The President

Houston, TX       April 26, 2001

Tonight the President gave a speech about reading and literacy at the Worthan Center Auditorium.  I was parking the truck this morning at 8am the President didn't speak until 8pm tonight.  We had to setup so early because I needed the best parking space.  You might notice all the tall buildings across the street from my truck these buildings were so tall that they were blocking most of the satellites from my view.  It took about an hour to find just the right spot between the trees and around the buildings.  The crew and I finished setting up around 3pm and went to lunch and waited for the security sweep.  Before the security sweep we pretty much have the run of the building to set up and do whatever.  At 4 pm the building was completely shut down, cleared, and "swept" with secret service and dogs.  The dogs were even run through my truck and all the trucks on the street.  I didn't have a chance to grab my camera for that, maybe next time.  During the hour long sweep is a great time for a lunch break so we did.   The closest I got to the President was to see him and his family on a monitor in my truck.  About a half an hour later the entire motorcade and the limo drove right past my truck.  Only then could we start to pack up our gear.  I left the Wortham Center at 2am that night.