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FirstLight

(13,651 posts)

14. I met Bill when he was Pres!

Thu Jul 25, 2024, 10:48 AM

Jul 25

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.

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Have you ever met a presidential candidate? (A place to share your story) [View all] SupportSanity Jul 25 OP

I met LBJ in 1964 EYESORE 9001 Jul 25 #1

He came to my uncle's funeral bmbmd Jul 25 #16

I was 9 EYESORE 9001 Jul 25 #56

I met Lieberman when he was courting our paper's endorsement in 2004 AZSkiffyGeek Jul 25 #2

Yes, I met LBJ when I was 11, and he was running... ananda Jul 25 #3

Clinton and Gore held a rally on the UF campus in Gainesville (1992), got to shake their hands at the rope sop Jul 25 #4

I shook Hillary's hand and wished her well at a rally in 2016 Tommy Carcetti Jul 25 #5

John Kerry. But this was in 2008, when he was campaigning for Barack Obama. Aristus Jul 25 #6

John Kerry being attacked by "swiftboat veterans for truth". Truth in the title gives it away. SupportSanity Jul 25 #22

Fwiw, one of Trump's campaign managers masterminded the Swift Boat attack. He's a monster. emulatorloo Jul 25 #99

I'm truly amazed at how many really awful people there are out there. And they all seem to find each other so easily! SupportSanity Jul 26 #142

I met this guy back in '08 JohnnyRingo Jul 25 #7

I haven't but my mother shook hands with JFK in Ft Worth the day he was killed. 2 Meow Momma Jul 25 #8

Wow. That's quite a story. SupportSanity Jul 25 #24

What a disturbing experience for her. wnylib Jul 25 #35

I shook hands with Mondale at the 2008 Dem convention. He wasn't running that year. librechik Jul 25 #9

I met John McCain Johnny2X2X Jul 25 #10

My dad sat next to McCain on a flight from DC to Phoenix once AZSkiffyGeek Jul 25 #18

Great story. SupportSanity Jul 25 #25

I met dennis kucinich kwolf68 Jul 25 #11

I lived in a Cleveland suburb when Kusinich wnylib Jul 25 #26

A friend of my parents was a deout Kucinich fan. SupportSanity Jul 25 #27

Waiting for DU's two most notorious name-droppers to show up Rob H. Jul 25 #12

Two? I'm only aware of one. wnylib Jul 25 #29

One just showed up Rob H. Jul 25 #44

JFK in 1960. I was four and can't remember it. maveric Jul 25 #13

I met Bill when he was Pres! FirstLight Jul 25 #14

Fantastic! What a story! SupportSanity Jul 25 #30

How cool is that. electric_blue68 Jul 25 #132

Twice I have sort of "met" a presidential candidate. wnylib Jul 25 #15

"personable and energized, very warm and friendly". That would make for a great candidate! SupportSanity Jul 25 #32

Well, she did win that campaign and her next one for Senator. wnylib Jul 25 #43

Hillary was having events that were women only. She was having one of these events right next SupportSanity Jul 25 #47

The event that I was at in her Senate race was wnylib Jul 25 #54

I have heard that Hillary was much warmer, and at ease with individual, and small group encounters... electric_blue68 Jul 25 #131

Poppy Bush obamanut2012 Jul 25 #17

I had an Obama moment! Coexist Jul 25 #19

Saved by Obama himself! What an amazing story! SupportSanity Jul 25 #36

wow! mindfulNJ Jul 25 #82

Wow, definitely unuque! Glad you were ok. electric_blue68 Jul 25 #134

I met Joe Biden in New Hampshire in 2008 CanonRay Jul 25 #20

Not me, but my wife, at the time, did have a coffee and chat with Barack Obama in 2008. OAITW r.2.0 Jul 25 #21

I worked on the local Howard Dean campaign in 2003 (Summer of Dean!) & 2004. Self Esteem Jul 25 #23

I haven't but my sister did get to meet Hillary Clinton BlueKota Jul 25 #28

Jack Kemp in '88 ITAL Jul 25 #31

Never met Rebl2 Jul 25 #33

Joe and Jill here at Rehoboth Beach Starbucks we can do it Jul 25 #34

Nearly shook hands with Bill Clinton in the 90's indigovalley Jul 25 #125

I met Bernie and John Kerry. Always wanted to meet Obama, but so far haven't. Vinca Jul 25 #37

i met barack obama when he was running for the senate. mopinko Jul 25 #38

Great story. Any pics of the beat bush mobile? SupportSanity Jul 25 #42

somewhere out there. mopinko Jul 25 #52

Good stories! electric_blue68 Jul 25 #135

addendum to this story- christine ran a 2nd time. the dnc stuffed tammy duckworth in our race. mopinko Jul 26 #141

Biden and Bernie. nt woodsprite Jul 25 #39

Dozens brooklynite Jul 25 #40

My daughter and I I met John Kerry and shook his hand at a rally in Las Vegas. Sibelius Fan Jul 25 #41

Senator Edward M. Kennedy CountAllVotes Jul 25 #45

here's a 2nd hand obama story. mopinko Jul 25 #46

That's quite a story! SupportSanity Jul 25 #48

ikr? mopinko Jul 25 #55

One of my sisters met Bill Clinton. mucholderthandirt Jul 25 #49

I met RFK when he was running for US Senator for NY musette_sf Jul 25 #50

Great stories. I'd probably want to run for office if I had been sitting next to her flying across the US! SupportSanity Jul 25 #60

I Met Bill Clinton in '92 Deep State Witch Jul 25 #51

Shook Jimmy Carter's elbow when I graduated from college. Missed his hand, but got his elbow. But he was still Governor. Silent Type Jul 25 #53

Candidate Obama in 2007. I talked with him on the phone Chipper Chat Jul 25 #57

Did he say "Let me be clear" about the time he wanted to wake up!? SupportSanity Jul 25 #62

No Chipper Chat Jul 25 #116

My son and I met Bill Clinton (who was wearing pink gym shorts) in the park across from the WH bigtree Jul 25 #58

That's right, Clinton used to jog a lot. Great story! Great photos! SupportSanity Jul 25 #63

he's in his early 40's now! bigtree Jul 25 #64

I love you've got photos! Cool story. electric_blue68 Jul 25 #136

I met Barack Obama Gaytano70 Jul 25 #59

I was there too! Doc Sportello Jul 25 #104

Amazing! Gaytano70 Jul 25 #109

I was also just starting as a teaching assistant in 2004 Doc Sportello Jul 25 #110

Yes it was! Gaytano70 Jul 25 #124

Actually I have gibraltar72 Jul 25 #61

Shook RFK's hand three time but did not talk with him. Sneederbunk Jul 25 #65

I was on the street in SF when he came by in a convertible driving though a crowd of people and my Dad held me up kimbutgar Jul 25 #67

I have been fortunate enough to meet Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden twice each LetMyPeopleVote Jul 25 #66

Very cool stories. Your story brought me back to when ... SupportSanity Jul 25 #93

No but Jimmy Carter slept at my in-laws' while running. nolabear Jul 25 #68

I meant President Bill Clinton and Hillary at the airport in Springdale, Arkansas. Got to shake hands with both. sinkingfeeling Jul 25 #69

Yes, on my high school trip to Washington D.C. greatauntoftriplets Jul 25 #70

I am fortunate angrychair Jul 25 #71

What a way to get noticed. By the way.... SupportSanity Jul 25 #95

Would've loved to have met Carter. In my heart of hearts believe he was allegorical oracle Jul 25 #97

"...I have got a pat on the head/shoulder to a hand shake..." electric_blue68 Jul 26 #137

I met Obama Big Blue Marble Jul 25 #72

I got almost that close to Biden in December 2019. I was one person away from getting a selfie with him! LeftInTX Jul 25 #73

Does that count? Why not! Thanks for sharing your story. SupportSanity Jul 25 #96

I met and shook hands with Bill and Hillary Clinton in Wheeling WV in 1992. It was a Town Hall Meeting in a Church ArnoldLayne Jul 25 #74

I sort of "met" John Kerry lobointexas Jul 25 #75

Never met, but saw up close dslyahoo Jul 25 #76

Hillary and Bill 49jim Jul 25 #77

Met JFK 1960, in Oakland at DeFermery park demosincebirth Jul 25 #78

I met Kamala Harris hardluck Jul 25 #79

JFK drove right past me in a convertible in Levittown, PA 1960! Greybnk48 Jul 25 #80

It would've been a very different world if Kerry had won! Thanks for sharing your story! SupportSanity Jul 25 #98

I worked on Jerry Brown's campaign in 92 mindfulNJ Jul 25 #81

Not Directly DET Jul 25 #83

Too many of them to mention including meet and greets after an event. valleyrogue Jul 25 #84

I shook Obama's hand in a rope line in 2007. Music Man Jul 25 #85

I have met both John Kerry and Howard Dean after their runs, but my story of meeting a candidate is of Bernie karynnj Jul 25 #86

Personally, never. pfitz59 Jul 25 #87

He had only been a Mayor at this point but... Jokerman Jul 25 #88

I met Nelson Rockefeller and his wife Happy frogmarch Jul 25 #89

Yes. H2O Man Jul 25 #90

Talked to McGovern during a fundraiser. Stood next to him kerry-is-my-prez Jul 25 #91

Elizabeth Warren in 2019 ecstatic Jul 25 #92

A few. Met Nixon, Humphrey and John Lindsay when I was working at a daily paper. When working on allegorical oracle Jul 25 #94

That's the second comment about Clinton's hands being soft! SupportSanity Jul 25 #117

Yes, met and shook hands with Governor Jerry Brown CoopersDad Jul 25 #100

I'm from New Hampshire. I can meet as many as I want. Voltaire2 Jul 25 #101

I met Carter when he was running in the primaries. biophile Jul 25 #102

Senator Ted Kennedy PJMcK Jul 25 #103

I met General Wesley K Clark (retired) on several occasions in DC, elleng Jul 25 #105

Met Bill and Hillary Clinton displacedvermoter Jul 25 #106

I almost saw Bill Clinton when he was a candidate. marybourg Jul 25 #107

Kerry, Bernie, Clark, Edwards WiVoter Jul 25 #108

Pete! sanduca Jul 25 #111

Joe Biden passed right by me at the train station dansolo Jul 25 #112

Yes! I met Hillary in Upper State New York in 2000 Cha Jul 25 #113

I never met one, but Crunchy Frog Jul 25 #114

I've met three. lees1975 Jul 25 #115

Shook John Kerry's hand at a rally when he was running in 2004 . . . hatrack Jul 25 #118

In Iowa, Obama. It as pretty magical at the time. Passages Jul 25 #119

I've spoken with Bill Clinton three times and Hillary once but not during a presidential campaign. TomSlick Jul 25 #120

You jinxed me in a GREAT way. Just got an invite to see VP Harris next week ecstatic Jul 25 #121

I met Jimmy Carter Sequoia Jul 25 #122

Bobby Kennedy, in 1968. I'd arrived too late to get close to the stage and was still outside when he arrived highplainsdem Jul 25 #123

Shook Jerry Brown's hand in 1992. roamer65 Jul 25 #126

At a Human Rights Campaign fundraiser in Chicago Sun-Moon Jul 25 #127

As a Child Timewas Jul 25 #128

nope. AllaN01Bear Jul 25 #129

JFK in October 1960 56miSSie Jul 25 #130

Met Wes Clark in Albuquerque and have a signed NM cardboard flag from him. Super nice guy! Quixote1818 Jul 25 #133

I met Wes Clark in 2004 Bundbuster Jul 26 #138

I shook Bill Clinton's hand in 1992 in Billings, MT at Rocky Mountain College. neverforget Jul 26 #139

McCain, Perot, and Giuliani (Yes, I live in a red state, and these were all work related.) LudwigPastorius Jul 26 #140