Five Interesting Facts About the Inauguration

I saw a really interesting piece this weekend on the inauguration and the geeky part of me loved all of the little nuggets of random info that isn’t usually talked about.  Here are some interesting behind the scenes tidbits for you:

1. Smaller crowds- More than one million people attended President Obama's first inauguration and millions more watched on television and online. But according to CNN, only 800,000 people are expected to attend this year. Some could argue that it has something to do with Obama's appeal, but the reality is that it's pretty typical for a second inaugural event to draw less people. George W. Bush, the last two-term president had the same thing happen to him. The difference: his second inauguration drew between 300,000 and 400,000.

2. Fewer parties- President Obama's first swearing-in was accompanied by 10 official inaugural balls. This year, that number will drop down to two. This is common for second inaugurations. But as this ABC News slideshow points out, it's not the absolute rule. Bill Clinton's first inauguration involved 11 inaugural balls, a number that ballooned to 14 four years later.

3. Corporations will help pick up the tab-Donors and taxpayers covered costs associated with Obama's first inauguration. This year, however, the $50,000 donation limit has been lifted, and unlike last time, corporations will also help pick up the tab. The Inaugural Committee has decided to allow corporations to foot some of the bill and limited the amount of information released about donors, which has led to criticism from some, including Open Secrets, which tracks donations in politics. According to ABC News, the first inauguration cost about $170 million, which covered everything from security to large-screen televisions on the National Mall. There's no tally for this year's festivities, yet.

4. Less coverage- Broadcast and cable networks devoted all day to the inauguration four years ago. They put together special evening programs and reporters covered everything from the first dance to the inaugural address. As Business Insider notes, networks will scale back this year, and many will return to regular programming in the afternoon.

5. Milder weather- Attendees at Obama's first inauguration were bundled up, and for good reason. According to WTOP, it was a chilly 28 degrees at noon on Inauguration Day. Temperatures are expected to be a little warmer this year, likely in the 30s. And while that's not exactly warm, it's a lot more pleasant than Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985. The temperature at noon that day was a bitter seven degrees. George H.W. Bush fared a little better, with crowds enjoying the mild 51 degree weather.