One of the Vice Presidents at KSCW has a friend who is a member of the National Security Council. Aside from having that awesome title and responsibility, this NSC member also has White House staff clearance (and a lot of scary stories to tell). We were lucky enough to secure a few spots on an early morning South Lawn sendoff to the President as he boarded Marine One.

We arrived at one of the Secret Service checkpoints, had our information verified and passed through security.  As we entered the White House grounds, we approached the side entrance to the West Wing, where a man stood waiting for a car. I had one of those classic double take moments that always hits me when I’m near a celebrity. I looked a bit more closely and then tried not to make a big deal when I realized it was Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Standing alone, waiting for his car.

I readied my camera, but again, didn’t want to make a touristy scene. I did however, catch a rather useless shot of his back as he ducked into the SUV which pulled up seconds later.

From there we proceeded to a small, excavated area where the West Wing meets the main Mansion itself. This area was paved, set below ground level and seemed to be used for holding grills, equipment and other stuff. This is also the rather notorious "back door exit" that the Dalai Lama was urged out of after a meeting with President Obama. We waited here for about ten minutes (no trash or laundry bags present this time. But I did spy members of the cable news media, so: close enough), before we were taken through a corridor linking the West Wing to the Mansion, and out to the other side where the Rose Garden awaited us.

It was a beautiful day, really perfect in every way. Washington, shaken and battered by two record shattering snowstorms, was finally emerging into warmer weather. The grass was greenish, the fountain was on, the South Lawn was a perfectly sized paradise in the middle of the city. The land seemed carefully sculpted at each end of the lawn, creating small knolls to shield the area from the noise, smell and security issues that all percolate a few hundred meters away.

The president’s dog Bo was outside being tended to by Secret Service officers. Visitors stood near the Mansion, behind the rope line and watched. The press I mentioned above set up their cameras and boom mikes, just in case anything of interest happened. The weather was perfect, the temperature hovered in a strange 60 degree mark that allowed for jackets to be worn or not worn with comfort.

Marine One roared in from somewhere past the Washington Monument, came in close, turned to orient itself onto three pads for the wheels set into the lawn, and with a bump, it was on the ground. This of course, was after the powerful rotors sent bits of dirt, dust and leaves into onlookers eyes. But it was worth it.

Once on the ground, the waiting game began. The helicopter sat, its Marine pilots craning their necks to scope out the line the President would use in his walk from the Oval Office to the South Lawn. The crowd got excited and cameras were readied. This all proved premature, as the President took his time in emerging from the West Wing. I don’t understand what took so long, it’s not like he has anything to do right now. 

Finally, the President emerged and the crowd began clapping and cheering. This was somewhat subdued, however, for two reasons: the first being that dozens of digital cameras were in action, the second being that it doesn’t do much good to try and shout over the noise of Marine One (see also: Sam Donaldson). President Obama waved, walked to the helicopter and boarded. Moments later, several aides and an Air Force officer joined him, the Air Force officer holding the “football” case containing nuclear launch codes for the President’s use in case of attack.

With everyone on board, the Marine pilots cracked their strained necks and prepared for takeoff. Moments later, the helicopter was off the ground, headed toward Andrews Air Force Base.