Washington Bureau

Inauguration Tickets for Lucky Waiters from NC

WASHINGTON—The line was snaking out of Sen. Kay Hagan’s office and around the corner when Dr. Harvey Allen Jr. showed up Monday seeking tickets to Barack Obama’s inauguration.

Hagan, D-N.C., announced last week that her office would hand out any unclaimed tickets at 3 p.m. Monday. The first eager ticket seekers showed up before 9 a.m.

“I figured I’d get here an hour early, maybe two hours and still be able to get tickets,” said Allen, a Winston-Salem gastroenterologist, who stood in line with his son but came up empty handed. “I guess I’m out of luck.”

Hagan’s office used a lottery to distribute the 393 tickets initially awarded to each Senate office. Fewer than 15 tickets went unclaimed and were handed out to those who showed up early. The office also received a surprise allotment of 125 tickets Monday, and gave them away first come, first served.

Liz Richardson, of Raleigh, N.C., was one of the last line waiters to receive a ticket from Hagan’s office. She got one for herself, and the rest of her group scored tickets through other offices, including one from a Utah congressman.

“We just took a chance this morning,” Richardson said.

The office of Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., which did not receive any extra tickets to give away Monday, said it did not have any tickets left over from its original allotment of 393.

"We checked and rechecked with the people who we informed had received tickets and they came to pick them up today. For those who...couldn't make it, we continued down our original list and planned accordingly so none would be left over," wrote Chris Walker, a Burr spokesman.

--Sean Mussenden

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