spot was named best veggie in town by veg.com. no pork here.

1 mo capitol bldg nsite... d supreme court made rather big decisions here 4 1st half of 1800s. now it gets little play...just tours - xcept 4 once every 4 yrs when d current supreme court gets dressee n here 4 inauguration. our guide didn.t say if dat mean ruth bader gets randy.

Txts From the Crypt

students pause on the "geographic center" of DC urban grid...a spot right at heart of d capitol where g. washingtn was supposd 2 b buried - his will said no - & where obama will field ?s b4 taking his oath...accding 2 our dashing tour guide. the level.s calld d crypt, d floor beneath d capitol rotunda.

By Mark C. Anderson

Minority Report

lone minority with a statue in capitol rotunda. came in 86, when his b day was made a nat'l holiday. obizzer has declared mlk day this monday nat'l service day, w/michelle quoting mlk in a YouTube appeal 2 action...he & michelle will b chippin in around town...chk www.USAservice.org 4 info on gettin in.

Jan. 16, 12:43pm

By Mark C. Anderson

Glass Ceiling

the capitol dome from brand new visitor center. it sits under east lawn b.w cap. & libr of congress. BO's inaug speech'll happn on west side facing the mall.

Jan. 16, 10:34am

By Mark C. Anderson

Not-So-Good Eats

a peek inside 1 of the congressional cafeterias. i'm told d grill options r most popular. good news...everthing is recycled or composted. bad news...food is forgettable. had lunch with rep. sam farr pt man tom metzner, who's looking @ a 22 hr day come tues. he says 1\2 of his pals r stoked 2 participate ~ party & 1\2 r splittin town.


Jan. 16, 10:23am

By Mark C. Anderson

Oh Boy

Jan. 16, 7:28am

By Mark C. Anderson

Jan. 16, 7:19am

By Mark C. Anderson

from moment u hit union station u r deluged by obamania. signs. gear. shirts. this T is a top seller. & i.m enjoyin a breath-enhancing President Obama National Achievemint right now.

Power of Positive Thinking

Jan. 16, 6:49am

By Mark C. Anderson

Mark on MARC

Jan. 16, 5:16am

MARC train fr. baltimo 2 DC. commemorative tix 4 inaug. day went on sale dec. 20 & sold out by dec. 21, despite much higher $.

Many And Many A Year Ago

Jan. 15, 5:42pm

By Mark C. Anderson

The well read pres 2 b wud do well 2 study up @ baltimore's annabel sea tavern in canton, named 4 edgar allan poe's last poem. good words on walls. tasty resurrection ale in glsses. & crab stuffed shrimp w/honey grits & ettouffe. & oysters w/horseradish bbq sauce n smokd applewood bacon.
they'll celebrate ol EAP's 200th birthday here 1 day b4 the huge president #44 party in DC. Poe fans rightly expect this party 2 be a lil mo macabre.

History Passing Through

Jan. 15, 4:26pm

By Mark C. Anderson

Charm city. Obama will stop here saturday as he traces the train trail Lincoln took almost 150 years ago. Many inaugural goers - including the Alisal high ap government group - will stay here...where hotels are stuffed like maryland crab ravioli & streets r already closed off in obama anticipation.

Bird's Eye View

Jan. 15, 10:20am

By Mark C. Anderson

70 back home, 26 degrees in Denver, where thousands filled the Denver Bronco's stadium for Obama's nomination. Flying straight into DC anywhere near the inauguration date ran around 800 bones, hence the Baltimore destination and Denver stop off.

Dangerous Scruff

Jan. 15, 7:21 am

By Mark C. Anderson

Just posed my first security risk of week; they confiscated shave cream. May mean I'll be scruffier than I'd like to be when I meet history. Fortunately, I'm not the one getting sworn in. But I will be swearing from deep in the crowd of a quarter-million ticket holders.