DeNeen Brown

Barack Obama arriving in Washington to prepare for assuming the presidency is a newsworthy fact. But just arriving isn’t really a front-page story. As the Post explained Monday, "There were no speeches, no ceremonies or official welcoming committees. Instead, Barack Obama, a man famous for his no-drama persona, arrived in the nation's capital in a similarly subdued fashion."

But the Post splashed this spare-change news across the front page with the headline "Obama Arrives In Style: Crowds Greet President-Elect at Hotel; Daughters Begin School."

Reporters William Wan and Nikita Stewart went looking for people inside and outside the Hay-Adams Hotel having thrills up their leg at the chance to spot an Obama:

Don't let the cool demeanors fool you, though, said one diner. "That's what everyone's thinking about even if they don't say it," Terrance Mason said later, a safe distance from the elegant dining room. "Just to be in the same building, to be breathing the same air. It's amazing."