The Washington Post reports in an article "Aloha State Moves to the A-List: Obama's Birthplace Sees Rush for Tickets To Inaugural Ball" by Nikita Stewart:
Forget the cowboy hat. Throw on a lei.
Forget the cowboy hat. Throw on a lei.
The Hawaii State Society Inaugural Ball -- the first one ever -- is suddenly the hottest ticket in town, replacing the Texas Black Tie and Boots ball that reigned for the past two inaugurations.
And there are no more tickets. The Jan. 20 ball was sold out by 8 a.m. Friday.
"It's amazing how an election outcome can change everything," said Micah Kohono Mossman, ball chairman. "Now, I'm one of the most hated people because everyone is upset that I can't get them tickets."
The sellout represents a shift in Washington's A-list inaugural party scene. Texas had enjoyed that status as the adopted home state of President George W. Bush. Now, it's all about Hawaii, the birthplace of President-elect Barack Obama.
The Illinois State Society, the country's oldest, is also seeing a run on tickets. Obama is a longtime resident and represents the state in the Senate.
The Hawaii State Society is new to this and may not have been prepared for all the hoopla. When society members began planning earlier this year, they went with what they could afford: a $250,000 affair for 750 people at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Southwest Washington, a marked difference from Texas, where everything is bigger.
With all due respect to Texas, which has presold 6,000 tickets for its ball to state society members, Mossman said, "Here, it's ohana, it's family."
The society isn't even sure the native son will make an appearance. The group is trying to get designated as an official ball by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. "Our fingers are crossed that even if we don't get that sanction, he'll still come by," Mossman said.
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