City Desk files its updated News Analysis™ on the legitimacy of the Barack Obama presidency at 7:18 p.m. last night.

Seventeen minutes later, according to press reports, Justice John Roberts rushes over to the White House and he and Obama do a do-over of the oath of office.

Coincidence?

We'll let history decide...or a Larry Klayman lawsuit!

Geezus Chrysler, Larry!

Where are you?

City Desk's AS-IT-HAPPENS news analysis of Chief Justice John Roberts' swearing-in flub is gaining credibility.

The Times of London is one news organization among many now raising questions about the legitimacy of Barack Obama's presidency as a result of Roberts rolling his own on the oath language, and Obama repeating Roberts' version rather than the prescribed wording.

Fox News continues to harp on the legal ramifactions of Roberts' words, too.

All that has to happen now is for Larry Klayman to file a suit, and then we find out Roberts' was Googling "How to" and "fuck up a swearing-in" before the ceremony, and then Roberts still rules in US v. Barack Obama that Obama's presidency is a sham, and well, let's just say: "Hello, AAN Awards!"

Is it possible to be too close to the most momentous event in American political history?

LL points this out not to complain about his fab seat at yesterday's swearing-in---fourth row, about 20 feet below the speaker's podium---but to contemplate bearing witness to that event.

In the section LL was seated in---Section 1, natch, green ticket---he was seated among several dozen other reporters, mostly from magazines and other non-daily publications. In other words, contemplation is what this group was supposed to do---take the long view, for reports in their sober, contemplative publications. (LL was seated between Fortune and Sports Illustrated.)

LL wasn't sure yesterday what a smartass city hall reporter was supposed to do during all this. But, one day later, allow him to take a longer view than his Twitters. LL fancies himself no expert in divining the entrails of what happened 20 feet above him yesterday. For one thing, he was too close to do that---the elevation difference meant not much more than the podium itself was visible. For another, his usual quarries were either well above (Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, seated among the nation's governors) or well behind him (the D.C. Council, in Section 13).

So his meditation will have to be on the scene itself.

Read More "Inauguration Wrap: Front Row to History" »

Yesterday, we noted that organizers behind the two American Music Inaugural Balls had cancelled their two events---the Legends Ball and the Urban Ball---at the last minute. Dionne Warwick was supposed to host the Legends Ball while Ludacris was supposed to MC the Urban Ball. The press release noted that the organizers' ball juggling was historic: "It will be the first ever two-ball event in inaugural history." The Washingtonian quoted organizers calling the events "people's balls."

Not sure how they were people's balls. Tickets to the Legend's Ball cost $450 per. Tickets to the Urban Ball cost $350 per. If you felt the need to see both Chaka Khan and the Cheetah Girls, you got a slight deal and could pay $650 for a "combo ticket."

Well the people apparently voted with their wallets and the events were closed due to lack of interest. But organizers did take people's money. And they have horror stories. Take "Summer" who commented on City Desk:

"Dionne Warwick’s Legends ball was cancelled as of late Monday night, and ticket holders were never notified. However, ball organizers, “The Friends of Dionne Warwick” had ticket holder’s email addresses and phone numbers and never bothered to contact anyone. consequently, many did arrive at the Marriot Wardman Park hotel last night only to be informed by Marriot staff that the ball was cancelled. Marriot staff were told by Dionne’s ball organizers to refer ticket holders to their web site for more information. However,as of Tuesday they took down their web site and checked out of the hotel before ticket holders began to arrive! However, they managed to notify all the VIPs who planned to attend. Poor planning, inconsideration, and management on their part and very tacky."

Organizers did in fact take down their website. This is what I got when I tried to get on its site. Apparently, Ms. Warwick has now turned into a inaugural grifter. She owes at least a few people their money back!

The Marriott staff does not appear so happy with Warwick and Co.

Read More "Dionne Warwick Bums People Out" »

Spike Lee in his awesome coat.

Some of us are still feeling the effects of our long walk home from the Mall (my feet are still killing me; I am old). Some of us are still recovering from the Hawaii State Society ball. And some of us just made it into the office.

There was tons to say about the Inauguration (and we are pretty much tired of typing about it). But there's still a few things left to report out. There were winners. And there were losers. Here's a partial list. Feel free to add your own winners and losers in the comments:

Winners

1) Fenty: The mayor raised his profile big time by popping up on the major networks, and organizing a concert in which he coaxed Wyclef into performing.

2) Ben's Chili Bowl: In every tourist's guidebook with or without the ice sculpture. It became a pilgrimage for celebrities like Usher. It didn't hurt that Obama famously visited the joint.

3) Freer Gallery: Post-swearing in, the gallery's prime position turned it into the hottest squatting spot off Independence Ave. There were actual lines to get into the Freer (maybe a first).

4) Ms. Virginia: We stopped her outside Bohemian Caverns on Monday night. She boasted of going to several balls and being quite overwhelmed by all the goodwill. I made the offense of asking her: "What year?" as in what year did you win?

5) Wyclef: I may have hated his performance at the Green Inaugural Ball. But the man was a ubiquitous presence. He hasn't been this in-demand in years.

J Lo is in this picture. We swear.

6) J Lo's bodyguards: According to my sister who had a prime spot for the swearing-in, J Lo didn't just score a seated ticket for herself and her famous husband. She scored tickets for her bodyguards as well. Who cares enough about J Lo that she needs bodyguards? How did she get away with bringing an entourage to the swearing in?

Another picture of Spike Lee and his awesome coat.

7) Spike Lee: The man wore the best winter coat we saw at the swearing in. So he's a winner.

Losers:

1) Parade Bleachers: They were the loneliest seats of the day. The big question: Why were they so empty?

2) Freer Gallery Art: I heard from a friend who escaped inside the Freer Gallery after the swearing in. He said most of the people who were crashing there were just wandering the hallways like zombies. No one was bothering to check out the art! Were people too tired to chin stroke some sweet paintings?

3) The lost children: There were 30 kids who lost their parents during the inauguration yesterday morning. All were returned. But probably not without some anxious moments and some tears!

4) The tunnel dwellers: People got stuck.

5) Anybody who bought tickets to the American Music Ball(s).

*photos of Spike Lee and J Lo by my sister and her boyfriend.

There was the promise of making bank off the masses who wanted to be a part of history. And then there was the reality: Everyone knows someone who lives in D.C., or close enough, and a lot of them had no qualms about asking to mooch. No, my fellow D.C.ers, we didn't make money. But we did make beds.

Some houseguests are welcome. Those are the ones who know that if they're sleeping on a couch in a small apartment, they fold up the sheets after not oversleeping every single day for three days. They know to wash their own damn dishes and maybe, just maybe, yours while they're at it. They know to throw away their stinky Chinese takeout containers in the trash and not leave them on the counter. They do not snore to rival a chainsaw, they do not stretch their clothes and equipment throughout your home, and they're aware that if you have a 12-pack of soda in the refrigerator, they're welcome to one or two, but not 10 without replacing it.

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 21. The day that, with luck and limited patience, our houseguests leave. It's been nice having you. But not that nice.

Flickr photo by A National Acrobat

I wore my $14 suit to an inaugural ball tonight.

When Joe Biden came by, he gave a shout-out from the stage to the governor of Pennsylvania, and the guy standing beside me started waving his arms and yelling nice things at the new Vice President.

I was next to Ed Rendell!

Rendell's my favorite governor, even though the only things I know about him are that he's a huge Philly sports fan and that he's appeared on the Eagles post-game shows for years.

So I took the opportunity to tell him sorry about what happened in Arizona. I figured the Eagles' NFC Championship loss would still be on his mind no matter how great a day this was for Rendell's political party.

I figured right.

"That last play was pass interference," Rendell said in that dog-bark of a voice he uses when he's excited.

Then, as any good Philly sports fan would, after starting out blaming the refs for the loss, Rendell recounted the Eagles miscues that he also felt cost them a trip to the Super Bowl.

"We shoulda had their guy at the 50 on that 4th down," he huffed. "But...."

Rendell told me he's going to the Super Bowl anyway, to root for his state's other team.

Now I wanna move to Pennsylvania just so I can have a governor like that.

The following item is part of a series in which we corner people at the 2009 Hawaii State Society Inaugural Ball and ask them, "So, what's your connection with the president?"

It's now past 11 pm on Inauguration Night, at which point this series dramatically lowers its requirements for profile subjects.

First person to come in over the lower bar is one Leonard Wong. Now, just for context, previous profile subjects in this series have exchanged locally coded glances with the future president, have shed new light on his quality as a person, or had the future president's father attend one of his memorable life events.

As for Leonard Wong, well, he only wishes he had such a strong nexus.

Here's what he's actually got. Leonard Wong has a friend who lives in Hawaii. When Obama went to vacation in Hawaii over the holidays, Leonard Wong's friend ventured out to catch a glimpse of the prez-elect and Michelle. The friend of Leonard Wong staked out a position by a fitness club named Semper Fit, right by the Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay.

Now for Leonard Wong's connection to Obama: While this friend was waiting to see the soon-to-be first couple, he stood in a pose in which he crossed his arms in front of him. At that point, a Secret Service agent came and told the friend of Leonard Wong that he couldn't stand there with his arms crossed. The friend called Leonard Wong and told him about the incident.

Reporting by Amanda Hess, writing by Erik Wemple

The situation now brewing this very moment at the John A. Wilson Building isn't making tons of sense. Standing in front of a throng of about 200 people are three burly-looking dudes with credentials. They are keeping the crowd from entering the 51st State Inaugural Ball, that must-go-to event featuring precious ball commodities like Vincent Gray, Marion Barry, Harry Thomas, and many, many other D.C. councilmembers.

What could be the thinking behind keeping the crowd out? Does Gray need to groom his mustache just a touch more before everyone pours in? Does Thomas need to change out of his sweatpants? Are the cheese cubes going too fast? Come on, let the masses into the 51st State!

Update: Chuck Brown just arrived, with an escort provided by the Federal Protective Services. Chuck likes to play to a packed house, too!

Update: The security forces appear to be giving up. They're giving people a "cursory wanding" and letting them pass.

Reporting by Mike DeBonis, writing by Erik Wemple

The following item is part of a series in which we corner people at the 2009 Hawaii State Society Inaugural Ball and ask them, "So, what's your connection with the president?"

The millions who washed up on the National Mall today to cheer on a new and dynamic and inspiring leader might be a bit disappointed to hear the assessment of one of this leader's classmates at Punahou High School.

"He was a pretty regular guy in a regular class. He wasn't the most popular or most charismatic," says Hal Yee. "He was one of the guys' guys and now he's the president of the United States."

And lest the general public get the impression that Obama was some kind of excellent basketball player, Yee was there to set the record straight, pointing out that the First Dribbler made the varsity squad only as a 12th grader. So what's all the fuss about then?

Reporting by Ruth Samuelson, writing by Erik Wemple

Though I'm no inaugural historian, I'm just going to bet that the following scenario has never played out before in the history of Jan. 20ths:

Some people who live in an apartment building finish the holiday season with some extra wine that they never cracked. They look at the calendar, see that the inauguration is coming up and say, Hey, let's use this wine for a little inaugural party. Said party gradually grows in ambition, adding champagne, a caterer, plus a kickass jazz band. It becomes a full-fledged inaugural ball, complete with a A-list celeb in political commentator Mark Shields and other high-flyers who are overheard congratulating themselves for electing Obama.

That it all happened in a Kalorama building, one of the toniest areas of the city, detracts only slightly from its value as a great 2009 ball of inaugural yarn. According to correspondent-in-the-field Mike Riggs, the narrative above is exactly how 2029 Connecticut Avenue came to be throwing a huge soiree tonight.

2029 Connecticut, you say? Where's that? Well, that's right on the crest of the Connecticut Avenue hill that separates the greater Dupont area from the Taft bridge and upper whitedom. One of its famous denizens is none other than Carol Schwartz, who, at a party she threw a decade ago, pointed out to a Washington City Paper reporter that she had a nice view of the Washington Monument...from the seat of her toilet. At the time of the 2029 Apartment Building Inaugural Ball, Schwartz's doggie was being walked. Correspondent Riggs wasn't quite sure what kind of dog it was, but describes it like this: "It was hairy and solid black--closer to a Newfoundland than to a collie. It's fluffy---long hair and a thick coat but it is flat."

Reporting by Mike Riggs, writing by Erik Wemple