by Jim Tankersley
Like Cubs or White Sox fans booking their World Series seats at the All-Star Break, Illinois residents are snapping up tickets to celebrate Barack Obama's potential inauguration in Washington next year.
Never mind that native-son Obama is running barely ahead or statistically tied with Republican John McCain in recent polls. The Illinois State Society of Washington, D.C., reports that corporate and individual interest in its traditional, bi-partisan inaugural gala is "running far ahead of previous years" some six months before the next president takes office.
The Society has held inaugural celebrations dating back to 1861, when another local boy, Abraham Lincoln, entered the White House. In recent decades, the Society reports, its parties have been second only to Texas (where, to be fair, everything is bigger) among state-society festivities in D.C.
This year, the Illinois folks opened ticket sales early, anticipating an Obama-inspired surge. Read on for the full details from the press release. No word on whether tickets are refundable - or transferable to the Arizona state gala - if McCain wins.
Early Ticket Sales Off to a Fast Start for Jan. 19 Illinois Inaugural Gala at Renaissance Washington Hotel.
The historic Illinois State Society of Washington, DC was founded in 1854. In March 1861, the club hosted Illinoisans from the state and expatriates living in Washington when they paid a call on President Lincoln at The White House on the day of his Inauguration. The club, which currently has 700 members mostly in Washington, has held parties at Inauguration time ever since 1861 and the size of its Inaugural Gala over the last 20 years among all the state societies of Washington have been second only to the Texas State Society Black Tie and Boots party.
The Illinois Inaugural Gala is always bipartisan. Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin attended along with former GOP Speaker Dennis Hastert and all Illinois members of Congress from both parties at the 2005 Inaugural which drew 3,500 guests. However, there are always more guests from the state who are affiliated with the party that wins the White House. The society is coordinating with both party organizations in Illinois to offer space at the Illinois State Society headquarters hotel, The Renaissance Washington Hotel. This year, with the chance an Illinoisan might be elected president, the society has opened up ticket sales early to corporate sponsors and hundreds of individual ticket buyers for the Gala next Jan. 19. Sales are running far ahead of previous years to both corporate and individual ticket buyers according to former society president Jeanne Jacob, a native of Mendota, who has been one of the key managers for every Illinois State Society Inaugural Gala since 1989.
Ticket prices and information are found on www.IllinoisStateSociety.org
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Comments
BIG WHOOP!
Is that suppose to send a signal to us to all get on board and support OB. What is the point here!?
They should have reported on refunds as well.
Not sure, but I thought I heard someone say OB's gallop numbers in his state have been dropping steadily. Anyone know about that?
Posted by: Teresa | July 20, 2008 3:44 PM
Actually, Obama is LEADING in the polls. In fact, there is no credible poll that has shown McCain has an advantage.
Posted by: what? | July 20, 2008 6:51 PM
Anyone know about that?
Posted by: Teresa | July 20, 2008 3:44 PM
Yes...I believe it came from the same people who say he is Muslum.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | July 20, 2008 6:58 PM
Oh, fer godsakes Theresa, why not just say it and get it over with? You don't like Obama and you desperately want him to lose to McCain.
Just be honest about it, you don't have to go around lying and starting false rumors.
Posted by: Dave | July 20, 2008 7:29 PM
The traitorou$ Lame Stream Media would love for this to be a tight horse race between black and white Americans...
All for thier ratings!!!
Posted by: motorfingaz | July 20, 2008 7:37 PM
The traitorou$ Lame Stream Media would love for this to be a tight horse race between black and white Americans...
All for thier ratings!!!
Posted by: motorfingaz | July 20, 2008 7:37 PM
Wow, all these people who want to see John McCain inaugurated as president. Who'd have thunk it?
Posted by: Andrea | July 20, 2008 8:17 PM
Obama, who has a habit of borrowing phrases from others, can get this one ready as a lift from Adlai Stevenson in 1952, when Adlai said, "A funny thing happened on my way to the Presidency."
Posted by: Dorene | July 20, 2008 8:20 PM
Posted by: what? | July 20, 2008 6:51 PM
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | July 20, 2008 6:58 PM
Posted by: Dave | July 20, 2008 7:29 PM
Ummm... What?, bill r, dave: Actually most of the polling has shown Obama and McCain in a virtual dead heat. It's been that way for months now. Sorry guys, but that's a really bad position for a Democrat to be in. Look, it's even mentioned in Tankersly's piece:
"...native-son Obama is running barely ahead or statistically tied with Republican John McCain in recent polls."
Posted by: MJ | July 20, 2008 8:43 PM
It might be a good idea for everyone to take a deep breath and count to ten, its only July with two conventions and a campaign to go. The advance ticket sales for the Illinois event only proves there is more interest than other years such as 2005 when there was no change of party and this year one of the nominees will be from Illinois. President Reagan, while born in Illinois, was from California when elected so this has not happened for Illinois since 1952 when Gov. Stevenson was the Democratic nominee. Yes, the race is very close by historic standards. Sen. Obama leads by an average of 4.5 points in ten major polls since July 10. But that is only 1.5 points better than the standard margin of error of 3 points. At this same time in 1976, Carter led Ford by more than 22 points and only won by two in November. Both candidates have different strong points and that is why the race will be interesting.
Posted by: Mark Rhoads | July 20, 2008 9:05 PM
This is Dickie Durbin and Emil Jones hype.Obama is not going to be President but Durbin can't believe he could ever be wrong.Durbin knows people are pro life and conservative in Illinois. He just thinks if he says we are moving toward abortion, partial birth abortion or infanticide we will all just agree. Durbin is for civil unions bull. He is really for same sex marriages he just won't admit how liberal he has become.
Durbin has devoted much time on Obama even though Obama is a problem with Rezko,Wright, Pfleger, Farakan,Auchi, Mahajans, Ayers, Ali Ata--Durbin is a narcissistic Senator who will deny his Catholic faith to be re-elected.
Durbin knows but doesn't care that oil drilling now, refining now is essential to the future of our economy.Durbin has gotten by many times before by just giving us BULL. Don't believe Durbin and don't even t hink that Obama is going to be President. They are both liberal tax and spenders but its your money and your children and grandchildren's money that they will gleefully spend it. Wakeup Illinois --they will both take you down. They are not good people. They will run over you if you are so dumb! Jerry White,Springfield,IL P.S. Both are Marxists.
Posted by: Jerry White | July 20, 2008 9:17 PM
there is going to be an awefull lot of unhappy people when they can not get there money back for the big Obama event that was supposed to happen lol. what a lot of nerve,I wonder if Obama has sent out his invitations yet?
Posted by: Smal | July 21, 2008 3:01 AM
I looked up poll numbers and Pollster.com gives a graph that shows Obama's numbers continually going down in his home state.
I hadn't made up my mind who I was going to vote for in THIS election, but after I saw the Rev Wright in it's entirety, and learned about Black Liberation Theology for which he said his sermons were based on, I was turned off.
I am also turned thoroughly off by Obama's inability to be straight about all the Flip Flopping he has been doing. He refuses to explain his changes in thinking....puts it out there as if I didn't hear what I what he has said....over and over again. You pick who you like. If it doesn't strike at the wisdom that you've aquired, what can I say ha.
Posted by: Teresa | July 21, 2008 7:37 AM
Obama= Sharp Mind
McCain= Dementia (not a joke)
Question: Who is BETTER
qualified to lead these United States?
Posted by: ticky44 | July 21, 2008 8:04 AM
Jerry White,
You forgot the "Hussein." Get with the program.
Posted by: Doug "Hussein" Zook | July 21, 2008 9:47 AM