One-on-one ... getting the most out of my questions

My one-on-one with Sen. Barack Obama was quite candid and relaxed. I was limited to two questions, as was a reporter on the other side of the room from a competing station, but Obama was quite candid when he came in the room.

He shook hands with the reporters AND the photographers, which politicians rarely do, especially at the National stage. Here's what it looked like (with Secret Service and Media Management folks nearby, but off camera):





I was a little taken aback that his response to my first question began with him bashing McCain, but he spent the rest of the answer explaining ways he really thinks Ohio's economy can turn around. His speech included calling Ohio the "Saudi Arabia" of coal in reference to jobs that could be created here if coal can be used more efficiently as a fuel.

I had a lot to choose from in a second question, but I felt it was best to ask him about benefits for Guardsmen and Reservists since 1,500 Ohio Guardsmen are now headed to the Gulf Coast and another 2,500 are on duty right now in Iraq and Afghanistan. His answer will resonate well with a lot of Guard families that can empathize with the exact statements he raised.

After the interview, Obama approached me and wanted to know more about my tour of duty in Iraq, including where and when I served, how long I was there, and what it did to my family. He thanked me for my service and reached out for my hand.

I had noticed during the interview that Obama was wearing a bracelet on his right hand. I asked him what it was and he told me that it was given to him by a Wisconsin mother who lost her son in Iraq. His name is engraved on the bracelet. She asked Obama to wear it and he's kept it on since February.

There was one humerous moment as Obama put on the wireless microphone in an outside hallway before the interview. We could hear him even though he hadn't come in the interview room yet. Obama was joking with his staff saying "did you guys see I beat Reggie in a game of Horse?"

It was amusing to hear someone who is fighting for the most powerful job on earth and who had just spoken for 75 minutes on how to turn a country around .. yet in the blink of eye, he can have a few laughs with his staff before one-on-ones with the television media. I know local politicians who couldn't find that comfort level even if the topic they were speaking on was bake sales for the library.