Journalist’s view: Covering Obama’s visit isn’t all glitz
Every time President Obama comes to Charlotte, it seems like I get mauled by the weather.
Last time, in 2012, I spent four days during the Democratic National Convention marching around with Occupy Charlotte protesters in the stifling heat, guzzling water bottles by the gallon.
This time, when I got tapped to help cover Obama’s quick visit, it seemed pretty simple: Head to the airport, watch Air Force One land, ride with the motorcade to ImaginOn and head out.
I’ll be in the local pool covering President Obama’s visit to Charlotte today. Which means I get to use “gaggle” as a verb. #CLT
— Ely Portillo (@ESPortillo) April 15, 2015
It would be my first time seeing Air Force One in person. I had visions of shaking the president’s hand, maybe being invited up into the plane to sip a martini and crack jokes with the national press corps.
Here’s what covering the visit is really like: You show up and wait for half an hour in your car. Then you’re ushered to a small room in the Air National Guard base, full of other local reporters. You sit in those little metal chairs with the folding arm attached, like high school, for another 45 minutes.
Then you’re ushered out onto the tarmac to watch Air Force One land. And if you forgot a raincoat, umbrella, or trash bag, this is where you’re in trouble on a day like Wednesday.
“Does anyone have a trash bag? Can I borrow a trash bag?” I asked, frantically searching in the driving rain. Within a minute, I was soaked. Within two, I could feel the rain lashing through my undershirt to my skin.
No one had a trash bag, but a reporter let me share his umbrella. We all waited out there, joking and shivering, for about 20 minutes.
“I’m too fat, old and bald for this,” one of the other reporters groused near me. But then Air Force One landed, and Obama got out, and even for a practiced cynic, it was pretty cool.
There’s something exciting about someone you’ve seen so many times in pictures and on TV suddenly standing five feet in front of you. And despite the fact that I looked and felt like a drowned rat, I can now check “Watch Air Force One land” off my bucket list.
Seeing air force one live, checked off #avgeek bucket list. pic.twitter.com/YZlyd7D0bP — Ely Portillo (@ESPortillo) April 15, 2015
But I smelled like a wet sheep on the ride over to ImaginOn, which might explain why the national press folks (who fly in and out with the president) were a bit more reserved than I expected. Oh well.
So, have I learned a lesson from all this? Yes. If the president is coming to Charlotte, bring an umbrella.
This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Journalist’s view: Covering Obama’s visit isn’t all glitz."