PRESIDENTIAL COVERAGE

I've had my share of hassles with secret service, and I like you to know that I've never seen a more steely-eyed bunch. But, I do respect the impossible task to which they have dedicate themselves.

I was privy to the following scenario when Nixon came to LI to speak at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, campaigning for the local GOP. The media mob were corralled into a "bull pen" and while we were waiting, a non-credentailed photographer was asked to leave the area. He argued that as a citizen and a photographer for a weekly paper, he had as much right to be there as anyone else. The agent asked him to come with him and they would straighten things out. The man did so, and was led to a small office in the bowels of the building. The agent asked him to wait there for a moment while he got some information from another agent. The photographer didn't suspect anything was amiss until he heard the door close with a suspicious click. Upon trying the door, the man found he was locked in. Several hours later, the agent returned and apologized for the delay. He said that the problem had been resolved and the photographer could resume his position and shoot anything he wanted.....of an empty coliseum.

Another time, this very same Nixon was going to dedicate Liberty Island (of Statue of Liberty fame) as a National Park. I was given an overnight assignment and told to be at Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan at 6am to catch a press boat out to the Island. I had been credentialed by the White House, as was everyone else on the boat. The island was open to the public, and they wanted us to be there before the crowds. As usual, we were herded into yet another "bull pen." Let me describe the scene we would be shooting. Several hundred feet away was the podium upon which the president would speak. We had a profile view of this. At his back, and to our right, rose the statue. And just to the left and out of our view, was the magnificent NYC skyline. From our vantage point, all we could shoot would be the president with a typical milky white NY sky for a background. The statue was too far to our right and the skyline was out of sight. And to make sure that we didn't stand much of a chance of getting anything decent, we were shooting right into the sun. Noting that the general public, who were now starting to arrive, had a nice view of the prez with the statue right behind him....and even a glimpse of the skyline....AND decent cross lighting, I quickly stripped myself of all vestiges of the highly vaunted presidential press credentials, and wandered into the public area. I even managed to get a seat up front. You don't have to be a great shooter when you have everything falling into place. Now it just becomes a matter of proper focus and exposure.

Man, I love this job.

© 2002 Dick Kraus
May not be republished in any part without written consent of the author