War Approaches

Stephen Green seems to think the hour of war is nearly upon us. He often goes out on a limb and makes all sorts of predictions. And the guy is right - or real close - a lot. I would not be surprised if he's right again this time.

I remember very well the beginning of the last war. I lived three blocks from the White House, and my roommate Seth Werner was an intern at the Old Executive Office Building where he helped to sort and answer letters written to the President by children. It was early evening or late afternoon when the reports started that the offensive had begun. It was soon announced that the President would address the nation from the White House at 8 PM (I think that was the time). My roommate then pulled off the ballsyest move ever.

Seth took his badge at 7:30 or so and walked over to the OEOB where he was only supposed to be one day a week for a couple of hours in the afternoon. He used his ID to get into the building which backs up to White House. He proceeded to walk through the OEOB and out the backdoor. He strolled across the driveway to the White House and just walked in. He just walked in.

He was dressed in a coat and tie, and he had my handheld mini-cassette recorder and a pen and tablet, but he should not have easily been mistaken for a White House beat reporter. So he walked into the White House and just followed the other journalists to the briefing room where the President was to address the nation.

Seth turned on the recorder and taped President George H.W. Bush's address to the country. Now, you may ask how I know that the wiley Seth didn't just make it to another building on campus where he held the microphone up to the television. The neat thing is is that he kept the recorder going for a half minute or so after the televsion broadcast was over. You can hear the President ask if he's off the air and then the room get loud with voices talking.

I still have that tape. It is one of my fondest memories of college, and I wasn't even really involved. I have no idea what ever happened to Seth, but on that night, he pulled off one of the bravest moves I've ever heard of. Here's to you, Seth - old pal!

Jonathan 10/17/2002 10:18:00 PM