In the Inauguration Zone

Needless to say, Washington is abuzz over the Inauguration. The evidence is all around, from the fences and risers under construction to Friday’s opening of the official Inaugural store. Your San Pedro News DC editor submitted a field report of the store opening to Curbed DC. “Ghosts Of Inaugurations Past Come Out For Grand Opening Of the Official Inauguration Store” has all the vivid details.

If you’re feeling the urge to shop, start here, then use promo code “2013” to save 15%. (Fine print: $10 minimum purchase. This code was released last Friday, Jan 11. We don’t know if it’s still valid.)

Washingtonians flock to political events the way Angelenos flip for movie premiers.

Harbor Area residents coming to DC for the Inauguration are invited to contact us at SanPedroNews[at]aol[dot]com and we’ll do our best to answer your questions about the city, restaurants, sightseeing, etc.

House Speaker John Boehner with Hahn

Back in the district, Rep. Janice Hahn is holding a Community Swearing-in this Thursday in Carson. It takes place at 3 pm on Jan. 17 in the main hall of the Carson Community Center, 801 E Carson St. For information, contact (310) 831-1799 or HahnRSVP@mail.house.gov.

Have a ‘Super’ New Year

Wishing our readers a Happy New Year. Let’s make it super, shall we?

Exhibit A: View a fun video of Superman over the Pacific.

Exhibit B:

Greetings from SuperObama, striking a presidential pose at the DC train station.

Hahn to Congress on Fiscal Cliff: Don't Drop the Ball

Rep. Janice Hahn spoke on the House floor hours before the fiscal cliff deadline. Her office released this transcript of Hahn's remarks:

Tonight in Times Square, hundreds of thousands of people will be there at midnight to watch that ball drop.  But here in Congress, we’ve also dropped the ball. 

We are in the final days of the 112th Congress.  And no one expected us to be here on the House Floor on New Year’s Eve.  

But here we are, racing towards that fiscal cliff—towards higher taxes on the middle class, on slashed investment for the American people – including nutrition for mothers and infants, education for our children, and our infrastructure. 

What part of the “cliff” sounds like a good plan? I know I’m not the only one who has spent time with families that it will hurt. I know I’m not the only one who has visited the businesses that are worried that our country could have another recession. 

We should not be playing this game of chicken.  There is too much at stake to have politics as usual.  We have an opportunity to prevent the fiscal cliff, but in order to do so we must act as a unified Congress.  So I say to all my friends and colleagues, Democrats and Republicans: Let’s get this thing done.  

Tonight when that ball drops, let’s make sure that we haven’t also dropped the ball.

January Calendar Line Items: Presidential Inauguration, White House Summer Internship Applications

Being Sunday, it’s theoretically the day of rest. If you’re restfully perched at your computer, here are two noteworthy opportunities for your consideration.

2013 Inauguration Tickets

Washington is getting atwitter about the presidential inauguration, which occurs on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

The Destination DC visitors bureau is excitedly chirping that today, Dec. 2, is the 50-day countdown. 50 days! You have just 50 days to make plans!

To wit:

1. You’ll want to enter Rep. Janice Hahn’s lottery for tickets.
2. Then visit the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for news, info and history.
3. Click back to Destination DC for one-stop travel planning and event information.

White House Summer 2013 Internships

The White House is now accepting applications for 2013 summer interns. Applicants must be US citizens over age 18 and post-secondary students, recent graduates or veterans.

The internships are full time and unpaid. Application deadline is Jan. 27.

Food-minded Washingtonians Find Two Excuses to Ditch Work Friday

A tale of two queues unfolded Friday as food-minded Washingtonians lined the sidewalks for a pair of events.

Earlybirds gathered at sunrise for a chance to attend the one and only booksigning First Lady Michelle Obama is doing for her newly released “American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America.”

Bobby Campbell is smiling because he was first in line. 

Campbell and the front of the line in context.

The signing is taking place on June 12 at Barnes&Noble in downtown Washington. As reported on Obama Foodorama, attendees were required to buy the book in advance and submit to a Secret Service background check beginning at 9 a.m. on June 8.

The queue formed when Bobby Campbell assumed the first spot at 5:45 a.m., by his own report. No telling how many worker bees mysteriously had doctors’ appointments first thing Friday morning.

The next opportunity to skip work began at 10 a.m. across town, when Georgetown Cupcake opened for the day. The renowned bakery offered free cupcakes to promote Friday’s episode of DC Cupcakes, The Learning Channel reality show about the energetic sisters who own the cupcakery.

The promise of a free cupcake created a fine excuse to take a very long lunch or get stuck in, ahem, massive traffic.

Washingtonians vote with their feet to endorse the Georgetown Cupcake giveaway.

In fact, the traffic jams occurred on the sidewalk, where a midday line snaked out the door. The weekday after-lunch slot is usually an off-peak time when a customer can practically walk right up to the counter. The lure of free cupcakes changed the equation and left cubicles emptier than normal as the city’s cupcake enthusiasts queued up for a TGIF treat.

The political and pop culture circles actually overlap at this top-of-the-ticket bakery, which hosted First Daughter Sasha Obama’s 10th birthday party last year.

This year, the bakery has expanded beyond the Washington metropolitan area. Following openings in New York and Boston, it will set up shop on Los Angeles’ westside this fall.

Hahn to Open S.P. Campaign Office Thursday

Rep. Janice Hahn is opening a campaign office in downtown San Pedro Thursday. The May 3 event takes place from 6 to 8 pm in conjunction with the monthly First Thursday artwalk and street festival. The office is located at 447 W. Sixth St. View the event details here.

Hahn and Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach) are competing for the new 44th Congressional District seat. The primary election is June 5.

Richardson’s campaign is headquartered in Carson and online at www.laurarichardson.us.

Candidates Interview for Newspaper Endorsement

Hahn and Richardson interviewed with the editorial board of the San Fernando Valley-based LA Daily News, the flagship newspaper in the chain that includes the Daily Breeze.

Each made her case for endorsement, and, by extension, election to the newly drawn 44th Congressional District.

The candidates’ arguments are summarized in “Rep. Janice Hahn is all about the ports” and “Rep. Laura Richardson: ‘I am this district.’”

The Daily News has not yet made its endorsement for the June 5 election.

UPDATE -- May 4 -- The Daily News endorses Hahn.

Happy Birthday, Janice Hahn

Friday, March 30 is Rep. Janice Hahn’s birthday. Sign our e-card to wish her a happy birthday by writing here in the comments.

As for gifts, when you have the privilege of public service in this glorious building, what more do you need?