Most people don’t get to experience what I’ve recently experienced…meeting the next President of the United States.
It’s pretty intense sitting in a room with the would-be president…but it’s also interesting how two men- both wanting the same job- are just SO different…

Monday:

Told we have an exclusive one-on-one interview with Sen. John McCain.
Arrive at Brevard Community College in Melbourne.
Go through a security check. Lots of sweet looking dogs that want to play- and attack.
Told we are the pool media camera for a statement the Senator will make about his vision for future spaceflight. We are housed with national media…some big names in the room.
I try to act cool- all while drooling over the food the national media enjoy.

(Photo: Orlando Sentinel photographer Joe Burbank enjoys his lunch)

We are not allowed to eat the food, as national media has to pay to eat- and we aren’t cool enough to be included in that group!

After lunch, the Senator makes his statement and walks away without taking questions.
We are immediately rushed to a different room- where are are in a mad dash to set up the equipment.
The press guy with McCain asks us to look through the view finder so he can approve the shot.

Suddenly, the room fills with worker bees rushing “here comes the Senator…Here comes the Senator”

In walks McCain, who says hello and sits down. With him are Senators Mel Martinez and Joe Lieberman. Martinez jokes with reporter Scott Harris about old high school days…McCain looks on noticing the fact they know each other.

Two women come into the room- one working on his hair- the other touching up his makeup. I come to find out McCain can’t lift up his arms- an injury from his POW days- so he has to have people brush his hair for him.

The interview begins- with a sea on onlookers…including the two Senators- a number of secret service agents- and a large amount of people from his campaign/press office. I would say in all, about 30 people…if not more…were watching.

They were also recording. A number of digital audio records were on, taping everything.

The interview was great- about 7 minutes later someone (I swear it was one of the makeup people) gave me the sign to wrap it up. I thought about ignoring her- but then again- there were lots of people with guns around….so we wrapped it up.

McCain was very nice and shook hands with everyone- and then was whisked away….

Tuesday:
Told we have an exclusive one-on-one interview with Sen. Barack Obama.
We arrive at the Orange County Convention Center- and told to meet behind the media riser after the interview.
We do as told- and are taken to a closet. This particular closet is home to every make and model of cord ever made. Cords of all different shapes, sizes and lengths are all organized in bins all around the mason brick room.
We are shown where to set up the camera- we do so…and are told to wait by the entrance to the closet to wait for the Senator- who first has a radio interivew.
As we are waiting, we are talking to a secret service agent- asking if it is a job requirement that you are not allowed to smile. Needless to say, he started smiling…in walked another secret service agent…who our first guy got to smile as well. All is good- and before you know it, in walks Senator Obama.
He walks up to me, shakes my hand…says hello to my co-workers, and is whisked away for a radio interview.
We wait about five minutes- and then our turn.
We are standing in the corner of this closet- in front of a blue curtain and a flag…and the interview begins.

In contrast to the McCain interview, the Obama campaign maybe has about three people in there- and they were way back.
At one point, about seven minutes later- one woman gave me a wrap sign- we wrapped it up- and the Senator just hung around talking to everyone, until someone from him campaign had to move him along.

My thoughts:

I felt like the way the McCain camp controlled things- they were almost afraid McCain was going to say something damaging…it appeared like the Obama campaign was so confident in his skills, that they weren’t worried about what he might say.