It's 9am and the local press is anxious. It's been 40 years since the last presidential candidate, Robert F. Kennedy, visited Central Oregon and Barack Obama will be here any minute. Gulping organic coffee and checking lenses, "Change We Can Believe In" badges pinned to our chests, the bran muffins go ignored.
Across the lot, PV Powered employees huddle together, a brisk wind keeping jackets zipped, overtime conversation close. They're the first for Secret Service, electronic devices aside as the magic wand swipes over bodies. They enter, but we aren't allowed: "Thank you, now stand over there - Again."
And then the bus arrives - not Barack's black world-tour barge but the traveling press. Reuters and NBC, bloggers, months into this morass and better equipped, CNN and ABC bring small stepladders, wear laminated badges reading "Fired Up! Ready to go!" and "Camp Pain 2008." They sprint for the caffeine. The bran muffins still go untouched.
To my right is Jessica Slider, staring off at the three towers of the Old Mill, the Stars and Stripes swaying on high. Doing video stills and new media for the campaign since February 2007 and promoted to the plane only recently, "I feel good." she replies when asked. Grateful that she'll be home tomorrow, in Chicago for a well-deserved Mother's Day off, she then she looks about nervously - as if her personal welfare isn't approved for release. "I really shouldn't be on the record." she apologizes then disappears.
Moments later, I get the expected pat on the back, "Hi! Don't I know you?"
"No." Seeing the short, energetic man-child all too eager to know me. It's Nick Shapiro, Oregon communications director for the Obama campaign. Jessica did the requisite handoff; Nick wants to be on the record.
