Betsey Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Hi Everyone. I've been absent from the board for quite a while. My four boys (5 if you count hubby) have kept me so busy with swim meets and practices and now baseball practices and games. Anyway, President Bush is visitng my small Ohio town today and will speak from the Lima Army Tank Plant where my husband was an engineer for 11 years. The company, General Dynamics, makes the Abrams M1-A1 tank, 500 of which are now in Iraq. Roads are blocked off and we're under the watch of Secret Service and snipers on tall buildings. It's incredible!Happy Spring to all EC fans. And to Eric, are you watching those Indians? Will they be able to come back?Betsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raspbernie Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Betsey-- I hope you get close enough for a handshake. I've met a couple of presidents in my day. One I voted for, the other I didn't...and quite frankly it doesn't matter. For 'em or against 'em, its the president, and there's nothing like the buzz you'll get from thinking one of the most important men on the planet (next to Eric, of course) is spending a few moments with you. --Bernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiesjc Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 So true, Bernie! I didn't vote for Clinton (either time), but on his visits to Sacramento, Air Force One would land at McClellan AFB, adjacent to the stable where I boarded my horse for years. I got great views from horseback of the plane coming and going, and one day got to see Clinton himself in the back of a limo headed down one of the main boulevards nearby. I've never seen so many cop cars all in one place at once! I didn't even know the president was in town, and figured the cops were all converging because somebody must have a bomb in the area! Then the motorcade went by, and lo and behold, there was Bill ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsey Posted April 24, 2003 Author Share Posted April 24, 2003 I've been out an about and it's not so much the Secret Service that is bothersome. It's the media! CNN, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, ABC---they're all here. It should all be over in a few hours. Don't know about that handshake, Bernie. The President will speak inside the tank plant and since my husband doesn't work there now, we wouldn't be able to get in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuliaD Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 One of the biggest thrills of my life was seeing John F. Kennedy in my hometown when I was a kid... he was on a campaign tour and went right down the main street of our "downtown" area, and stopped to make a speech... I was only 6 or 7, but it was great... And I'd like to meet Clinton some day... despite all the trouble he got into, I still think he was a good president, and anyone who likes music like he does can't be all bad I'll be honest, I'm not a Bush fan... but I won't dwell on it here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosskratz Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 When I was in the Navy, Then President Ford landed at the base I was stationed at, Moffett Field, Ca. He was giving a speech at Stanford. I got to see him exit from the plane and enter when he came by to leave. Air Force ONe is without a doubt, the most impressive airplane I have ever seen, and the pilot who landed it that day didn't even put a ripple in a cup of coffee, that's how smooth the landing was. I remember, seeing the President was a thrill, even if it was from quite a distance. I also remember the secret service agents all around, on top of the hangars and such. The next day, Sarah Jane Moore fired the gun in an assasination attempt. Thankfully, the citizen on the street knocked her arm down and the President wasn't shot. Peace all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy K. Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Yes, it's really a rush dealing with famous and important people. Did meet Clinton last year. Seems to have this charisma about him.And the elder Bush did write me, when he was vice-president....was really surprised. Met the Dalai Lama at the airport. Even though I am not Buddhist, it was obvious to me that this guy had really special. Really hard to describe..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Bigger thrills than meeting famous dignitaries were meeting Eric and having Carroll Shelby autograph my Sunbeam Tiger (he engineered the car). I have more passion for music and cars than politics. Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiesjc Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Kirk, meeting Eric would definitely beat all! It was just interesting to be sitting at an intersection and to see the president drive by when I didn't even know he was in town that day. Politicians don't thrill me either, but meeting my music idols would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy K. Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Kirk and aggie, I would have to agree with you. It is more thrilling to meet music celebrities, and especially those that you like. Working at the airport, you do tend to see a lot more than most people. One of the most awkward moments had to be dealing with a singer--whom I didn't have a clue about---was Grace Jones. She assumed everyone knew who she was, and in fact, started talking about the remixes of her old stuff.I knew the technical stuff, but had no clue what her music was about. Yeah, I know it's disco, she is from Jamaica, and was in a James Bond movie. Needless to say, someone who is usually up on music was really made to look stupid.Speaking of Carroll Shelby, I did get to meet him about 15 years ago at a car meet at Laguna Seca raceway. My brother-in-law has a GT350 that he was showing there. Shelby not only is a good guy, but makes great chili, also.Since moving to the Seattle area, the number of celebrities I meet has decreased. Just Courtney Love; and she was at the Space Needle.In fact, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 Billy K.--I guess another reason I am a little underwhelmed with meeting presidents and kings has to do with the fact that I lived the first 25 years of my life about 3 minutes from LAX to the north on the beach side. Saw an awful lot of presdidential motorcades, etc., over the years. In fact, a buddy of mine and I used to get our lunch money leap-frogging the banks of pay phones that lined all the terminals back in the 60's. We were the richest kids in school. Spent a LOT of time in the airport. Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuliaAllByMyself Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 Hi, Kirk ~ PLEASE tell us about when/where you met Eric. I, for one, will soak up every detail like a sponge. (Sorry for the delay in asking, I've been away on holiday to the bonnie Highlands of Scotland for a while). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Hi Julia. This might be a repeat for some (most?), so if you've heard my 'How I Met Eric Carmen Story' just hit the delete button.Eric was playing the Roxy in Hollywood in late '75 and early '76. I saw a couple of those shows. The best concerts I've ever seen. After one of the shows I got up my nerve and decided that this would be a great opportunity to meet Eric. The backstage/dressing rooms at the Roxy were upstairs at the back. You had to pass by Roxy security to get up there. Fortunately, my girlfriend and I were wearing our custom Eric t-shirts that had our names on the front and 'The Eric Carmen Band' on the back. When I showed security the shirt he let me pass by! I guess he thought anybody with an Eric Carmen shirt must be somebody:) Once upstairs I helped myself to some beverage and munchies and just blended in. I saw Eric talking to Henry Winkler; and at about the same time as I was moving over to them someone in the band said to Eric "Hey Eric, check out this shirt!" I took a deep breath and introduced myself. Don't ask me to remember what exactly we talked about- I was pretty starstruck. But I know I was able to tell him how much his music meant to me and what a pleasure it was to meet my music idol! What a night!Anybody else want to share their story? Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Kirk, GREAT story! And great shirts! What a smartidea! You may have been a bit starstruck (was yourgirlfriend?) but he WAS very easy to talk to, wasn't he? --Darlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuliaAllByMyself Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 What an excellent story, Kirk! ~ AND it sounds like you know how to take your girlfriend on the best date in the world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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