INAUGURAL BALLS are glitzy affairs, the preserve of the rich, famous or politically well-connected. But to mark the swearing-in of Barack Obama as US president on January 20th, there will be a new addition: the People’s Inaugural Ball.
Hundreds of disadvantaged Americans – including people who are homeless, disabled soldiers and victims of domestic violence – are to be invited. For three days, they will stay free of charge at a luxury hotel close to the White House. Tuxedos and ballgowns for the night are to be provided, along with hairdressers and beauticians.
Earl Stafford, a Virginia-based businessman who is covering the $1 million-plus (€783,000) costs, admitted there was an echo of Pygmalion in his plan. In Washington yesterday, he said he wanted to invite the dispossessed and distressed to the ball.
“This celebration would be incomplete without such people,” Mr Stafford said.
“We are thrilled to give them a front-row seat on this momentous occasion in history.”
Asked what his motivation was, he hesitated because he said the media did not like to talk about religion, but added that his inspiration had come from his Christian faith.
Mr Obama’s inauguration is set to be the biggest in US history, with four million people expected to line the Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue to hear him deliver his speech on the steps of Congress. In the evening, he and his wife Michelle will drop in on about half a dozen balls, where they are unlikely to stay longer than 20 minutes.
Mr Stafford, who runs a charitable foundation, will invite 1,000 people to his ball at the Marriott Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. At least one-third will be from poor backgrounds, he said. They will be chosen by grassroots organisations involved in fighting deprivation.
The 300 will stay at the hotel for three days, with all meals provided. On January 19th, Martin Luther King Day, Mr Stafford is to host a prayer breakfast and lunch for the 1,000. On inauguration day, they can watch the inaugural parade from the hotel terrace before attending the ball.
Although he voted for Mr Obama and contributed funds to his campaign, Mr Stafford’s plan was not linked to the Democrat’s victory. – (Guardian service)