Inauguration: Invites, Liquor Sales, and a Celebrity-Filled Ball

Tuskegee Airmen Get Special Invite to Inauguration
The Tuskegee Airmen are slated to be among the 30,000 people fortunate enough to occupy seats at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony. Roughly 330 pilots and members of the Tuskegee Airmen ground crew have been extended a special invite to attend the Jan. 20 ceremony, according to reports.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), extended the invite Tuesday, and airmen must respond by Dec. 19 if they plan to attend. Each are going to be allowed to bring one guest with them, and tickets are nontransferable.

Senators Urge Washington D.C. Government to Reverse Emergency Alcohol Law
Looks like buying booze in the wee hours of the morning during inauguration celebrations might not be an option for revelers. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chair of the JCCIC, and Sen. Bob Bennett of the JCCIC and the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, urged Mayor Adrian Fenty and the city council to reverse emergency legislation passed last week to allow bars and restaurants to sell alcohol until 5 a.m. during the week of inauguration. They cite safety and security concerns as reasons for the request.

“We have reached out to Mayor Fenty and Council Chairman Vincent Gray because of our grave concerns about the unintended consequences of this legislation,” Feinstein said.

Bennett echoed Feinstein’s apprehension, saying, “Security needs to be the No. 1 priority during the inaugural ceremonies and extending the sale of alcohol until 5 a.m. in D.C. will only divert law enforcement resources away from their primary focus on security measures and crowd safety.”

Star-Studded Host List for Unofficial Inaugural Ball
Hollywood and music stars are bringing their own pizzazz to President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, with Blair Underwood, Spike Lee, and Seal among the hosts for an unofficial celebrity inaugural ball, the Associated Press reports.

Other confirmed hosts include Anne Hathaway, Susan Sarandon, Marcia Cross, Adrian Grenier, Ashley Judd, Rachael Leigh Cook, and Ron Howard. Hosts also include Congress members as well as policy, media, and business leaders.

The event will kick off in the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C., on the night of the inauguration, and will raise funds for the Creative Coalition, a nonprofit arts and entertainment advocacy group. Musical guests are scheduled to perform until midnight, including Elvis Costello and Sting, the group told the AP.

This event won’t be the only one attended by A-listers, as many across Washington will be host to the who’s who of entertainment, politics, and government.