WASHINGTON
The saga of 10-year-old Joey Dunbar's quest to witness Tuesday's presidential inauguration had a happy ending, but not exactly the one Joey expected.
The Norfolk fourth-grader, a history buff who volunteered for the Barack Obama campaign, entered an essay contest for inaugural tickets but didn't win. Then, on Saturday, he received two tickets from new U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye.
But Tuesday morning, Joey was among thousands of people turned away from a security checkpoint near the U.S. Botanic Garden. Authorities closed the gate when magnetometers used to screen spectators stopped working.
"He was in tears," said Marsha Dunbar, Joey's mom.
Their color-coded tickets were good only at the closed entrance, and their long trip - they had gotten up at 12:30 a.m. to catch their bus to Washington - appeared wasted.
"It was so bitter cold," she said of temperatures in the 20s. "We were stressed to the max."
Desperate, Marsha Dunbar called Clark Pettig, Nye's press secretary. He directed the pair to the nearby Cannon House Office Building and brought them inside to watch the ceremony on TV in Nye's office.
Later, Pettig arranged for them to watch from a balcony as President Obama and his wife, Michelle, bade farewell to former President George W. Bush and wife Laura and a Marine helicopter with the Bushes aboard took off for Andrews Air Force Base.
That saved the day for Joey, but his mother has resolved that she won't attend another inauguration unless her son is taking the oath.
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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so insensitive
I watched Charles Gibson interview of children all over the world the other night, and not one thought Tuesday was as Obamination. How does anyone expect to learn what is going on if they trun off their TV and not listen to what the Presidetn has to say wheather you voted for him or not?. For 7 1/2 years I listened to the worst president this county has ever seen. I watched and listened to ever Press Conference and every thing Bush had to say hoping to find something I could believe in, did not feel what I had just heard was a half truth, cover-up or blatan lie. I never did, so the last 6 months of his presidency I turned the TV off.
The 2 million who were there didn't care about the cold they watched History as the World watched. I've never felt so proud and watched every minute, and would have if McCain had won. The kid will remember Tuesday forever, and will have a great story for his grandchildren. I'm sure he's very proud he got as close to all the events as he did. I would!
A good remedy
It really is a shame that so many people had their experience ruined by being turned away at the gate. I believe Glenn Nye's office did a good thing for this child. Not only did Congressman Nye try to send a boy whom he felt was deserving to see the inauguration, but when things went south, his office did everything they could to make the experience a good one for the child. It would be unreasonable to think he could have done this for all of his constituents that were turned away, but since he tried to arrange the trip for the child, I think he did the right thing to remedy the situation in the end.
winorlosehockeyfan35
He didn't actually earn the tickets. The article states that he didn't win the essay contest. Glen Nye gave him the tickets. He was lucky to have a chance to go. It really stinks what happened, but a lot of people who had tickets were turned away. The only blame here, if any, is on the machine that broke. I'm sure he will still never forget the day and what he got to see and where he got to see it.
A story to tell for a lifetime
Wow, that's the kind of thing a kid will remember forever. Getting to see the inauguration from the DC office of an elected official. Well done, Congressman Nye!
I am glad that he got to see
I am glad that he got to see what he did. However I am NOT impressed that he wasn't allowed the privilege that he deserved. He earned those tickets and I think he should have been able to go to the inauguration!
marks
This is very insulting to someone who's 10. Know the saying "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all"?
Go Back in Spring
During Spring Break head up and park at Springfield Metro Station. Grab day passes and check out all of what DC has to offer (will take a few days). It's amazing when the weather is warmer.
on topic: Thanks Glenn. Thanks for helping this family out. Yes, if I was 10 I would've been in tears too
Go back
Take him back when it's a bit quieter and warmer. DC is a wonderful place for anyone interested in history. My favorites are the American Heritage, Air and Space, and the National Zoo.
Big deal
I purposely didn't want to watch the Obamination...I turned the TV off...the poor kid wasn't going to miss much...I know I didn't.
he's only 10
I can understand why the kid was upset, after all he's only 10. If I had been told I had tickets, to be turned away for any reason would have been very upsetting. Nye did the best he could, and I'm sure the boy appreciates that, but yep, at his age, I would have been in tears also.
This Article Is So Typical
This is so typical of how The Pilot goes overboard with its "people paper" news coverage. This kid was not the only person who didn't have inauguration venue tickets honored. He was lucky he got what he did out of the situation. Maybe a little gratitude by his mother might set a better example.
Headline writer=drama queen???
This kid wasn't blocked from the inauguration (that makes us think someone discriminated against him personally), a piece of equipment malfunctioned and kept a whole lot of people out. So Glenn Nye let him sit in his office and watch it on television, then see the Bushes and the Obamas saying goodbye from his balcony. I would say it all turned out rather well and I would give this headline writer a "D" for accuracy in what he or she described.