WASHINGTON — The inauguration committee of President-elect Barack Obama is selling four-day packages of four tickets to his historic swearing-in ceremony and parade, plus some extras, in exchange for $50,000.
President Bush charged $250,000, selling his supporters a much bigger menu of inaugural goodies that featured candlelight dinners.
The Obama package includes a nightclub performance Jan. 17 and brunch the next morning, plus nighttime VIP seating at a concert that probably will take place at the Lincoln Memorial.
The five-figure deals were being peddled at the same time a congressional proposal that would have banned the resale of inaugural tickets died in the Senate.
The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, was prepared to rush the bill through, but it was pulled at the last minute.
Late Friday, Obama’s inaugural committee disclosed the names of 243 donors who together contributed at least $9.7 million to the committee.
They included Hollywood personalities Robert Zemeckis, Sharon Stone and Jamie Foxx, each of whom gave Obama’s committee $50,000. In addition, financier George Soros and four family members gave a combined $250,000.
