(Jake Turcotte)
Obama to arrive for inaugural via train - will pick up Joe in Delaware
By David Cook | 12.15.08
Barack Obama plans a leisurely train trip to Washington before starting a new job that ensures he will be whisked from place to place in the fastest possible way,
The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Monday that Mr. Obama and his family will board a train in Philadelphia bound for Washington on Saturday, January 17.
They will stop in Wilmington, Delaware to pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family. (No, he’s not traveling by helicopter — although it would probably be a better story).
The group will then travel together, stopping in Baltimore, before arriving in Washington’s Union Station. No word if Biden’s new dog will travel with them on the train.
A trip honoring tradition
“As part of the most open and accessible inauguration in history, we hope to include as many Americans as possible who wish to participate, but can’t be in Washington,” Emmett Beliveau, the inaugural committee’s executive director, said in a statement.
The trip will include events along the way that Mr. Beliveau said would honor “the rich history and tradition of previous inaugural journeys.”
With their Secret Service motorcades, Obama and Biden will have no problem getting around Washington once they arrive for the festivities surrounding the January 20 inauguration. The same can’t be said for members of the general public.
An overwhelmed transit system
Estimates of the number of those who will attend the inauguration of the nation’s first African-American president range from two to four million. Even the low-end projection threatens to overwhelm the local transportation system.
“If millions of people are coming to the National Mall, Metro can’t handle everyone. It is impossible,” Candace Smith, a spokesman for the capital’s subway system, told the Washington Post.
People should expect “long lines, long walks, and they need to make decisions about what they are willing to put up with,” Smith said.
Wanted: bus parking spaces
Meanwhile, Washington officials are saying they have found parking for only half the 10,000 charter buses expected to arrive in the city for the inaugural.
An already booked Blair House
Even President-elect Obama experienced the crowded conditions surrounding his swearing in. Mr. Obama explored the possibility of moving into the presidential guest quarters across the street from the White House in early January so his daughters could start school on January 5. But the family was told that Blair House was already booked with events and receptions and so would not be available for overnight use until January 15.
No word yet on where the Obama daughters will stay in the meantime.
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2. Bob | 12.15.08
G.G., please don’t read headlines that are obviously too nuanced for you. The joke was that Obama riding the train is is very “Average Joe American” (no pun intended) and that he was just picking up Biden “on the way to work.” Too subtle for you? Seriously?
3. L Peck | 12.15.08
What I find more interesting is that there is no room at the inn for the First Family.
4. Billy | 12.15.08
I like the way that you can come up with that interpretation of the headline, Bob. It says what it says. Better re-read it. Seriously.
5. Philip M | 12.15.08
RE: “Joe” … Relax biuddy, the article headline is probably intended to have a “folksy” spirit to it. Relax and enjoy the concept don’t get hung up on things that seem important only to you!
I think it’s great these guys are demonstrating an openness and community spirit we haven’t seen in a long time, especially as compared to the past administration, with “George” !!
6. Shawn | 12.15.08
Does this mean Obama and Biden support high speed rail between SF and LA? And are these trains going to be built in the US and not be outsourced to Japan, Germany or France?
8. Will | 12.15.08
Quote: “I think it’s great these guys are demonstrating an openness and community spirit we haven’t seen in a long time, especially as compared to the past administration, with “George” !!”
Openness and community spirit? Sort of like the Clinton administration??
9. Tommy | 12.15.08
Quote: “Relax biuddy, the article headline is PROBABLY intended to have a “folksy” spirit to it.”
If you’re not sure what the headline intended, it ain’t a-workin.
10. Tom | 12.15.08
Oh please! Joe fits on the one line headline better than Mr. Biden, get a grip. As for the “First Family” they won’t be the first family until Obama is sworn in. People need to relax and not be so angry.
11. srg | 12.15.08
I just want to know how much extra this is going to cost tax payers. That’s a lot of track and land for the SS to cover, as opposed to two runways and a motorcade.
I’m going to estimate the cost at 10X the expense of arriving by plane and motorcade.
Just and average joe? Hmmmph, more like just an average democrat.
STOP SPENDING MY MONEY!!!
13. Bill | 12.15.08
Rebuilding passenger rail would put people to work and save a lot of oil. No need for cutting edge high speed trains that would take 10 years to build; trailing edge, that’s the way to go. The passenger service we had in 1950 would be a big improvement over what we have now.
14. Peter J. | 12.15.08
The headline is just fine. Remember Joe the Plumber… “election of our peers” not the creation of demi-gods. I’m not sure why Shawn would want a high speed train built here, there’s more to high-speed than a word (Think Silicon Valley’s so-called “Baby Bullet”, the largest, slowest train I ever saw.) The US is not exactly a leader in this field.
15. Tom | 12.15.08
Will Union troops guard the rail lines? After all, they did it for Lincoln when he used the rails from Illinois to D.C. for his inauguration.
16. Stuart A. | 12.15.08
Here we go again. Give out the First families Secret Service code names, now let the world know in more than enough time the mode of transportation and route of the inaugural party.
17. Sov | 12.15.08
Come on, folks. We’re talking about Joe Biden…even if you addressed him in the most formal way you possibly could, he would laugh it off and tell you to just call him Joe. Sure, respectfulness is always great, but heck, let’s not get our panties in a bind. We are stepping into a new era. Let’s be excited about that, and look forward to better days.
18. Tim | 12.15.08
Now how do you tell the incoming President of the United States that the Presidential Guest Quarters aren’t available until 15 January? Nice example to set for hospitality in DC. That’s really looking out for the Obama kids.
The train thing is just a stunt. You’ll hear people spew nonsense like “it harkened back to the days of “Camelot” and they’ll say the term “whistle-stop” over and over, like that’s supposed to be important, or even relevant in today’s transportation system…just call it the B.S. express, especially if Harry Reid sneaks on board.
19. Le Quick Brown Fox | 12.15.08
Oh my. This is rich. It goes with the Joe-Biden-is-a-middle-class-American-because-he-comes-from-Scranton-and-rides-Amtrak narrative. (Never mind that Joe’s dad owned an airport.)
20. vivifiant | 12.15.08
So why won’t the Obamas ride the train all the way from Chicago to Washington? That’s 700 miles, just a little longer than the 2h30 minute ride for the 550 miles (880km) from Paris to Marseille…. ooops sorry, I forgot, the US has only too too trains, no TGVs… 
Vivifiant, Ohio
21. L. Arthur | 12.15.08
Why in the world would you announce (4) weeks in advance the mode of travel and route for the President Elect? Are you trying to get him knocked off??
22. Matthew D. | 12.15.08
Hey Shaun, from those of us down here in San Diego we’d prefer the rail system to run from San Francisco to San Diego, thank you very much. Ha ha.
Better yet, why not put millions of Americans to work by connected the entire nation with a high speed rail system and supplemental buses or street cars. It would encourage tourism, both intercontinental and domestic, while sparing the environment and jump starting our economy.
It’s frustrating that so many european cities and nations have better public transportation systems than we do. Americans need to be more pragmatic and modern– that may mean rethinking our love affair with the automobile.
After being spoiled by San Francisco’s myriad of public transportation choices and never driving except to leave the city for more rural areas, I resent having to own a car just to go to work or the grocery store.
The Europeans and Japanese have figured it out, why can’t we?
23. Joe Jane | 12.15.08
I think the Bidens and the Obamas should start from California, and feel how our public transportation - Bart, Caltrain etc. are dinosaurs, and far behind even those of developing nations.
24. Don Trgovich | 12.15.08
To SRG re: Obama/Biden traveling by train “STOP SPENDING MY MONEY”.
Got news for you buddy, unless you have been in a coma for the last 8 years, Bush & Cheney already took care of spending your money and your kids money and your grandkids money etc.
25. Taylor | 12.15.08
Why is it that all of these forums are just filled with people shouting hate at each other? I mean, at least talk about the principles of why you disagree with someone if you want to start an argument. But to sit here and argue over what the author might have meant with their headline? Maybe our country is in a recession because too many of us are spending our workday doing this, and not doing work. So, for me, back to work.
26. kevin | 12.15.08
Hey Srg,
“I just want to know how much extra this is going to cost tax payers. That’s a lot of track and land for the SS to cover, as opposed to two runways and a motorcade.
I’m going to estimate the cost at 10X the expense of arriving by plane and motorcade.
Just and average joe? Hmmmph, more like just an average democrat.
STOP SPENDING MY MONEY!!!”
Hasn’t it been the Republicans over the last 8 years that have destroyed out annual surpluses that Clinton started. Bush has almost doubled out national debt since he took office, and most of that time Congress was also controlled by Republicans. What are you blaming democrats for? Rupublicans are the ones to have shown that they are the party of big government. They talk cheap but spend big.
Why is it that Democrats always get all the blame for big spending when the vast majority of our national debt has occurred since 1980 when Reagan took office. Clinton was the only one since 1980 to actually spend less money. I think democrats spend a lot of money of a lot of stupid stuff too, without question, but the Republicans take the trophy on spending too much.
27. M. Sager | 12.15.08
If Obama/Biden are trying to appear “average” by taking Amtrak from Philly to DC they are clearly out of touch. Amtrak is expensive and frequented by business/government elites. A more average approach might include greyhound or chinabus. Instead it’s just another pathetic attempt by the democratic elite to trick the masses into thinking they’re just everyday Americans. Baloney.
28. Driven4success | 12.15.08
Wow, people actually waste time riding trains?
It’s so easy to drive to the station and pay for parking and then arrive at the other end and catch a bus to the rental car place and then reverse the process. What a great idea!!! Hope you don’t miss your train on the way back or you are screwed.
29. DLT | 12.15.08
To SRG re: Obama/Biden traveling by train “STOP SPENDING MY MONEY”.
Got news for you buddy, unless you have been in a coma for the last 8 years, Bush & Cheney already took care of spending your money and your kids money and your grandkids money etc.
30. Rusty | 12.15.08
srg, you are an idiot. Do you really would cost that much more to ride the train than an airliner in “Presidential Class” seating?
32. caliqueen | 12.15.08
Joe Jane-
I agree with you!! Having lived on the east coast and now living in CA–you are definitely in the right!!! The left coast has a long way to go in their mass transit system; or lack therof!!
33. Steve Jones | 12.15.08
“Joe” - you must be kidding. He applied for a job and he got it. Now let’s get past the pomp and ceremony and get busy. Same for Obama — what do we care about how he arrives in Washington. Just get in there and do the job you were hired for.
34. Jamie | 12.15.08
Geez, srg, you ARE an idiot. “STOP SPENDING MY MONEY”? “Your” money was gone sometime back in March; what we’re spending today is borrowed from the Saudis and the Chinese.
And at a time that the federal government is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to dismantle the market economy, you’re really concerned about the cost of Secret Service protection on a train vs. an airplane?
35. Al | 12.15.08
Re: 11. srg | 12.15.08
STOP SPENDING MY MONEY!!!
—-
Srg - these events are paid by fundraising, some of it (the standard stuff = swearing in) by the gov’t. It’s also something every president does - including the current one.
Though to be honest, flying a 747 is more expensive then using a train - and nothing prevents them from letting other citizens ride the train (paying memebrs).
37. Bubba | 12.15.08
You morons are worried that someone called the new VP joe… well how about the **** your liberal media has used for the last eight years calling the President “Bush” never using the title. MR> or President>….the vile spewing media used his name like a profanity. Where was your indignence than.. bunch of liberal hypocrytes…
38. Paul | 12.15.08
“A more average approach might include greyhound or chinabus.”
Did you read the article you dope? They’re not doing it to appear like average citizens, they’re doing it because:
“The trip will include events along the way that Mr. Beliveau said would honor ‘the rich history and tradition of previous inaugural journeys.’”
39. Sarge | 12.15.08
TO srg: you complain about the cost of the inaugural train ride after a $600B war brought to you by the monkey president?
40. Sue | 12.15.08
Like it or not, Bush is still the POTUS. Events still go on. The country still goes on. The transition of power is supposed to be smooth, not cool and entertaining. Blair House is a place where events take place. I can’t believe that there are no FOB (Friends of Barack) that can’t vacate and give over their homes to the Obama family BEFORE he’s inaugurated. Is Blair House the only suitable place for them to stay for two weeks prior to the inauguration?
41. J. Love | 12.15.08
He is taking the train b/c Obama is on the NO-FLY LIST. Obama doesn’t want to go through the extra screening. Only if he was born in America he wouldn’t have this problem. Oh well, the train it is!
42. TTenery | 12.15.08
Eh. Washington State’s picked up on the uptake of different transportation. Our metro system is godly and you see less cars in cities than you see pedestrians or cyclists. Now if only we could spread this throughout America.
Which isn’t to say we’re the best with our economy or our carbon footprint either, but at least we’re an inch ahead.
43. Arshad Syed | 12.15.08
Obama on Rails? Does this mean the new prez is a fan of Ruby on Rails programming language?
45. Varrior | 12.15.08
“If Obama/Biden are trying to appear “average” by taking Amtrak from Philly to DC they are clearly out of touch. Amtrak is expensive and frequented by business/government elites. A more average approach might include greyhound or chinabus. Instead it’s just another pathetic attempt by the democratic elite to trick the m***es into thinking they’re just everyday Americans. Baloney.”
Wow, you are a complete moron. Tons of people use Amtrak, I have ridden the route between Baltimore and New York (with the stop at Wilmington that Biden gets on) numerous times and I’m a college student. It’s easily affordable if you get it at the right times, book in advance, and do your research. Government elites my ***. I’ve seen ******* riding Amtrak along with me.
46. Colin | 12.15.08
“Sager12.15.08-If Obama/Biden are trying to appear “average” by taking Amtrak from Philly to DC they are clearly out of touch. Amtrak is expensive and frequented by business/government elites… it’s just another pathetic attempt by the democratic elite to trick the masses into thinking they’re just everyday Americans. Baloney.”
I read this, and I am stunned by the snarling stupidity. The problem with stupidity is that the truly stupid are too stupid to know that they’re stupid. We have just had eight years of profound larceny, profound incompetence, profoundly ignorant hubris, and look at the peanut gallery here, still snarling in their spelling-challenged logic-defying idiocy.
Amtrak frequented by business elites? Are you serious? How ’bout them everyday jet-setting CEOS flying to Washington to beg for your money after stealing it with tax breaks to “save jobs” (didja notice that the tax breaks did nothing to save jobs?), and here you are attempting to disparage Obama who (if you were smart enough to recognize) is not only supporting a badly neglected mode of transportation, but actually saving a few gallons of non-renewable fuel in the process. Come on. Stupid Season is Over. And see if you can further the conversation without mangled stupid spelling errors.
47. SemiWarpedJ | 12.15.08
You mean he wasnt picking up a cup of coffee in Delaware??? Oh, wrong Joe…sorry. So they are taking a train, good for them! I really couldnt see them on a Greyhound though. It would have to be re-fitted for some sort of comfortability level and that could take millions. Danny and Bubba; I agree.
48. Tigere | 12.15.08
John .S- Re: “Is Barack his first name or last?”
Dude just GOOGLE it. Its easy, go to http://www.google.com and type in your question.
49. EB | 12.15.08
“I just want to know how much extra this is going to cost tax payers. That’s a lot of track and land for the SS to cover, as opposed to two runways and a motorcade.
I’m going to estimate the cost at 10X the expense of arriving by plane and motorcade.
Just and average joe? Hmmmph, more like just an average democrat.
STOP SPENDING MY MONEY!!!”
First of all, it’s not your money, it’s all of us who have contributed into the pot. Second, why do you suddenly care about money now, isn’t Georgy boy spending like there was no tomorrow on a war that had nothing to do with the attacks? And please don’t tell me it’s to defend freedom. I’ve already heard that excuse for the last 5 1/2 years.
50. Billy | 12.15.08
Quote: “Got news for you buddy, unless you have been in a coma for the last 8 years, Bush & Cheney already took care of spending your money and your kids money and your grandkids money etc.”
And, I’ve “got news for you buddy”, as you say. Bush and Cheney can’t spend a dime. Your elected congress okays the budget, votes to spend the money, and approves the wars. The president can’t do a thing without their approval.
51. yohon | 12.15.08
1982 = recession. 2008 = recession. 2009 - take train and get us out of recession.
Do some good will and save a little money = smart!
Hopefully they wont get hit with a shoe.
If I had the job of either man I would prefer a first name as opposed to sticks and stones from the little people. **** fire I would take the train and celebrate with the people that give me the job.
Way to go Oand J!
53. franko | 12.15.08
to all the people who don’t get the (ahem) nuance in the question about “is obama his first name or his last,” let me see if i can help: i think the person who asked it was pointing out that the headline uses obama’s last name and and biden’s first name — not very consistent.
oh, and #41? that is the most outrageous, outright lie i’ve ever heard. do you really believe that?
54. bailoutjqpublic | 12.15.08
I thought we voted for change we can believe in. By having a lavish inauguration party when the taxpayer is struggling to pay the bills just seems optically and morally wrong!I don’t really care how he gets there or who he brings with him. Why can’t we see the election funds, inauguration funds and some bailout money go to everyday people? How about us - you know the voters taht believed CHANGE
55. bailoutjqpublic | 12.15.08
I thought we voted for change we can believe in. By having a lavish inauguration party when the taxpayer is struggling to pay the bills just seems optically and morally wrong!I don’t really care how he gets there or who he brings with him. Why can’t we see the election funds, inauguration funds and some bailout money go to everyday people? How about us - you know the voters that believed CHANGE was coming! I certainly don’t see the change in the cabinet selections so far. Where’s the change????
56. Arch | 12.15.08
Bill had it right about our US rail service being better in 1950. I want those days back when you could go from Mayberry to Hooterville by train.
57. Sharon | 12.15.08
If you think that it is some kind of protocol to be rude to the incoming President by not letting them move in early you are wrong. President Clinton was gracious enough to allow the Bush’s to arrive early and the Bush’s should reciprocate to the Obama’s. How do I know? Easy, I was in D.C. on vacation in December when then President elect Bush arrived and could not get to tour the White House because as the aid told us “the Pres elect is moving in.” We were watching the helicopter with the Bush family arriving as we spoke and the moving van was on the driveway.
58. yohon | 12.15.08
#11 srg are you for real?
#1 SP $165000 for hair dresser
#2 clothes for SP and her 1st lay
#3 Paid for from public money=#1 thru #2=srg is one of the little people
59. annonymouse | 12.15.08
Let’s not forget, all this over the headline calling Senator Biden just plain Joe.
Even his supporters call him the “blowhard” of the Senate. All this over the man who plagiarized his college papers. Quote from his bio: “During his first year there, he was accused of having plagiarized 5 of 15 pages of a law review article. Biden said it was inadvertent due to his not knowing the proper rules of citation, and he was permitted to retake the course after receiving a grade of F…”
All this from the man who dropped out of the presidential race because he plagiarized some of his speeches.
I imagine that just plain Joe suits him well.
Where do we get these people??
60. Joe | 12.15.08
Haven’t any of you heard of “Amtrak Joe”… A guy who rode the train daily from Wilmington to DC for years?
61. Art Pais | 12.15.08
You write:
‘Estimates of the number of those who will attend the inauguration of the nation’s first African-American president range from two to four million.’
Shouldn’t it be from two million to four million?
Copy editor, copy editor
62. Ran Barton | 12.15.08
Joe, er. Mr., er, Senator Biden’s dog won’t be welcome aboard Amtrak unless it’s a certified service animal.
63. yohon | 12.15.08
#11 srg are you for real?
#1 SP $165000 for hair dresser
#2 clothes for SP and her 1st lay
#3 Paid for from public money=#1 thru #2=srg is one of the little people
64. anywhoamerican | 12.15.08
ok, where do I began, let start with you “bailoutjqpublic”. Did anyone stop to think of all the people that will be working the events and on the train. Are not these american people “working”. who cares how they get there or what they are called, just so long as they get there and get to work. you know all this verbage started because of “joe” in a headline. you people have way too much time on your hands. however, i did get a few laughs out of the comments and that was a pick-me-up. so continue
65. Jack May | 12.15.08
Obama uses the test that what he wants implemented are things that are lowest cost and most effective in solving the problem. High speed rail and other rail type systems strongly violate Obma’s criterion.
Typically when an long obsolete technology like passenger rail is used it is normally far more expensive and far less effective then more recent approaches. Technologies like passenger rail become obsolete and go into decline when they are no longer competitive in cost or performance. Using old technology is usually a really bad approach.
Some people (and many politicians) want to live in the past, hate the present and hate potentially future technology. Let us hope that Obama really is smart enough to avoid the born losers that tend to be constantly pushing to return society to the past. Returning to the past like the Taliban did would be a disaster for the US.
66. Bob | 12.15.08
Quote: “Typically when an long obsolete technology like passenger rail is used it is normally far more expensive and far less effective then more recent approaches.”
Apparently you haven’t been to Europe.
67. PETER VARDILOS | 12.15.08
Does Mr. Biden still have his mother sleep in the servant’s quarters?
Where will he be having her sleep in the White House?
69. Erica B | 12.15.08
Pure symbolism, no substance. Philadelphia to D.C. is no way to get an Amtrak experience. I think the Obamas and their entourage need to Amtrak ALL THE WAY from Chicago to D.C. I’m talking about a regular set of routes and fares to get there, too — not special service routes for a VIP that don’t have to sit on a side rail for 45 minutes waiting for an oncoming freight train to pass, not luxury accommodations comped to them on my dimes. And be sure to take plenty of disinfectant wipes to clean the shoe bottoms after using the “restrooms” on board: It’s like trying to hit the target while you’re in a rotating clothesdryer.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. G.G. | 12.15.08
Please do not call him “Joe” in the headline; he is Mr. Biden to you. If you want us to respect our government officials, at least show us that you respect them too.