Obama Fans Pack Halls of Congress for Inauguration

The halls of Congress — at least congressional office buildings — were packed this morning as out-of-towners walked from breakfast party to breakfast party in various House committee rooms.

Hearing rooms on the first floor of Rayburn House Office Building were filled to the brim with Obama supporters, many from out of state, who did not have tickets to the big show.

Swarms of visitors packed into the Judiciary, Oversight and Government Reform, Transportation and Commerce and Foreign Affairs committee rooms, where coffee and pastries were available to eat. Grandparents, parents, children clad in Obama-wear, laughed and cried, about the historical nature of the day.

Large groups of people from all over the country, including Chicago, Atlanta and Detroit, watched the proceedings in the warm rooms on 65-inch flat panel screens, as well as video projectors.

Following the ceremony, hoards of people flooded the Rayburn, Longworth and Cannon Office buildings.

Various members held receptions and offered crudites and soda to visiting constituents, friends and staff.

The folks outside of Rep. Anthony Weiner’s (D-N.Y.) office on the first floor of Rayburn caused a traffic jam, as people tried to navigate through a group of 30 to 40 individuals floating between his office and a room with refreshments across the way.

The scene resembled a post-game tailgate of sorts.

–Molly Hooper