Purple Tunnel of Doom was the name ascribed to the

I-395 Interstate 395 may refer to: *Interstate 395 (Connecticut–Massachusetts), a spur from I-95 to Auburn, Massachusetts *Interstate 395 (Delaware), a proposed portion of I-95 in Delaware, when it was under construction *Interstate 395 (Florida), a spu ...

Third Street tunnel in downtown

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, where thousands of holders of purple tickets lined up to witness the

first inauguration of Barack Obama The first inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The 56th inauguration, which set a record attendance f ...

on January 20, 2009. Ticket colors corresponded to assigned viewing areas. Many were not admitted, despite having stood in line for hours.

History

People were directed into the Third Street tunnel by police, but were not allowed to exit. Among those who missed the ceremony were Seattle Mayor

Greg Nickels Gregory J. Nickels (born August 7, 1955) is an American politician who served as the 51st mayor of Seattle, Washington. He took office on January 1, 2002 and was reelected to a second term in 2005. In August 2009, Nickels finished third in the p ...

San Mateo County San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City is the county seat, and the third most populated city following Daly ...

Supervisor Warren Slocum, daughters of

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend (born July 4, 1951) is an American attorney who was the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. She ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Maryland in 2002. She was the first female lieutenant g ...

, the Legislative Director for

Lamar Alexander Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. (born July 3, 1940) is a retired American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 2003 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also was the 45th governor of Tennessee fro ...

,, staffers for

John Barrasso John Anthony Barrasso III ( ; born July 21, 1952) is an American physician and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Wyoming, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Wyoming State ...

, and foreign policy advisers and multiple members of staff from the Obama campaign. News reports put the total number of purple-ticket-holders who were denied entrance to the inauguration at between 1,000 and 4,000. Pictures show a lack of law enforcement or event personnel, and an overall bleak situation without basic amenities such as wayfinding or facilities. Similarly affected were blue-ticket-holders on the south side of the Capitol. Thousands of ticket-holders waiting outside the Blue Gate – in and around the triangular area bordered by C Street, 2nd Street, and Washington Avenue SW – were denied entrance as a result of a massive gate management failure.

Terrance W. Gainer Terrance William Gainer (born August 1, 1947) is a former law enforcement officer and was the 38th Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate and served in that position from January 4, 2007 to May 2, 2014. Before Gainer continued his law enfor ...

, the

Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate The Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the United States Senate (originally known as the Doorkeeper of the Senate from April 7, 1789 – 1798) is the protocol officer, executive officer, and highest-ranking federal law enforcement officer of the ...

, stated that it appeared that the breakdown had occurred because there were more purple and blue tickets for those sections than bulky people in coats would permit. The experience in the tunnel has been chronicled in numerous videos posted on

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, and in detailed accounts by

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. On January 22, 2009, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies said that blue-, silver-, and purple-ticket-holders who were not admitted would receive copies of the swearing-in invitation and program, photos of Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, and a color print of the ceremony.

Lessons learned

A multi-agency study was led by the Secret Service. For Obama's second inauguration, the tunnel was closed.

References

{{reflist

External links

Survivors of the Purple Tunnel of Doom
First inauguration of Barack Obama Crowd control Buildings and structures in Washington, D.C.