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Those crazy, hazy days of the ’08 election
On more than one occasion, someone asks me, “Are you glad the election is over?”
I have mixed emotions on the subject.
Covering presidential candidates is typically interesting and exciting.
It can be mentally and physically taxing, but it also can be funny and entertaining.
So a day after Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the laughs and silliness the candidates and their supporters gave during the campaign.
One of the most amusing was the only time President-elect Barack Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and their wives were in the area together.
The four spent Aug. 29 at an Austintown hotel and stopped early the next day for breakfast at the Yankee Kitchen Family Restaurant in Boardman on their way to Cleveland for the funeral of the late U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones.
Nothing says “classy” like a national press photo opportunity of the candidates and their wives eating breakfast and talking to other diners right before a funeral.
The local media was told of the “unannounced” stop but not its location. We were also told if it was reported, the stop would be canceled.
We all held up our end of the bargain. But after the four entered the restaurant, the campaign wouldn’t permit the local media inside.
After a great deal of complaining, we eventually got in. Well, we kind of sneaked in.
I wanted to talk to those inside the restaurant who had spoken to the Obamas and the Bidens. The problem was the national press was everywhere filming four people eating breakfast — exciting stuff.
I had to crawl below their cameras to get to regular people. At least I thought they were regular people.
It turns out it’s hard to keep a secret in Boardman even if the Secret Service and the campaign want you to do so.
Among those eating at the restaurant were two township trustees, its administrator and other township employees along with their relatives.
Another memorable event was President Bill Clinton’s rally for Obama on Oct. 30 at the Campbell Memorial High School gymnasium.
Clinton, who was an hour late, started the speech by saying that everything about the presidential campaign had already been said. That didn’t stop him from talking for 20 minutes about the race.
Perhaps the funniest moment was when he introduced dignitaries in the crowd. He mentioned the name of Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. Clinton looked in the direction of Williams, who raised his hand to acknowledge the introduction, but the former president didn’t see him.
Clinton looked to the other side of the gym and pointed at Campbell Mayor Jack Dill, an older white man not easily mistaken for Williams, a younger black guy. At least Clinton got the mayor part correct.
The Republicans also had their moments.
John McCain, the party’s presidential nominee, visited the Democratic-dominated Mahoning Valley four times.
The first time he came to the area on April 22, he started by delivering a speech in front of an abandoned factory. Now there’s an original idea!
Instead of those little Teleprompters, McCain read a speech at Youngstown State University that was on three gigantic screen televisions — one directly in front of him, one to his right and the other to his left.
The media was repeatedly warned to not stand in front of the screens or even touch them.
But at least everyone there was able to hear McCain speak.
That wasn’t the case for those who woke up early on Oct. 31 and stood outside the Beeghly Center at YSU for hours to hear McCain interviewed inside the building on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
The show decided at the last minute to not allow the interview to be heard by those at the center; a move that didn’t sit too well with the people there.
The funniest part was when Robin Roberts, the show’s co-host who interviewed McCain, complimented those in attendance for being so quiet and well-behaved.