President Bush in Winston-Salem NC today (November 7)

mommybain | mommybain

[mommybain]

Well Freepers, President Bush is on his way to my fair city this morning. I'm at a 17th floor window across the street from Benton Convention Center, where he will be having a fund-raising lunch in about 2 hours...currently watching the Secret Service guys walk the perimeter. Should make for an interesting day.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Tell W hello for us!

[DrDeb]

Take good care of the President!

[BTW: Are you planning to counterFREEP the losers who will be bussed in to protest the President?]

Keep us posted!

[mommybain]

Not sure about 'visible' FReeping on the job, but I do plan to at least try and catch a glimpse as he leaves. I have a GREAT view of the entire northern side of the city, so I'll get to see Air Force One come in.

Wish I could chat with him about the IT offshore outsourcing issues (she says while surrounded by Indian contractors....)

[alancarp]

Is he coming in to Smith-Reynolds, or PTI?? I would have assumed the latter, since he used that airport during the last trip.

At least I don't have to fight THAT traffic on I-40 today!

[alancarp]

Hmmmm... Indian contractors: GMAC?

[G L Tirebiter]

Hope he gets some good BBQ while he's there. Has Rove "selected" a candidate to vie for Edwards seat?

[mommybain]

Good guess!!!!!! We just got checked out here on the 17th floor by a helicopter.

He's coming to Smith-Reynolds, believe it or not.

[alancarp]

Better have good brakes on that 747!

Re: Rove and Edwards seat -- it's not Rove, but I understand that the White House is satisfied with Congressman Richard Burr (of Winston-Salem's district, BTW) running for that seat. He's locally popular, solidly Conservative, and has no baggage. I plan on voting for him.

[alancarp]

Re: that guess: I have sources in high floor places...(grin)

[mommybain]

They're bringing the 757....

[mommybain]

OK, OK, spill it....

[alancarp]

done - but in your freepmail. Meanwhile: they're asking 'round here -- what's the arrival/departure timetable (one of our guys is trying to plan around traffic)?

[mommybain]

I freepmailed you first!

He's expected to arrive at Benton at 11:25. They just closed off 6th street behind the W-S Journal parking lot.

[Axeslinger]

The advance teams came in on a C-5 yesterday and off-loaded a whole caravan of black vehicles. (I work at PTI and the C-5 is parked across the ramp from me). My understanding is that he is flying into Smith-Reynolds. That ought to be interesting with a runway that's only 6000 feet long (seems like its also only about 6 1/2 feet wide too). I hate that he's coming into Smith-Reynolds, we have gotten a kick out of seeing AF1 every other time he's come here.

[mommybain]

The advance teams were over here last night, all over downtown Winston. I felt kinda weird leaving church last night....

[alancarp]

Landing Roll distance with a Boeing 757-200: 1,402 metres (4600 feet). Longest runway at S-R is 6,655 feet. That oughta work... light winds today. Chamber of Commerce weather.

[mommybain]

Air Force One has landed.

[mommybain]

President's motorcade just arrived at Benton Convention Center.

[mommybain]

Braved the crowd of protestors to go get lunch. The line I found the most telling about the crowd: "If other people don't pay their taxes, I don't get my retirement benefits."

Funniest line (heard at 12:20; Bush arrived at 11:30): "Man, he's already in the building." Evidently the protestors didn't know anything about today's logistics. They're claiming to have 2000 people here; looks more like 200-300 to me. There are Bush supporters here too. It will be interesting to see how it's reported in the news.