Run Awaaaaaaaay!!!!

Obama-lock gets closer and closer and closer......

President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural committee has pledged to make his Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony the most "accessible" in U.S. history. But growing security concerns and staggering crowd estimates may be dissuading would-be witnesses from making the trip to Washington to be part of the historic event.

The Pennsylvania-based Red Lion Bus Company has canceled nearly all of its trips to Washington on inaugural week because passengers are steadily backing out of their reservations, the company's owner told FOXNews.com.

"Most passengers are canceling because they're not able to get tickets to any place where you could really see anything," said company owner Dennis Warner.

And Red Lion's passengers might not be the only ones second-guessing their travel plans.

Shortly after Obama's victory on Nov. 4, Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said he estimated that 4 to 5 million people would attend the inauguration. City officials have reduced that number to 2 million, because it is impossible for the trains and local roads to enable 5 million spectators to reach the parade route or the ceremony at the Capitol.

"Accessibility is a big question right now," said Rebecca Pawlowski, director of communications for Washington's official tourism bureau.

Gee, ya think?

Pravda on the Potomac ran a front page article today giving helpful hints for walking into Dee Cee from as far out as three or four miles in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Never mind that the forecast for next Tuesday is calling for the temperature to not even break 30 degrees. I suppose love of The One will be sufficient to keep people warm.

Fortunately, I will have both the Monday and Tuesday off. I'm also trying to arrange a biz travel trip to get me the hell out of the way for the rest of the week.

UPDATE: You know, whenever I post on this topic I get a flood of "sour grapes" emails in response.

Let me make clear that while I believe that we're in for some "interesting times" in the Chinese curse sense, I also a) recognize that the guy won fair and square and b) sincerely hope that I'm all wrong about him. My kvetching about the Inauguration focuses on the likelihood that the entire Dee Cee metro area is about to be transformed into a giant mosh pit and I wouldn't want any part of it no matter who it was for.