Only "official" Obama inauguration parties will be ones organized by the presidential inauguration committee

WASHINGTON--The Obama presidential inauguration committee will not be sanctioning any events organized by outside groups, I've learned. That's because the Obama team--which swore off corporate money for the festivities surrounding the Jan. 20 swearing-in--does not want to be officially linked with events paid for with money President elect Barack Obama said he would not take. The PIC is not discouraging outside events, nor trying to cut anyone out.

Becoming a PIC sanctioned event does not mean all that much anyway, just bragging rights that someone went to an official event versus a party or ball organized by a state society, special interest group, etc.

The PIC will be officially sponsoring a series of state balls on inauguration night, which will not be subsidized with corporate money.

As for what activities Obama himself takes part in--that's all being strategized right now, with planners first having to decide how many days before Jan. 20 to celebrate his election.

Obama, I'm told is open to attending events bankrolled with corporate money; he just does not want sponsorship of them.

For example, I would guess that Obama will show up at the sold-out Illinois State Society Ball on Jan. 19 at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel. He attended the gala four years ago, when he was sworn in as U.S. Senator.