Clinton Campaigns For Obama at Mcnamara

10.30.2012 (updated 6.8.2018)

When I heard that Bill Clinton was giving a speech at the Mcnamara Alumni Center, I cut a deal with my U of M Judo instructor to take an earlier class so that I could go see it. But as early as I was, the building was already over capacity and had police all over the place; they wouldn’t allow me in. If I remember correctly, I snuck in by pretending I’d came for a flu-shot from a medical booth which had set up directly next to where he’d be speaking, but then detoured into the main hall instead. Unlike the other journalists, who had a special podium for taking pictures, I got my shot from in the crowd by raising my camera high above my head. Eventually a big, burly, policeman accosted me to see what I was up to. I don’t think my camera was as suspicious as the giant dufflebag I was wearing in a hall packed with people and a former president. He opened my bag, saw a crumpled up Judo robe and didn’t know what to make of it.