Have you ever met a presidential candidate? (A place to share your story)

[FirstLight]

14. I met Bill when he was Pres!

I was working for the local newspaper here in Tahoe, circa 1998 (I was 28). And we were going to cover the big Environmental Summitt and him giving land back to the Washoe Tribe... I was a lowly rookie so I was gonna be stuck in the newsroomj while others got to actually attend.

Phone rang, it was ABC NEWS!!! for ME??? They had gotten my info from my local college, where I started as a jouranalist 2 year4s ago. They needed a runner for the Washington Press Corps and would I be interested!? DUDE!!!
I met Vija Udenans the producer, and got instructi8ons on taping down cords and prepping the room, and was to return bright and early with M&M's for the press corps in the AM...

While there the next day I got a peek at how the bread was made on TV (and how they paraphrase what's actually said...). I was staying in the press room, and realized my press creds were the same as EVERYONE'S, so I walked into the room with President Clinton and VP Gore...
I could FEEL the charge in the air, and the charisma pouring off them both.( They were both in sync then and the monica thing hadnt happened yet)

It was towards the end of the event and they were taking a break for photos by the Lake etc... so as the room broke, some were scrambling to get to Bill and shake his hand. I am pretty short, so (I jumped in top of a chair in the second row and stuck my hand through the heads and shoulders...!
He took my hand and I blurted "I'm a single mom on welfare and watched you on the convention," As I held up my Press Credentials to show him, I said, "And now I'm HERE."
His hand shifted in mine from a handshake to holding my hand in his with both..and he looked me in the eyes and said...
"I'm proud of you!"

The rest is a blur. I remember calling my ediitor in tears and telling him there was no way I could write this as an impartial observer, and had to write it as a personal column. Sat on the Beach and cried and poured it all out on pages...

That column and 2 others won me 2nd place in the Nevada Press Association Awards for 1997-98.