Writing about Air Force One for today’s paper brings back vivid memories. Several years ago, I covered President Clinton’s trip to Wichita when he came to visit Cessna’s training center that helped bring welfare recipients into the workforce.
I was the only local print reporter chosen to be part of the national press pool. I’d gone through the security checks and was on the tarmac at McConnell Air Force Base when the massive blue and white plane came into sight, then landed. I watched as the door swung open and the stairs descended. On the door was the large presidential seal. It was a scene I’d watched many times on television, but never in person. It took my breath away, and I choked back a tear. No matter your party affiliation, that plane, modified by so many workers at Boeing Wichita here, is symbolic of United States and its freedoms. It was a moment and a feeling I will never forget.
