Hotmail
Banned from inauguration: strollers, umbrellas
Backpacks, signs and thermoses are also forbidden from ceremony
 | Slide show |
 |
more photos |
Clinton to appear on 'Meet the Press' |
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joins David Gregory from Asia for an in-depth interview on the foreign policy challenges facing the Obama administration including Afghanistan, Iraq and the U.S. image abroad. |  AFP-Getty Images |
 | NBC Video: Politics |
 On Pacific trip, Obama warns North Korea Nov. 14: Speaking in Japan, President Obama says that the U.S. won't be cowed by North Korea's defiance. NBC's Mike Viqueira reports. |
 | Slideshow |
 | more photos |
WASHINGTON - Camera and cell phone, yes. Backpack, no.
If you're planning a trip to the Jan. 20 inaugural ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama, be warned: Backpacks, signs, umbrellas and thermoses are forbidden.
The list of prohibited items on the Capitol grounds includes the obvious — firearms, explosives and knives — along with some head-scratchers, like coolers, strollers and laser pointers.
Strollers take up a lot of space, and "they're made up of hard metal or plastic, just like umbrellas. Anything like that is not permitted," said Carole Florman, communications director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. That includes chairs.
"Unfortunately, this is not a festival," Florman said, noting the difficulty of screening hundreds of thousands of visitors.
The committee is also warning visitors to expect to stand for several hours in the cold, normally 37 degrees F at noon, and park outside the city.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM POLITICS |
 Politics Section Front |
| Add Politics headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links
Resource guide