Nielsen released its numbers for the top 56 media markets in the country today. These metropolitan areas had the highest inauguration viewership yesterday:

And these had the lowest viewership:

So people who could most easily come see the inauguration in person — those from D.C., Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina — watched from their sofas, while people who live more than 1,000 miles away either made the trek to the capital or didn’t bother to tune in.

Even stranger, the three metropolitan areas at the bottom of this list are arguably the three most liberal in the country: Seattle, Portland and San Francisco.

I suppose it’s possible that people from the D.C. area are simply more politically engaged — much more engaged — than their counterparts from farther afield, but this still strikes me as deeply strange.

Anyone have a better explanation? I await your comments …

There were few surprises through the ceremony, but there was no shortage of “changing-of-the-guard” symbolism — the recognition among the gathered that the Bush-era ends none too soon, and the pessimism of the last eight years might finally turn toward hope.

It came in the form of President Barack Obama’s calls for universal sacrifice — something the Bush administration never asked of the country as a whole, and for which we will long suffer the consequences.

It came in the form of the “Arrest Bush” signs that went up like a sea of butterflies when the now-former president appeared before the crowd on the National Mall’s giant screens.

It came in the form of the “Close Gitmo” protest at the western edge of the Washington Monument, where hooded inmates reminded the crowd of America’s sins — and of Obama’s promises to shutter the prison.

It came in the form of former Vice President Dick Cheney being pushed to the stage in a wheelchair, after hurting his back while moving.

It came in the form of Pastor Rick Warren invoking the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which moved closer to being realized today.

And lastly, and perhaps put best, it came in the form of the guy who strutted up 19th Street after the show, the sign over his head proclaiming simply, “We Are Finally Proud to Be Americans.”

From The Consumerist:

Americans face a tough choice Tuesday morning: watch Barack Obama’s historic inauguration, or storm department stores to take advantage of a first-come, first-serve cosmetics giveaway worth $175 million. The giveaway is the culmination of a class action suit that accused Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf, Dillard’s, Filene’s, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others, of fixing cosmetics prices. Though the giveaway runs from January 20-26, we’d be shocked if the products last for a full day.

Commenters wrote in to say they hope there’s no repeat of the fatal  Wal-Mart Black Friday door-buster stampede to mar the day.

Others took a more positive view:

Now we can afford to put lipstick on a pig!

So here’s to the land of the free. And of free stuff, too.

From the PIC press release:

Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.

What, no Oprah? Pfffft. I’m staying home.

From Playbook:

BREAKING: The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who became the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop in 2003 and last year entered into a civil union with his gay partner, will deliver the invocation for Sunday’s kickoff inaugural event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, with President-elect Obama in attendance. The event is free and open to the public.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Rick Warren!

Oh, by the way, according to the transition, the move has absolutely nothing to do with Rick Warren. Also from Playbook:

An Obama source: ‘Robinson was in the plans before the complaints about Rick Warren. Many skeptics will read this as a direct reaction to the Warren criticism – but it’s just not so.’

No word yet on whether Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s witch-hunting pastor is planning to come to Washington to protect Obama from black magic.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced this morning that 5,000 bleacher seats along the parade route will go on sale today at 1 p.m. EST, at $25 a pop. However, you’d better be on the ball if you want tickets, because they will surely sell out quickly.

Here’s the full press release, with all the info:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 9, 2009

Public Tickets Available for Inaugural Parade

5,000 Bleacher Seats Lining Parade Route to Go On Sale

Washington, D.C. — The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced today that 5,000 tickets for the 56th Inaugural Parade will go on sale to the public at 1:00 PM EST today for $25 each. Tickets will allow spectators access to bleachers along the historic parade route from the Capitol to the White House. Tickets will be available for sale at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 202-397-SEAT(7328), 410-547-SEAT(7328) or 703-573-SEAT(7328). Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

“We are very pleased to make these tickets available to the public as part of our commitment to holding the most open and accessible Inauguration in history,” said Presidential Inaugural Committee Executive Director Emmett S. Beliveau. “The Inaugural Parade is a celebration of America, and we are working to make sure that as many citizens as possible can take part in this historic tradition.”

Thousands of spectators will line the 1.7 mile parade route as the new President and Vice President are escorted from the Capitol to the White House by over 13,000 parade participants. Over 90 music, cultural and community groups will join representatives from our Armed Forces in the historic parade, which concludes at the presidential reviewing stand, where the President and Vice President will watch the processional with their families.

Tickets are limited to four per person for purchase. Tickets are not required to view the parade, but the purchase of tickets will guarantee spectators a seated spot along the parade route. Ticket holders must be in their seats no later than 1:00 PM EST on January 20th. Standing room will be available along Pennsylvania Avenue on a first come, first serve basis.

Earlier this month the PIC announced that hundreds of free parade tickets were being made available to Washington, DC students and their families. DC residents can visit www.pic2009.org/page/s/dcstudentessay for more information on how to obtain those tickets.

For the latest information on the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, please visit www.pic2009.org.

###

Update: The Washington Post reports the tickets sold out within minutes.

From The Huffington Post:

As Governor, Blagojevich was given two tickets to the historic affair by the inauguration committee. But at this juncture, his office says, he’s not sure whether or not he will make an appearance.

Flickr: Get Directly Down

On the upside, this might be good news for a lucky couple of well-heeled Obamaniacs in town on Inauguration Day. While Blago’s original plan to make a quick buck off of Obama’s electoral victory didn’t pan out too well, there’s always ticket scalping.

It’s not just the gay and lesbian community that’s going after President-elect Barack Obama for his choice to have Rick Warren, the socially conservative evangelical minister, deliver the inauguration’s invocation. Blogging for Congressional Quarterly, David Corn, Washington bureau chief of Mother Jones, says Obama has “stepped over a line…even if this is a symbolic gesture.” From the CQ blog:

By all means, Obama should work with Rick Warren when there is common cause. For political reasons, he should not eschew Warren because of his anti-gay views. Warren can be a powerful ally when it comes time to persuade the public to support climate change legislation. Success in governing often depends on forging coalitions with those with whom you disagree.

But Warren’s opposition to gay rights is more than a mere policy dispute. It is an act of bigotry. Sure, Warren does not believe he is being discriminatory. But that’s what it is. He is denying rights to certain Americans because he disapproves of how they love. By handing Warren this prime slot at the inauguration, Obama is saying that he recognizes Warren as a spiritual leader and is reaffirming Warren’s position as such. This is an insult to gay Americans and those who support equal rights in this nation.

As Laura pointed out earlier, Obama defended his choice this morning, saying that he’s a “fierce advocate for gay and lesbian Americans.” Tapping Warren, he added, is part of his campaign promise to reach across the aisle to end the partisan bickering that poisoned Washington in recent decades. The left is going nuts that the process would include the acceptance of a guy like Rick Warren. Then again, what did liberals think bipartisanship would look like?

Good news! The Washington Post reports that the D.C. City Council passed emergency legislation yesterday allowing the city’s bars to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. for four days during Inauguration week, concluding the morning after the Jan. 20 ceremony.

And it gets better — after last call, you don’t even have to go home or back to your hotel! The bars can serve food 24 hours these days, so once the booze stops flowing, you can simply order up some grub and wait until it starts back up in a few hours.

According to The Post, however, not everyone is thrilled by the prospect of 24-hour revelry. These party poopers tend to live in bar-filled neighborhoods like Adams Morgan.

The legislation quickly drew the ire of civic leaders, who complained that the council did not seek public input.

“I see the potential for why you’d want to do it, in terms of this being a historic election, but to just throw this down on neighborhoods?” said Bryan Weaver, head of the Adams Morgan advisory neighborhood commission. “To have 3 1/2 days of 24-hour service without any input from the community — there’s going to be hell to pay from a lot of neighborhood associations.”

Whatever. If an American is patriotic enough to travel thousands of miles to witness the inauguration of the new president, it should be their God-given right to order a good, stiff drink at 5 a.m on a Wednesday morning. After all, isn’t this precisely the kind of freedom that our forefathers fought and died to protect?