City Held Hostage to Single Party System

Forget chads.

Let’s talk eclairs.

French pastries may pale in comparison to the constitutional chaos of an unresolved presidential election, but in a city that loves its quadrennial ritual, the Florida recount has created another crisis. If no president has been named, how can Washington plan an inauguration for Jan. 20?

The formal installation of the nation’s chief executive is a formidable event, fraught with vexing details--from security measures to what desserts to serve. As it stands, Republican nominee Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Vice President Al Gore both are hoping to take the oath of office next month.

In the confusion, caterers are unsure whether they’re doing parties for Republicans or Democrats. Blocks of hotel rooms are double-booked, or not booked at all. Key party spaces remain unreserved. Traditionally assembled the day after the election, the Presidential Inaugural Committee has yet to be formed. Novelty vendors don’t know whether to stock up on elephants or donkeys. And for the first time, invitations to the town’s hottest ticket--the Inauguration Day luncheon in the Capitol’s statuary hall--went out with the honored guest’s name left blank.

“It’s mayhem,” lamented Sara McGregor, owner of Capitol Catering in Alexandria, Va. “We’re totally in limbo. We have people who aren’t sure if they’re going to be having an event and people who are putting us on hold because maybe they will.”

By law, the only certainty is that someone will be sworn into office at noon Jan. 20. The rest of the hoopla is based only in tradition, from the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the parties that rock all night.

Every four years, the elaborate choreography takes the custom farther from the modest 1789 inauguration of George Washington. With the influx of thousands of big-spending visitors, the festivities represent a boon for the capital. Officials here hope spending for this century’s first inaugural will exceed the $95 million that poured into the local economy four years ago.

Much of the celebration plans itself, said Bruce Milhans of the Architect of the Capitol’s office. Regardless of who wins, the stands, platform and bunting go up on the west side of the Capitol, Milhans said. In fact, whether or not a winner is chosen, the official nail-driving ceremony to erect the platform will take place Wednesday.

Thank Goodness for Generic Invitations

Weekly meetings of representatives of a core group of agencies involved in the inaugural--about 40 people--have continued, even without the key presence of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. The National Park Service still worries about crowds in places like Lafayette Park. The Law Enforcement Inaugural Committee monitors police attendance. The D.C. Inaugural Committee looks after the city’s many responsibilities, such as policing and cleanup.

For a year and a half, said Tamara Somerville of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, planning has proceeded smoothly. Any day, she expects 200,000 tickets and 55,000 invitations to arrive in her office.

“Those are generic, thank goodness: no name,” Somerville said. “We’re going to highly recommend that they retain this tradition.”

But no inaugural theme has yet been selected. The poet, clergyperson and soloist for the inaugural have not been named, so programs can’t be printed. The congressional gift to the new president has yet to be engraved.

“It’s a little distressing,” Somerville said. “We’d like to know who our guest of honor is going to be.”

Across the country, meanwhile, hundreds of high school, college and community bands are “kind of like, standing by,” waiting to see whether they will go to Washington, said Lt. Col. M.J. Jadick of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee.

Members of Jadick’s staff have spent months scouting potential event sites. They have figured out where to hitch the horses for the mounted police. They have identified military units to participate in the parade. All this information awaits the approval of the nonexistent Presidential Inaugural Committee, Jadick said.

“It’s their parade to throw,” she said. “No one knows who they are, and no one wants to guess.”

No matter who it honors, the parade will snake past the venerable Washington Hotel, near the White House. All sleeping rooms for the inaugural period are let, said sales and marketing director Jim Bischoff, mostly to Republicans. The waiting list, he said, is mostly Democrats.

With the star inaugural attraction undecided, the hotel has dropped its policy of nonrefundable prepayment, Bischoff said. Even knowing the hotel will be full, he worries about “amenity issues,” such as whether to decorate the fruit baskets in guest rooms with donkeys or elephants.

$150,000 Hotel Suite Awaits an Occupant

If the election outcome were determined, said public relations manager Colleen Evans of the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, her hotel’s $150,000 presidential suite package would be snapped up by now. Evans said corporate sponsors who have booked party space all over the city would know by now whether to invite Democrats or Republicans to their gatherings.

Other hotels still have empty rooms, an unheard-of situation in previous inaugural years. Their managers, said Lydia Sermons of the D.C. Inaugural Committee, “are quite a bit on edge.”

With the election dragging on, “we could potentially have about 30 days to pull together an incredible event for the nation that usually takes closer to 90 days,” Sermons said. “It’s causing quite a bit of concern.”

For caterers such as McGregor, the indecision means juggling bipartisan menu demands.

Eclairs the Only Common Ground

One side asks her to draw up a menu filled with Tex-Mex, McGregor said. The other wants prices on okra and grits. Everyone wants eclairs--but how many?

Then there is the domino effect. Beverage companies want to know how large McGregor’s inaugural order will be. Balloon companies ask the same question. McGregor wonders how many waiters to hire--50 or 250?

Among caterers, she said, “the talk is how long are we going to wait? We’re trying to be flexible with deadlines, but we’ve got to cut it off somewhere.”

Preparing for his fifth inaugural in the catering world, Peter Grazzini of Perfect Settings said some events will go on no matter what. DaimlerChrysler will throw its party in the National Gallery. The law offices that line Pennsylvania Avenue will host gatherings. Companies such as Boston Beer Co.--a.k.a. Samuel Adams beer--will hold receptions.

Nonpartisan Party Is Ready to Go

all of them will need linens, a Grazzini specialty. For Bill Clinton’s first inaugural in 1993, Grazzini rounded up “my goodness, I think 12,000 yards of white-with-gold-stars fabric” so diners at every gala would sit at the same tablecloth. For the coming inaugural, equally elegant fabric will have to be ordered, “and even if every linen rental, every caterer who’s got a sewing machine, divides it up, we’ll be lucky to get it all done,” Grazzini said.

Without a Presidential Inaugural Committee, the official balls are still unscheduled. But one private bash is almost sold out.

Three weeks later than usual, the Texas State Society finally sent out invitations to its Black Tie and Boots gala. Despite its name, the group’s Lois Auer said, the society is not backing either candidate.

Others may be on the fence, “but no matter who wins, we party.”