Just to show you how random my day can be, I was at home working around my house when I got a call from my assignment desk.
It was 11:45 am and they wanted me on the clock by 1:00pm to be in Laguna Nigel, California to meet our Political Reporter (Hey, Dave Bryan!) at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
President Bill Clinton was going to be speaking and we were going to be there covering it.
It wasn’t anything to stress over, but I wasn’t really eager to face the long drive down to the OC and even less thrilled about a Secret Service security check. Oh, well, it’s all part of what I do.
The Secret Service had us leave our gear in a room where they let a K-9 unit sniff it out for anything suspicious. This is pretty much the routine. Also, I speak from experience, leaving a tuna sandwich in the gear bag is not amusing to them.
Clinton was speaking to a group of healthcare professionals. I’ll be honest, it seemed like a boring conference. I fully expect that many of the attendees planned on getting drunk and hooking up at the end of the day.
I mean it was a pretty cool thing to be there to hear Bill Clinton speak and it was at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in a very ritzy beach city.
I’ve hung out in worse places to cover a story (I’m looking at you, Compton). I think we were hoping that Bill would have let slip a juicy tid-bit of political info. Like, maybe, Hilary was running for President.
Didn’t get that and I also didn’t get one of the nifty swag bags being given out by the conference. I tried to get one by being charming. Still nothing. Zipola. I guess I’m just no Bill Clinton.
Quite frankly I liked him as President much better than what we have. I also bemoaned the fact that Hilary lost, u think she would have been better also.
Well, having covered a lot of politics including the last four Presidential elections, I find most people will find a reason, real or imagined, to justify their like or dislike of any particular politician or position. I try to not engage in political discourse over the Internet because the level of disrespect masked as factual criticism is more than I care to get into.
As a cameraman you do get a different perspective. It’s great that you get to “show” the information. Our country is so blessed to have that freedom to express ourselves.
@befrank I love your comment on abstaining fro politics talk online. It’s kinda like the old rule about what not to talk about at the dinner table (Politics, religion… and I forget the third one.)
Thanks @dlc
…also, my thanks to everyone. I like Likes.
I’ve heard Bill Clinton talk. He makes lots of sense.
Yes, he does. I usually enjoy listening to his speeches (unless I’m standing behind a camera for hours).
Quite frankly I liked him as President much better than what we have. I also bemoaned the fact that Hilary lost, u think she would have been better also.
Well, having covered a lot of politics including the last four Presidential elections, I find most people will find a reason, real or imagined, to justify their like or dislike of any particular politician or position. I try to not engage in political discourse over the Internet because the level of disrespect masked as factual criticism is more than I care to get into.
As a cameraman you do get a different perspective. It’s great that you get to “show” the information. Our country is so blessed to have that freedom to express ourselves.
@befrank
Cool job!