Here’s a memo that just reached the desks of Washington Posties, from Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli:

The 10 official inaugural balls scheduled for Jan. 20 to mark the beginning of the Obama administration are partisan political celebrations. Washington Post journalists should attend them only as journalists, not as participants. This is the same policy The Post has had in the past on such events, and similar ones, including the Million Man March. We should be equally prudent regarding other inaugural events, avoiding appearances that would be or suggest a conflict of interest. If you have any questions, talk to your supervisor. Many thanks.

Marcus