President Obama and Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and Military District of Washington, observe a moment of silence.
‘Morning in America’ has Obama carrying out commander-in-chief duties at Arlington National Cemetery
By Albert C. Jones
America, The Diversity Place
ARLINGTON, Virginia — The sun is just coming up, enjoying coffee as ambrosia, after devotions and meditation, now in the midst of completing photojournalism assignments for Memorial Day weekend here in the nation’s capital. “It’s morning again in America.”
Two mornings ago, the assignment was covering the roaring launch of Rolling Thunder, thousands of motorcycles, on Saturday from the north parking lot at the Pentagon. The assemblage of two-wheeled iron chariots was something of biblical proportion.
This morning’s assignment is Memorial Day coverage of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, amid Gold Star families whose loved ones gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, veterans, rank and file from the five branches of the military, presenting a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Later, in the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, Mr. Obama will say, “Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice, and we must. We must honor it in our own lives by holding their memories close to our hearts, and heeding the example they set.”
“It’s morning again in America.” That’s the phrase coined in the feel-good commercial run during the campaign to re-elect President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Nowadays the concept behind the phrase is apropos to millions of Americans as a current in the national experience. Is it nostalgia or hope? “It’s morning again in America.”
The montage, with its rich as real cream voiceover, evokes the power of images to sway public consciousness. People endeavoring at the American way of daily life are calming in the commercial; it spins quite effectively. This is the substance of the Great Communicator. Americans are going to work. Families are buying new homes. The voice says interest rates are half of what they were four years ago. Young people are getting married today. Inflation is half of what it was four years ago and these newlyweds can look with confidence to the future.
America, the voice in the commercial says, “is prouder, stronger, better.”
Today the self-evident truth is what goes around comes around. Such a phrase as — “It’s morning again in America” — has an epicenter here in the District of Columbia. Such phrases, wherever played, are created and then uttered to thrust the candidate here. The political ad is indicative of what is done and what gets said en route to taking up residence just down the highway from here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama extolled Americans as “people of improbable hope” and “Change we can believe in.”
How near now is the place that once seemed so far away, coming close once upon a time mainly in living rooms or wherever there was a television showing daily reports from the phalanx of correspondents assigned to cover myriads aspects of Washington and how it functions. Those days were before, then at the edge of the 24-hour cycle of Cable News Network, and now of the moment with Facebook and Twitter.
Through the steady churn and then abrupt transformation, there was Walter Cronkite. On another network there was The Huntley-Brinkley Report. Dan Rather, in those days, was a working stiff reporter. Essayist Eric Sevareid seemingly had an omniscient voice on which current events were discerned, unscrambled, if not made plain from his high and innermost place. Doors were opened for Barbara Walters and then Max Robinson. The nation’s best journalism, by far, was still being reported in The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Covering the week that was reports were always best told in Time magazine and Newsweek.
Those days of news stars, supernovae, few in number, that impenetrable constellation from which they shone, are gone forever. News of the world now is blogs, particles of popular science, where aficionados are forcing their way into mainstream news and photojournalism. Anybody, anywhere, nowadays, is a reporter with means to go viral or hoist up a Web site and begin the once forgotten ethos of town crier. If not a unique founding, there is always Facebook and Twitter.
In the realm of possibilities, however, today isn’t chaos. It is staid and orderly protocol. It’s a 12-minute drive from Alexandria to Arlington National Cemetery. To be in place in advance of time is the first fast and hard rule for media covering the president.
The detail that moves with a presidential motorcade is as impressive as it is commanding to bring all movement other than pedestrians to a sudden stop. The President of the United States moves with ultimate authority, if nothing else, to stop traffic. (That is said with tongue firmly in cheek.) This morning, Mr. Obama’s motorcade is to arrive at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
It’s still several hours before start of the service, but media registration or check-in is well underway. Traffic — buses, cars and motorcycles from Rolling Thunder—has yet to clog access points. Choice parking spaces, even on the busiest day of the year at Arlington, are available for the taking.
The U.S. Army Military District of Washington hosts the “Memorial Day Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath Laying and Memorial Service at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and Memorial Amphitheater.” The public affairs representative creates collegial atmosphere in the room assigned for media credentialing in the basement of the visitors center.
Amid introductions, there is much chit-chat. The public information officer, a graduate of Creighton University, came to Washington two years ago for the career position she now holds. Vic Ratner, among others, is here. He covers Capitol Hill for ABC News Radio.
The Washington Post photographer is in the first year of a contract with the paper. He formerly worked at The Denver Post and played pick-up basketball games with Greg Moore, the editor, and other staff members. President Obama loves basketball. If this guy was known to Mr. Obama, he probably would get invited to a game at The White House.
“This is my first time photographing President Obama,” someone says with a hint of reserved propriety reminiscent of no cheering in the press box.
There are photographers here from the wire service, surrounding community newspapers and several blogs. One guy is free-lancing for a media company in China. Media are given the choice to cover either the wreath ceremony or Mr. Obama’s remarks to follow in the Memorial Amphitheater. No one, for security reasons, will be allowed movement to cover both.
The press corps that regularly moves with the president will arrive when the presidential motorcade arrives. Media here are led to a shuttle bus that will deliver them to a drop-off point near the Tomb of the Unknowns. Secret Service agents, with help of bomb-sniffing German Shepherds, inspect camera bags laid out of the ground. Identification is requested at the next check-point.
The dogs seem to have detected something in Vic Ratner’s bag. Agents ask if he has a cat at home. To which his response is yes. Then permission is given to gather your equipment and clearance is granted. Four photographers just ahead hurry up the hill to claim a first come, first served place on the two-tier riser.
Memorial floral wreaths from about 20 veteran service organizations, including Catholic War Veterans and Korean War Ex-POWs, are protected from the sun under a green canopy.
In a few minutes begins the changing of the guard in front of the Tomb of the Unknowns. The sergeant, in a firm voice, requests silence during the maneuver and for everyone to remain standing. Changing of the guard takes place every half-hour. Two soldiers, in dress blues, mirror each other step for step on a worn strip of carpet in front of the Tomb of the Unknowns. They have well-practiced precise movements with bayoneted rifles, as the sergeant calls out orders. All three soldiers are wearing uniform sunglasses.
Wait time now for the president is about one hour. There are several network photographers, including one for C-SPAN, already in place on the riser. After securing a spot on the riser, several photographers seek shade from the sun beneath the scaffolding. One is generous in offering a swig from his bottled water.
There are several hours lead time to the arrival of Mr. Obama. The wreath presentation takes about 10 minutes. On the shuttle bus back to the visitor center, the photographer from The Washington Post flips open his laptop. He begins the selection process for which photos will be posted later today on the Web site and which will appear in tomorrow’s paper.
This collegial moment is a happy occasion for the first photo opportunity with President Obama, adding to past experiences photographing President Reagan in St. John Arena at Ohio State University, soon-to-be president-elect George W. Bush at Reynoldsburg High School in Ohio and former President Bill Clinton, campaigning for Hillary R. Clinton in the student union at the University of Utah.
Recalling the debacle of the missed opportunity to witness the inauguration of President Obama, this is recompense of sorts, being just feet away instead of several football fields away on the National Mall.
All in attendance salute or place a hand over the heart for playing of The Star-Spangled Banner during wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns.