Election Day eve

This afternoon I was downtown running errands, and I decided to walk to the White House. It being the eve of Election Day and all, I thought it was a sort of poetic thing to do. However, Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, which had been previously open to pedestrians, has been fenced off. I don’t know since when. (Today’s Post happens to have an opinion piece about all the chain-link fences, bollards, and other barriers that have sprung up around the city.) A thousand words:

[Updates: (9 Nov.) The two-block stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue had been closed for renovations since January, and today was re-opened to pedestrian traffic. (12 Nov.) See this related installment of “Richard’s Poor Almanac” (via T. Kevin).]

As I was taking photos, I noticed a group of four people, maybe a family, near the fence, holding hands with heads bowed. They seemed to be praying.

In more upbeat election news, everyone who comes in to California Tortilla tomorrow with proof that they voted (like an “I Voted” sticker) gets a free taco. Mmm. And today they announced the winner of their presidential burrito contest. A while back they added a “George W. Bush hickory chicken burrito” and a “John Kerry savory chicken burrito” to the menu, to see which one would outsell the other, and the winner is Kerry!