"Hutch" Proves He Has "Soul"

I used to be a huge fan of the TV show “Starsky & Hutch” way back in the 70’s.

Although tame now by comparison to shows on today’s tube, “Starsky & Hutch” was fairly cutting edge in its day. Lots of action—and as much violence as television censors would allow back then. In other words, it was perfect for a teenager like me.

It was on this date in 1977 that David Soul (“Hutch”) hit #1 on the pop charts with his song “Don’t Give Up On Us Baby”. I guess I liked that song too….but not sure why. It’s a pretty wimpy song by a guy who I considered to be “tough”

Here’s the “music video” of that song—followed by a segment of the TV show “Starsky & Hutch”:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY8APrYU2Gs



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJnPS0QuTvY


Actors translating their small screen success to the radio and pop music was not new. Perhaps the first to do so was Ricky Nelson of “Ozzie and Harriet” fame. Then of course there was Bobby Sherman—and names like Patrick Swayze come to mind as well.

It’s just that this song was so……..corny—and in such contrast to the image he had cultivated on the tube. Unlike other actor-singers, however, it really was the singing that came first.

Back in 1967, David Soul wanted to be a folk singer. He found, much to his dismay—that his Scandinavian good looks were a distraction to the meaningful lyrics he was trying to convey through his music. Turning that “disadvantage” into a positive, he became “The Covered Man”—making 25 appearances on the Merv Griffin Show with a guitar in his hands and a black wool ski mask covering his face.

Really.

It all worked like a charm—and the gimmick proved incredibly popular----until Soul decided to remove the mask. Griffin and his audience lost all interest in the “uncovered” Soul. Luckily, a talent scout watched the unmasking of Soul on TV and sent him out to California for acting and karate lessons.

So, Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson—after achieving the TV fame which gave him a platform for re-launching his music career---took advantage of it all—releasing the tune that would top the charts on this date 33 years ago.

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Baseball For Kids--Make It Fun!

Ah! It’s opening day at Hadlock Stadium! The Sea Dogs are taking the field tonight-and the stands will be filled with families.

They’ll be there to see Slugger, to eat peanuts and popcorn, chuck their refuse into the roving Trash Monsters and……see some baseball, too.

That’s the way kids look at the game. While we adults pore over the lineup sheets and ponder which Sea Dog players will make their next stop at Fenway, the youngsters are talking and laughing and having a ball—not necessarily paying much attention to the game itself.

And that’s just fine.

Baseball is America’s pastime—and while the contest on the diamond is the focal point, it isn’t the ONLY point. Fresh air, being outside after a long winter and enjoying the company of your family and friends is its own reward.

Which brings me to Little League baseball.

This is also the time of year when adults volunteer countless hours of their time to coach baseball and softball. It’s my belief that well over 90% of these coaches do a fantastic job-from skill development to teaching sportsmanship and fair play.

For the small percentage of those coaches—whose personal “will to win” exceeds all reasonable boundaries, the following reminders are meant for you. As a former Little League coach who saw both the best—and worst in adult behavior, I now have the luxury of sitting in the stands while my youngest takes the field under the supervision of someone else.

Keeping in mind that AGE has a lot to do with the intensity of the competition, the following pointers are really irrespective of the player’s ages. I know this will go against many Moms who feel that the “touchy, feely” approach that began in T-Ball must extend through Little League Majors. As the kids reach 9,10,11, I think it’s OK to allow the more talented and harder-working kids to assume a more prominent position with regard to playing time and field position.

That said, there are some universal rules that all coaches (in my not-so-humble opinion) should adhere to. In no particular order, they are:

1) Don’t disrespect the umpire—or the coach of the other team. Your players are watching you and taking their behavior cues from you. Sure, there will be disagreements—and a discussion is appropriate. Arguing trivial matters, persistent and visual dissatisfaction with the ump, yelling, storming off, etc are always inappropriate. Don’t ever embarrass your team (or yourself) by allowing the game situation to adversely affect your behavior.

2) Know the distinction between “coaching” the kids and “berating” them. Some kids just don’t have the ability of others—and to make comparisons will only foster resentment from the players.

3) Never tolerate anything but good sportsmanship from your players. Just as you will refrain from trivial complaints about calls that don’t go your way, you must enforce this behavior in your players. Discipline is warranted when players argue with the ump or taunt other players—whether on the other team or your own squad.

4) If your child is on the team, keep in mind that the parents of all the OTHER players will be closely watching their kid’s playing time, position, batting order, etc in contrast to your child. The fact is that often the child of a coach is a better athlete. However, keep in mind that an even-handed approach must be taken.

5) Never allow another coach’s bad behavior to affect yours. I ran into some real head cases in my time as coach. It was all I could do to not sink to their level of behavior.

6) ALWAYS be encouraging. No matter how good your team is, no matter how hard you practice, the game situation is completely different. Kids will strike out and make errors. They already feel bad about these—so no “pointing it out” is necessary or helpful. A pat on the back—and reality check for the kid will go so much farther. Stating baseball “facts” about major leaguers striking out and making errors will go a long way towards rebuilding a player’s confidence.

7) Maybe the biggest challenge for the coach is not the team itself, but often the parents of those kids. Fathers who believe that their child is not playing enough. Mothers who are critical of your choice of field position for their little angel. The list goes on and on. No real advice here, other than you must have a THICK skin and be willing to listen and take criticism. You might find their advice is worthy of consideration.

8) Don’t abuse your best pitchers. The #1 infraction I saw when coaching was the overuse of these young arms. There are tighter rules now regarding how many pitches can be thrown in any game-or consecutive games. Trotting your best arm out to the mound as a workhorse may produce the wins you desire---but the cost is far too dear.

9) Talk to the kids in game situations. Notice I didn’t say “yell”. I’ve notice many a stone-faced coach who was silent at the time when player positioning was warranted—but who later berated their charges for being “out of position”. “They should know better” is not good enough. Mental mistakes happen—and encouraging chatter that focuses your team will always pay dividends.

10) After the game—win or lose----take a positive approach to addressing your team. If the win was decisive, it is sometimes useful to balance the praise with a couple of areas where work is needed. Following a loss, it may be harder to find the bright spots, but find them you must. Players need to know that improvement occurred in SOME area, even if others still warrant attention and practice.


The above are certainly not the “10 Commandments”, but I think are a good start to making the experience useful and fun.

Remember that these are KIDS…and despite the big contracts and high pressure seen daily on ESPN, it is a GAME. The lessons learned from the team experience may have a lot less to do with swinging a bat or fielding a grounder—and more to do with supporting your teammates, displaying good sportsmanship—and working hard together for a common goal.

It’s the best time of year.

Play ball!!

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What Was It Like To Be At Ford's Theatre?

The following is an encore presentation of the Tim Moore Blog, updated and expanded.

Can you imagine being in the audience for “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre in Washington 145 years ago TODAY?

A range of emotions-from elation that the Civil War was officially over, the thrill of knowing the President of the United States was in the audience—and then the confusion as you witnessed John Wilkes Booth leap to the stage after shooting Abraham Lincoln. Then came the horror and realization that you had witnessed the murder of our Chief Executive.

If you’ve ever been to Ford’s Theatre, you know it still has a eerie feeling about it. Same for the house across the street when Lincoln dies the next day-where the blood-stained pillow that was next to his head is preserved in a glass case.

April 1865 was a momentous 30 days in our history, but perhaps no day remains burned in our national psyche as that of April 14th, where the President, truly relieved and, according to his wife, truly happy-met his violent end. The plot, of course, was extensive-as Secretary of State Seward was also a victim and the Vice President was supposed to have been. Despite the rumors regarding the assassination of President Kennedy 98 years later, this is the only proven conspiracy to kill a President.

The following video is interesting—with actual photos interspersed with what appears to be old movie footage of a dramatization of the crime:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qAeFjCscRY

I have often thought that I would have liked to have been in Washington on that fateful night. So many enemies of Lincoln existed—and, as the clip above states, there were some 80 WRITTEN threats to the President’s life that MONTH. Despite this fact, the guard posted at the door to Lincoln’s box had abandoned his post! Only one person guarding the leader of the free world seems unbelievable today, but of course, this was the first time that a sitting U.S. President was killed.

Only in hindsight can one truly appreciate the man and the President that Abraham Lincoln was. At the time, emotions on his term was mixed-and it’s hard to believe that many in the nation (even above the Mason-Dixon line) rejoiced at the news.

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A Master-Phil Performance

Enough has been written about Tiger Woods in the last six months to fill a fairway, but the storybook ending to this weekend’s Masters belonged to a perennial “runner up” to Woods’ previously shining star.

Phil Mickelson earned his third green jacket, joining only 7 other golfers who have won the Masters at least 3 times. Tiger is in that club, as are Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

Despite the hoopla over Tiger’s return to the game, it was the underlying story of Phil Mickelson, whose performance was largely overlooked until the last few holes that really stole the show. Perhaps that’s the way Phil wanted it.

Either way, the contrasts were palpable.

Phil, who left the tour last year to be with his wife Amy, currently fighting breast cancer—has supplanted Woods as the “role model” of the game. At her insistence, Phil returned to major tournament play, but failed in 2009 to win a trophy for his wife’s hospital room.

Here is a crude, bootleg video of Phil’s final putt on Sunday:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKwJpe0uAuU


All that ended Sunday—as Amy and the children were there to greet Phil at the 72nd hole and celebrate the win. As for Tiger, despite his incredibly strong start after months away from the game—and presumably from practice—he faded down the stretch. His wife Elin and children were nowhere to be found. Had he won, the only person he would have had to hug was his caddy, Steve Williams.

I won’t pile on to the Tiger-bashing bandwagon. It is none of my business—and none of yours either. Nevertheless, his punishment of public humiliation has cost him far more than the endorsement contracts he has lost. There is no amount of money he WOULDN’T give to have not gone through this episode in his life. Not to forgive him for what appears to be dozens if not hundreds of “transgressions”, he is getting what he deserves (don’t we all eventually?).

What amazes me is the attention paid to his return to golf. Clearly the ratings magnet for the sport, the Masters committee at Augusta National was no doubt delighted at his decision to play—and equally overjoyed that he did not win. The dressing down he received from the chairman before the tournament was both unnecessary and disgraceful.

No one has to root for Tiger. No one has to embrace him now, as Elin and the children have been the true victims in this scenario. In other venues, he will be the object of taunts and catcalls—and maybe he’ll just need to endure them as his penance and see if he can play through it all.

It was on this date in 1997---13 years ago—that Tiger won his first Masters—and his first major tournament, by a record 12 strokes. As the first African/Asian American to win the tournament at a course where blacks were not welcome to join, it was a milestone not to be understated. Fast forward to 2010 and we no longer debate whether Tiger or Jack is the best of all time. With 14 majors, just 4 shy of Nicklaus’ record, it seems that not only will Woods surpass that, but also Sam Snead’s record of 82 overall wins (Tiger is already over 60, I believe)

For the first time in I don’t know how many years, I didn’t get to watch any of the Masters either Saturday or Sunday. From what I heard, though, the TV talk was all about Tiger. My ESPN cellphone texts were all about how Tiger was doing, despite the fact that he was played his way OUT of a championship and Phil Mickelson was playing his way INTO one.

The golf world knows which side their bread is buttered on. Tiger is not who we thought he was. However, word among the pros is that Phil’s easygoing, “aw shucks” demeanor for the public and press to devour is NOT what they see in the clubhouse.

Whatever.

They are human beings, all of them. Flawed, just like we are. They just happen to be able to hit a golf ball MUCH better than we mere mortals. In all other respects, they may not be as smart as the rest of us—and certainly not divine as we have witnessed.

Perhaps this will begin the start of a TRUE rivalry…one that was only hinted at when Tiger first burst upon the scene. Mickelson versus Woods has been pretty one-sided up until now. However, as both begin new and challenging phases in their lives (for strikingly different reasons), we may see the kind of rivalry that compares to Palmer and Nicklaus…..or even Nicklaus and Watson.

I can’t wait!

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From Fame To Imprisoned Obscurity

America’s prisons are chock-full of men and women who have traded a brief period of notoriety for a lifetime behind bars—and the daily horrors attendant to such an existence.

I make no excuses for them—and harbor no sympathy for them either. Yet, I am nonetheless intrigued by their senseless violent acts----actions that brought them the attention they so desperately craved.

No doubt some of these criminals were motivated by greed or passion. Others were just mentally unstable—and chose to act out in dramatic fashion to reveal to the masses their warped world view.

Such appears to be the case for the so-called “Olympic Park Bomber”-Eric Rudolph. Remember him?

At this moment, he is incarcerated in the supermax federal prison in Florence, Colorado. Who knows what occupies his days—and nights. Time spent no doubt thinking about the actions which took the lives of others—and actions which condemned him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

I wonder if he thinks it was all “worth it”.

It was on this date in 2005 that Rudolph agreed to plead guilty in order to avoid the death penalty.

His reign of terror began with the bombing in 1996 that rocked the Olympic Park in Atlanta. Below is the report from an Atlanta TV station:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbau3OG4lBc

Originally pinned on a security guard by the name of Richard Jewell (whose unfortunate designation as “prime suspect” ruined his life and warrants a blog of its own), it became apparent that Jewell was not involved. The bombing killed one woman and injured over 100 others. After a couple of medical clinics that performed abortions were bombed, there began to appear a series of clues that led to Eric Rudolph.

A crusader, some said. A coward, most agreed.

A massive manhunt was launched to find Rudolph in North Carolina. In 1998, Eric’s brother Daniel cut off his hand to protest what he considered his brother’s mistreatment by the FBI and the media. This action alone points to the possibility of mental illness within the Rudolph family.

Rudolph became one of the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” fugitives, with $1 Million dollars offered for his capture. Continuing to elude the authorities, Rudolph was believed to be hiding in the Appalacians—and police suspected that area residents were actually sympathetic to his “cause”—and were offering assistance.

Finally, in May of 2003—after more than five years on the run, a rookie policeman arrested him after finding him digging through a grocery store dumpster in North Carolina.

So—after all that time—all that violence—did Eric Rudolph actually believe that his “crusade” did anything but kill, maim and terrorize innocent people?

We’ll likely never know —and maybe Rudolph won’t either. All that’s certain is that he’ll have plenty of time to ponder the answer to that question.

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Cat People Versus Dog People

It’s been “one of THOSE weeks”, so here’s a reprise of a blog that I first published about a year ago. It features perhaps the funniest cat video you’ll find on YouTube.


Although my family now owns a beautiful Golden Retriever named Molly-and for 14 years before that, another Golden named Kacie, I grew up with cats-or I should say CAT (George Meloon). It’s fair to say that I love critters of all kinds, but I think that most people can be divided into two groups:

1)Cat People
2)Dog People

These groups each tout the virtues of their preference-and at the same time discredit the merits of the OTHER group. Dogs are friendly, cats are aloof. Dogs require walking and help relieving themselves, cats are self-sufficient. Dogs are good with children, cats can be dangerous.

While my cats have all been rather social, the bad rep of a few tends to be spread across all cats in general. My wife, for instance, is NOT a cat person. When she married me, it was for better or worse, which in my case was that I came with Eunice the Cat. While Eunice is now destroying furniture in heaven, she co-existed with Kacie for several years with no issues, other than the fact that the dog (entering the house as a puppy which had been ruled with an iron paw by Eunice all along) was scared to death of the cat. This made for many embarrassing moments for a dog that eventually became about 8 times bigger than the feline she was afraid of---great entertainment for us, which of course is the entire point of having a pet.

If you love cats, you will love the following video clip. If you HATE cats, you will still love the video:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvo-g_JvURI

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2001-A Space Odyssey

Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m not really a fan of science fiction, be it books or movies.

Could be the huge bulbous heads of the aliens who speak with a British accent (what’s up with THAT?) Could be the technology that allows matter to be transformed into something that can be transported elsewhere (“Beam me up, Scotty!”)---or it could simply be that the “plots” of these dramas are hard for me to identify with. Go ahead and take over that alien planet-makes no difference to me.

I did watch “Star Trek” for a time, but it was the human interaction in that series that provided the most appeal. Yeah, they were hurtling through space, but the petty human frailties that are such a part of the present also seemed to survive into the future. Captain Kirk alternated between classic hero and mere mortal, susceptible to all the temptations of ancient man and woman (us)

I liked “Star Wars”, but didn’t watch it until years after its release. Never swallowed the Kool-Aid that required matching bed sheets, toys and other merchandise. Guess that puts me on the “dark side”.

Alrighty then.

One of the landmark movies in the genre was released on this date in 1968. Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” made its debut a year before we actually walked on the moon with Apollo 11. Back then, the year 2001 seemed so far into the future that things could really be that spectacularly different.

Here’s the trailer to the movie:





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vahx4rAd0N0&NR=1

The music was the most compelling part of the film—and that remains the case today. The movie clocked in at over 3 hours—but had less than 40 minutes of dialogue. As such, the film received a lot of negative reviews, including the “New Yorker’s” quote that it was “monumentally unimaginative”.

How about now?

Well, some people consider it Kubrick’s masterwork and one of the most significant films of the 20th century. It received no nomination for “Best Picture” at the 1969 Academy Awards, but Kubrick was nominated as “Best Director” (he lost to Sir Carol Reed of “Oliver!”). It did win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Some 42 years after its release, I have yet to see the film.

I’ll get around to it.

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Topless In Portland

Sorry guys…...no video today.

Actually, I’ll post the WCSH TV News Story video link, but maybe not what you expect or want to see.

This past Saturday, a few dozen women paraded down Portland, Maine’s Congress Street topless. The idea was to call attention to the fact that there is an inherent inequality between men and women who choose to take off their shirts.

Uh….yeah. Is that somehow a SURPRISE?

In Maine, it is not illegal for women to be topless in public. So, while the police were on hand Saturday to provide escort/crowd control, there were no arrests made, no should there have been. Indeed, if a woman chooses to parade publicly with the “twins” exposed, then there is freedom to do so.

If it became more common, perhaps it wouldn’t attract the attention that Saturday’s parade did.
Here is a link to Channel 6’s news story--seems the embedded player may NOT work for you:



http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=116208

I was working at 94.9 WHOM Saturday—and I will admit that Monument Square seemed a bit crowded as I was leaving the building. I chalked it up to a beautiful sunny day-the first of a spectacular Easter weekend. I was over halfway to the parking garage when it struck me that the crowd was almost entirely male—and that many of them were holding video cameras—or their cell phones were out and poised to record…something.

And then I saw them—headed my way.

Estimates ranged from a couple dozen to thirty women strolling down the square—on their way to Tommy’s Park, where who knows what would happen next. I stepped aside to let the ladies by—and the throng of gawking men who were walking the same route. I swear that someone could have been MURDERED right there and then and there would have been NO WITNESSES to the crime. All eyes were on the women.

Clearly, none of them showed any signs of inhibition or embarrassment. Bouncing down the street, I did notice that several people caught by surprise did avert their eyes—and some parents were preoccupied with covering up their young children’s eyes.

While I can understand the rationale, I believe that the human body is beautiful (some bodies clearly more than others) and creating the impression that anyone should be ashamed is not a healthy perspective. In Europe—and around the world, many beaches are topless---or completely nude—and one sees men, women and children of all ages enjoying the sun and surf without a thought to what surrounds them. This makes our national views of toplessness (is that a word?) more of a cultural phenomenon than an absolute of our species. In short, there is nothing more natural than….all of us in our birthday suits.

Interestingly, it could be said that the most uncomfortable people at the “parade” this past Saturday may have been those women in attendance who were actually wearing their shirts. Why? Well, the same people crying out for individual freedom and choice were perhaps unwittingly denying others the same choice-or making them feel self conscious about WEARING clothes.

I saw several of the topless women egging on their clothed counterparts to either flash or completely remove their tops as well. As the half naked women shook their wares and taunted those wearing a blouse, the men around them followed suit.

In short, there was no shortage of boobs in downtown Portland this past Saturday.

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Good Friday Contemplations

To avoid controversy, it’s a good idea to stay away from politics and religion. That’s the conventional wisdom.

Never being one to shy away from criticism—both justly deserved and unfairly meted out, I have steeped this blog in politics many a time, but have so far stayed away from religion.

Until today.

It’s Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross. This Holy Week is different than most though, as the Catholic Church is now facing a scandal that goes right to the top---landing at the feet of the Pope himself.

I won’t go there—in part because I was raised Catholic, which may poison my objectivity—and mostly because I doubt that anyone knows exactly what occurred, save for the parties directly involved. Instead, I put forth a few observations in general about organized religions, whatever they may be.

First, is it possible to simultaneously grow more SPIRITUAL while growing less RELIGIOUS?

I think so—and I think that I’m living proof.

As I get older—each day nearing my eventual demise (“Table for one in HELL, please!”), I find myself feeling more sentimental, more grateful for the blessings in my life—and more in awe of the wonders of nature. At the same time, I grow more cynical of organized religions, be they Catholic, Islamic, Scientologist, Baptist…you name it.

I believe in Christ—and if the scriptures are at all accurate, it seems to me that Jesus left us with ONE supreme commandment: “Love your God with all your heart and soul and love your neighbor as yourself”

That’s it.

Put all life situations through that filter—or even the trendy “What Would Jesus Do?” and you’ll be left with a pretty good roadmap for living. Not easy, but simple and direct.

So, how is it that this one command has grown into volumes and volumes of rituals, rules, regulations and restrictions? The answer is: human beings.

Not to target my own Church, but it is a historical fact that many past popes were corrupt to the point of criminal. The direct successor to the apostle Peter has been caught up in the politics of the time, subject to the passions of mortals and susceptible to the trappings and pitfalls of power.

It has been said that more people have died “in the name of god” than for any other reason. Not sure if this is true, but “holy wars”, where the zeal to convert has caused those resistant to lose their lives—is also a historical fact.

The Church has been a largely positive influence in my life—and I hope in the lives of my children. Perhaps the greatest gift of religion (for me) is simply the practice of regular worship—a defined time to set aside for prayer and reflection. Human beings need constant reinforcement—and the ritual of mass (or other ceremonies) tend to bring us to at least a weekly “home plate” to touch and reinvigorate our faith. Even the apostles needed this—after walking with Jesus and personally witnessing the miracles that I believe truly occurred. After all this direct experience, they still ran away when he was arrested and Peter denied Jesus three times.

We are weak. We need the support.

What irks me more than anything is the intolerance that supposedly “religious” people inflict on those who do not share their world view. These “Christians” spew hate and judgment—all in the name of Christ. Makes the lyric in the hymn “ They will know we are Christians by our Love, by our Love” seem a bit hypocritical, no?

Whether directed at gays, at those of other faiths or those with opposing POLITICAL views, these “followers of Christ” have seemed to forget the adage: “Judge not, lest ye be judged".

I won’t speak to the current problems of the Catholic Church—my opinion is of no relevance. I’d like to think that my relationship is with God/Jesus—and not the institution created by sinful human beings.

LIVE AND LET LIVE.

DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS

And above all: LOVE

These emotions will heal a scarred world, starting with our own families, friends, coworkers and acquaintances.

Here’s hoping you have a safe and healthy and happy Easter—regardless of your “religion”—or even whether or not you believe in God.
You are loved regardless!

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Obama Comes To Portland

This is not a blog about health care reform---or even about politics, really.

The President Of The United States came to Portland, Maine today—and that is an event, regardless of your political affiliation.

Thanks to my association with 94.9 WHOM, I was able to wrangle a media pass—or credentials-- directly from the White House. This is the bureaucratic equivalent of the “jump the line” pass at Disney World. While everyone else waited hours in line to obtain tickets on Wednesday—in bad weather---and then again today to actually enter the Portland Expo, we privileged media types simply breezed through the separate Press entrance, strutting importantly past the throngs who had been patiently waiting in line for hours before we arrived.

The entire scene was a wonder to behold—and as someone who has put on a few events myself, I was in awe at the coordination and precision with which the event was handled.
The local Portland police, in tandem with city employees, the Secret Service, White House staff , volunteers—and God knows who else—integrated their efforts to set up the venue, as well as design and administer crowd flow and control. They also had to frisk every single person entering the building. Including media royalty like myself.

Not unlike the airport, but I didn’t have to remove my shoes or jacket. Emptied pockets and a wand passed over my body was as invasive as it got. Perhaps the “regular folks” (read “steerage”) were subjected to a cavity search—who knows?

Anyway, once inside, the press was corralled into a segregated area. Had I been armed with TV cameras, tripods or other equipment, I would have had to have dropped that junk off earlier in the day for inspection. In our area, long tables were set up with chairs, electrical outlets and audio/visual input blocks.

While the President’s visit was the talk of the town for days in advance—and a source of pride for many, it stunned me to think that this scene is played out EVERY DAY (and sometimes multiple times each day)—by a White House “advance team” that has to cope with a multitude of agencies, buildings, logistical nightmares and thousands of details that boggle the mind! All of this while keeping the POTUS safe from some crazy person or persons with an agenda of their own.

Here’s short video that someone just posted on YouTube of the President arriving today at the Portland Jetport:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vVpDw8VXkk

Luckily, the speech went well, the crowd was enthusiastic—and no incidents to report—at least none that I am aware of. Regardless of your political lean, there is universal agreement that the man is a master politician and public speaker. The atmosphere inside the Expo was nothing short of electric.

As we filed out, the street was filled with people holding signs. Some were “Welcome President Obama” signs, but there were plenty of protestors as well.
It will be fun to see Portland, Maine in the national spotlight tonight on the news programs—and while I still believe that Obama should end the “victory lap” and begin the process of healing—and moving on to other pressing issues, I’d be lying if I said it WASN’T a thrill to see our President in person today.

It was.

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