White House doorbell

Set into the fence surrounding the front side of the White House is this curiosity. An old doorbell?

I pushed the white button, which obscures words underneath that read, "Push Button." Dana said, "Think Obama heard the buzzer?"

After I'd pushed the button a few times and called attention to the oddity, bunches of tourists gathered round to photograph the weird welcome plaque. I hadn't taken a picture yet.

I had a telephoto lens on my camera and had to change to a 50mm, but as I fished around in my bag for the lens a police officer shouted, "Ladies and gentleman, this area must be cleared. Please move to the other side of the barricade. You can take pictures from there."

I couldn't take a photograph of this DC doorbell from anywhere but right where I was standing, so I hung back, changed my lens and took the picture. Other folks hung back, too.

The officer was not happy. "Ladies and gentlemen, I SAID, 'This area must be cleared.'"

I gathered my stuff and left. About a dozen people stayed at the fence, looking at the contours of the Oval Office and admiring Michelle Obama's vegetable garden off to the left of the cool old entry buzzer.

"PEOPLE! I'VE ASKED YOU TWICE. THE THIRD TIME, I WILL TAKE POLICE ACTION, COURTESY OF THE SECRET SERVICE."

The people moved.

www.LoriHein.com

Waiting for Obama

Today must be one of the biggest travel days in US history, and today, all roads lead to Washington.

Right now, people are on the roads and rails and in the air, making their way to DC to share in the most hopeful moment America has experienced in a very long time.

Just how many people are making the pilgrimage to the capital to be part of Barack Obama's inauguration was underscored as I drove home from the mall this afternoon. Sitting in my car in Boston, I turned on the radio and caught a traffic report -- for New York City.

Said the reporter, "Traffic is moving well on I-95 south through New York, and there are no problems on the George Washington Bridge. Everything looks good at all of the state borders."

Whether already in DC, on your way, or watching tomorrow on TV or online, we're all waiting for Obama.

And we wish you Godspeed, Mr. President.


www.LoriHein.com