Canfield Fair made all the more exciting by Biden, Trump visits

Bringing a sitting vice president and a major-party presidential nominee to a large, wide-open public location has got to be a nightmare in terms of logistics and security.

It’s also a major inconvenience for people there with no interest in seeing either of them because everything comes to a halt while they’re there. It’s not always spectacular for many who want to catch a glimpse or shake hands.

But Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump went ahead and visited the Canfield Fair.

While both were supposed to be surprise visits, it was remarkably easy to figure out that both were stopping there.

I was at the fair covering Biden as part of his seven hours visiting various locations in the Mahoning Valley.

I didn’t go to Trump because we already had two reporters at the fair working that day – Labor Day – and after my experience with Biden, I knew it would be very chaotic covering Trump. I was to be the “pool reporter” for Trump as I was for Biden. That means I cover the event and then must submit my report to the campaign, which distributes it to any news outlet that wants it. So any reporting done has to be shared with everyone else.

I also knew I wouldn’t be anywhere near Trump during his time at the fair, and unfortunately that’s what happened to the reporter who handled the pool responsibilities.

Biden and his motorcade, with me in a van with other journalists, took off for the fair about 15 minutes after I interviewed him at the United Auto Workers Local 1714 union hall in Lordstown, where he spoke at a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Regarding the interview, it was one I never expected to conduct.

I made numerous requests to speak to Biden and/or President Barack Obama when they campaigned in the area in 2008 and 2012. Of course, it’s not always going to happen. But when Biden came in May 2012, he granted interviews to the local TV stations and his campaign refused to allow me a few minutes with him.

My complaints led to some critical national coverage – most prominently on Politico’s website – of the Obama-Biden campaign. On the plus side, it directly led to separate exclusive interviews with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, the unsuccessful 2012 Republican ticket.

I was informed that my request to interview Biden this time around was highly unlikely. They never outright said no, but when you don’t hear anything the night before the event that meant no.

I contacted Biden’s office to explain the situation, and with the assistance of a few people, I was given five minutes with the vice president. I had planned to ask two, maybe three, questions. But because of Biden’s responses, I ended up asking seven in my five minutes.

It was a spirited discussion and it sounded like he enjoyed the give-and-take. I certainly did.

After it was done, Biden asked about places I had lived, and we ended up talking about changes to Brooklyn, N.Y., and the amount of snow that falls in central New York. We both went to colleges about 40 miles, and close to two decades, from each other.

Biden’s motorcade pulled into the fair and reporters were rushed out to get photos of the vice president and to see him interact with people.

Secret Service agents kept reporters at least 10 feet from Biden. Sometimes it was more. You could hear some of the conversations, but the crowd noise made it difficult.

The job of Secret Service agents at the fair was to protect Biden in an area with thousands of people who didn’t go through metal detectors or background checks. Snipers were on top of fair buildings.

There were plenty of people who wanted to shake his hand or get a photo, but the security got ridiculous at times, shouting orders at people.

It wasn’t just the Secret Service. Mahoning County Sheriff’s deputies and even Canfield Fair cops got in on the act. I had a clueless fair officer trying to give me and others orders that contradicted the directions of the Secret Service.

Biden spent about 50 minutes at the fair with 40 of them talking to people. He spent 10 minutes inside a tent eating lunch with Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras and ex-Gov. Ted Strickland, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

It was hectic, but if you were there and wanted to see Biden, you probably did.

It was a different story for Trump.

Trump was at the fair for about 80 minutes, but was with the public for about 15 minutes.

Based on what I was told by the two reporters and two photographers we had there – that included three who were with me for Biden – it was a terrible experience.

It had nothing to do with the crowd which was as well- behaved as the one for Biden though some were obviously disappointed Trump didn’t spend more time outside talking to people. The use of a bullhorn was a nice touch for Trump as it allowed people far away to at least hear him speak.

Trump spent most of his time inside the fair administrative office for an interview with ABC’s “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir. It appeared there was a location change for the interview which caused a problem.

The biggest problem was Trump’s security was overwhelmed by the number of people at the fair. The crowd was enthusiastic, but behaved.

But seeing that many people in tight spaces led to very aggressive security even when Trump was inside.

Hopefully, Trump’s next visit to the area will be better coordinated.