Flag Orders Swamp Capitol Offices
By Sarah Sparks
WASHINGTON – The calls are coming into the front desk three every minute, so fast the aides can barely say, “Hello, Sen. Edward Kennedy’s office,” before another line rings. Among the praise and protest there are the requests for flags. Hundreds of them.
At every office in Congress it’s the same. Calls are pouring in from people all over the country who want to buy flags that have flown over the Capitol, if only for a few seconds. Last September, the Senate Stationary Store sold about 1,500 of its popular 5×8 flags; this September, the store sold 7,500.
“We’re just swamped,” said Chris Benza of the House Flag Office, which supervises the flying of the flags. “We can’t even count them all. Normally we fly about 350 a day. A few thousand has been added onto that.” The five-person flag-raising team – up from three normally – has been running flags up and down all day every day for the past two weeks.
“We have always answered requests for these flags but over the past few weeks there has been a definite increase,” said Steven Schwadron, Chief of Staff for Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass. He said that the office has so far been able to get flags for those who request them, but, “Congress-wide there has been a bit of a problem because of the nationwide rush.”
Flags cost between $14, for a small flag, and $25 for a large cotton flag. “You pay a little extra to get them flown over the Capitol,” said Matt Ferraguto, spokesman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. “Almost everybody does; that’s why they call, or else they’d just go down to Wal-mart and buy a flag.”
Benza said the flag requests have not tapered off much in the two weeks since the attacks. The office is giving families of victims first priority. “As they come up with names, the families call their members for flags,” Benza said. We try to do the requests for the victims first, because they’re having the funerals.”
Benza said she thinks people are ordering flags to show unity with the victims of the attack. “It’s the only way they can show their sadness, their sorrow,” she said, “and it’s a way to show that we all stand together.”
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. bought 160 flags himself, to send with personal letters of condolence to families of Massachusetts victims.
“I think it’s great,” Ferraguto said. “Every so often you get times like this when people want to do things and feel part of something bigger. It’s really nice.”
