The People's Inaugural Ball

There's some part of me that would love to be in DC for the inauguration but I'm of an age now that standing around in the freezing cold of January with a few million revelers just doesn't have the same appeal as it once did. But if I could wangle an invite to this guy's party I could be persuaded to brave my way inside the Beltway.

It was billed as the biggest, most eye-popping of the inauguration hotel packages: the JW Marriott's $1 million "build-your-own-ball" offer. You get 300 rooms, four suites, $200,000 worth of food and drink, and a primo site overlooking the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route. [...]

This morning, the Marriott is scheduled to announce that the buyer is a Virginia businessman who wants to bring to the inauguration disadvantaged people, terminally ill patients, wounded soldiers and others down on their luck.

Earl W. Stafford, 60, of Fairfax County, the founder of a Centreville technology company who grew up as one of 12 children of a Baptist minister, said he will provide his guests lodging, food and special access, as well as beauticians, gowns and tuxedos, if necessary.

Includes a heated tent on the Marriot roof to view the procession. My old bones could deal with that and I love the idea of celebrating the occassion with homeless people and vets in wheelchairs.

Some 30% of the guest list are to be "those who are distressed, those who are terminally ill, those who are socially and economically disadvantaged, those veterans who are wounded and served our country." I surely fit into at least one of those categories but he's going to work with social service agencies to find the lucky few. I was thinking of maybe emailing the proverbial elevator pitch directly, but I have a feeling he'll be getting a lot of those today. Maybe I'll wait a week or two until the initial rush dies down.

Yeah, I know the chances are nil, but hey, nothing ventured...

[More posts daily at The Newshoggers and The Detroit News.]