Tuesday, April 22, 2008

What Correspondents Dinner?

There are at least two pairs of flip flops under my desk from the last week.  The good news is they're flip flops and not boots.  The bad news is, THAT'S how busy I've been... that my anal self has allowed shoes to pile up at the office.



I'm still bitter about missing the Radio Television Correspondents Dinner on Wednesday night (don't tell Barack I'm bitter).  It's like prom for TV people in DC and I'm sad I missed my first one since moving here, but I was a little busy :)



Last week is still kind of a blur.  I remember coming to work on Sunday and I remember going home on Thursday.  I know in between Pope Benedict XVI was here, but details... those are kind of fuzzy.  I do have a minute or two to share some pictures with you though, so here you go... (Again, shout out to Nikole for most of these pictures)



N620929077_393312_9448Good morning, White House!  Eric and I were in the "line" to get in at like 4:00 in the morning, only to find out we'd still have to wait.



One random guy went up to the gate and asked to have breakfast with President Bush.



The first time, I laughed.  Then I started to feel sorry for him.



N620929077_393316_304This is the area on the North Lawn where all the TV people "go live."  We affectionately call it "Pebble Beach," I'm not sure why.. the phrase pre-dates me.



N620929077_393320_2774Juniors like me feel cool to be around the big guys like CNN...



*Shout out to Becky!



N620929077_393326_5514 And ABC...



*Shout out to Tracy!



Popeapalooza_002Basically it's just one camera position after another... kind of like school pictures, but for live television!



Popeapalooza_024This is what most people do on Pebble Beach all day...



nap...



do the crossword...



cover the most important office IN THE WORLD...



Just another day in paradise!



Popeapalooza_001



The view from where I was all morning - the lovely Nikole Killion!



Popeapalooza_064_2 Eric set us up super fast.



He is a miracle worker.



Someone tell the Pope!



Popeapalooza_030Here is a very tired me with Nikole.



This was one of those cases where I felt cute when the picture was taken... and now I look at it and think, ugh!



Oh well.



Geez! Count the credentials.



Popeapalooza_005 I snapped this as we were escorted to the South Lawn.



Tulips!



N620929077_393337_3449The South Lawn.



This was the view I started out with...



N620929077_393348_9015 Then these kids moved in...



Popeapalooza_011 This is what I could really see... with my camera all the way up in the air!



Popeapalooza_015 I felt kind of like these people...



They were actually getting quite feisty - asking the Vatican press photographers to get off their ladders.



The VAMP were not having it.  They shouted back "but I have to work, I am working here" in their Italian accents and everything!



N620929077_393394_4229 N620929077_393393_3329



Sorry, I realize I'm spending too much time on the media stuff... you probably want to see the actual Pope and the President, huh?



N620929077_393399_4365 Here you go!



The Pope and the Prez.N620929077_393402_6592



Aren't they cute?



N620929077_393400_5222



Happy Birthday dear Pontiff....  Happy Birthday to you!!



Didn't Nikole get some good pictures?



Popeapalooza_016 I kept trying my reach into the air as high as I can approach, I wasn't doing very well with that at all.



White House staffer Pete Seat took this for me - shout out Pete.



My highlight of the day was hanging with the White House peeps.  I even made it into a corner of a picture on the Beltway Confidential.



Find me - where's Waldo?



N620929077_393416_1104 It really was an awesome ceremony.



Such an honor to be on the South Lawn of the White House as a Head of State arrives... all the pomp and circumstance!



Now... on to Thursday... quickly...N620929077_393817_7195



Good Morning Nationals Stadium!



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The stadium was transformed into a giant outdoor church.



The Pope played Center Field.



N620929077_393848_4799 The infamous Popemobile! 



I'm sorry, this thing is cool.



It's like the mullet of cars... Mercedes in the front... Florida room in the back!



N620929077_393849_5771



It was so cool!  The crowd was soooo excited.



So neat to experience.



N620929077_393853_173 These are the Pressmobiles.



Not quite the same reception.



Popeapalooza_040Here we are on our perch.



We really had a good position, in the end.



N620929077_393822_6306This was the line of people to get in the stadium.



Popeapalooza_045 This is the line to get a hot dog.



Yes, hot dogs... not Eggs Benedict, or Pope-cicles or Pope-Tarts... ERIC.



haha.Popeapalooza_054



Okay, back to business... here are some pictures taken during the Mass...N620929077_393862_1712



He wore a couple of different hats.  I like the change-up... kind of like a concert.



Popeapalooza_056



Here we have Joe and Eric... hard at work.



Covering the Pope is serious hard work.



We all got major farmer tans... despite the 30 SPF that I did remember!



N620929077_393839_4689



Cardinals!



I was doing this in chronological order until I realized I missed this photo.



They're very good at marching in formation.N620929077_393821_1228



I love my co-workers.  I have no idea what in the world David is looking up at... and I like how Eric looks super hard core in sunglasses.



I'm throwing back some Nutter Butters, yeah!



N620929077_393860_9733 And there you have it.  Pope Benedict XVI's visit to DC, through the eyes of the Hearst-Argyle Washington Bureau crew.



Only Nikole is dorky enough to pose in front of an empty stadium with her credential...Popeapalooza_058



And yours truly, of course.



:)



Hands on the hips!  Hips don't lie!



Oh, wow. What a sigh of relief to get this blog out. Whew. Now I have a headache from re-living that stressful event! Just kidding.  It really was quite an honor to cover such an important historical event!  I hope I have many chances like this in the future.



Until then... cheers!



4 comments:

Rebecca A. said...

well i love this post! those are some awesome pics. i totally missed out on this last week. i don't have a good execuse as to why, but i am glad you were able to catch me to speed. i think you have a very cool job, but i think you know that already.

Rebecca A. said...

that would be catch me UP to speed...

kelly said...

once again -- i absolutely loved living vicariously through your photos and commentary! what an awesome experience!

Nik said...

Thanks for the shout out! But why I gotta be a dork, "hands on hip"? LOL!