It's been an early start to the day .. not often that I arrive at our Akron newsroom at 6 a.m. But we've been successful in our journey south to cover Sen. Barack Obama's visit to New Philadelphia.
He's speaking at the Kent State - Tuscarawas Campus around 11:30 a.m. or so .. although that can be moved up or back.
As is the usual procedure, the media is told to arrive many, many hours early to set up .. and then we're all kicked out as the Secret Service checks out our gear. Then, they let the media back in just as the public is allowed in.
The way you know that the subject -- in this case Obama -- has arrived is to watch for the national pool of photographers and press. When they arrive in a stampeded, the VIP can't be far behind. Sometimes, the candidate or leader gets out on stage before the national press can even get set up.
The venue here in New Philadelphia is a small courtyard, so the local press is already pushing on one another .. when the national press gets here, it'll be a fight to find the right shots. Then again, the press know how to work together and we'll work it out.
No local folks have shown up yet .. but I did see a large sign on a business on I-77 near Dover that read "Sen. Obama please help me save my home!"
As part of the Cleveland press pool, Sen. Obama's camp called me at home last night and told me to be prepared for a Q&A session .. and that it probably be in the form of a one-on-one with Obama but limited to 1-2 questions in a one-minute interview. Nothing like pressure eh? Not sure yet whether it will be before or after the event .. as everything is subject to change.
More later ..
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1 comment:
In other words, you get there early only to have to hurry up and wait.
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