Bob CollinsFor sheer trivia and worthlessness, nothing beats the “pool report” issued to the local media when a president visits. It’s usually written by one reporter selected to be the “official” dispenser of information, so as not to litter the area with the likes of reporters.
Here’s the first dispatch from today’s presidential visit to Minneapolis.
The President emerged from the Air Force One at around 10:50 a.m. on a glorious, sunny morning in Minneapolis. AF1 came to a stop outside an Air Force Reserve hangar. The President strode down the steps wearing a dark blue suit and black shoes. He was joined on the flight by U.S. Reps. Betty McCollum and Tim Walz, D-Minn. He was greeted by Democratic U.S. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar along with U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. He was also met by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.
The President had a particularly long chat with Ellison, but the pool reporter could not hear the conversation.President then jogged over and immediately began shaking hands with about 90 well-wishers, including one woman carrying an Obama portrait. The snapped pictures with cameras and camera phones as he got close.
“How is everybody doing?” the President asked? The crowd cheered.”Welcome to Minnesota,” one woman said.”School out yet?” the President asked one school age kid.
Repeating if you just tuned in: It was a glorious morning in Minneapolis.
Full details later.
