Marine One

Today I got to go to the White House with 4 of my colleagues to witness the departure of President Obama on the Marine One helicopter. He's headed to Iowa City to push the health care reform act. It was an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Marine One landing. I wasn't expecting so much wind to be kicked up!

President Obama came out of the Oval Office, walked past the girls' playset, and across the lawn alone. There were about 40 of us spectators, and maybe 20 press photographers.

My colleague Ken H. took this photo - he's a better photographer than I am, and has a longer lens.

The woman on the left is advisor Valerie Jarrett; the man on the right is press secretary Robert Gibbs.

The NARA gang in front of the Truman Balcony.

I've posted many more photos in a set on Flickr, including some covert shots of the Rose Garden and the "Beer Summit" table. We were only supposed to take photos of Marine One, not the Rose Garden, but I might have accidentally hit the shutter from waist height a few times while walking through - which explains why those shots are crooked. ;-)