Record numbers expected to view presidential oath

WASHINGTON — In a pivotal moment in U.S. history, and amid high expectations for the future, President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in today as the nation’s 44th president.

Upon taking the oath of office, Obama will become the country’s first black president, and that has drawn black Americans to Washington for a day that is expected to set the record for an inaugural crowd. The National Mall and the streets around it have been crowded for the past two days.

A crowded city

Official estimates of the expected crowd for the swearing-in — scheduled to take place at about 11 a.m. — and the parade have varied greatly. Early on, District of Columbia officials predicted up to 4 million people might attend, though most estimates now top out at 2 million. The record is an estimated 1.5 million for President Lyndon Johnson’s 1965 inauguration.

Hundreds of Oklahomans picked up their tickets from congressional offices Monday for the swearing-in ceremony, though long lines outside the Capitol Hill buildings made the process slow. Oklahoma state Rep. Jabar Shumate of Tulsa said the line outside one House office building wrapped almost around it.

Following Obama’s inaugural address, the new president will have lunch with members of Congress and then participate in the parade that will end at the White House.

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