How a 15-year-old talked his way onto the Obama press bus

March 23rd, 2009, 12:42 pm · 18 Comments · posted by Chris Knap, Editor, Government, Politics and Investigations

Ian DeLucca is a high school kid in Long Beach who wanted to see the president. So he got permission from his mom, cadged a press pass from the advisor for the school paper, and used that “credential” to talk his way into the Obama press pool, both for Obama’s arrival and departure. (To give you an idea how enterprising this kid is, the Register’s reporters had to submit name, social security, and birthdate to the White House prior to the event to get a credential.) Here is Ian’s story, in his own words:

How I Covered Obama’s Long Beach Visit for My High School Newspaper

As a freshman in high school, no sane 15-year-old boy would expect to read his name on an official White House Press pass, a simple piece of paper coveted by the professional newspaper reporter.

Leaving school, making friends with all the right people in the media pool, claiming my seat on the press bus. While my friends were doing their geometry homework, I was parlaying my laminated Millikan High School newspaper pass into a glimpse of the president.

Excited to read about President Obama’s flight to Long Beach on Wednesday, I badgered my mom into giving me a ride to view the landing of Air Force One. She wouldn’t excuse me from the afternoon’s studies without a good reason. She suggested that I see if I could cover the event for Corydon, Millikan High School’s newspaper.

It was nothing special, but that yellow Corydon pass might have been the key ingredient in my getting into the Presidential Press Pool, filled with professional news reporters, cameramen, and photographers.

As I walked into a Long Beach fire station where the media were gathered, I noticed officials were handing out the “White House Press Pool” passes. I watched adults line up for the elusive pass, which grants temporary permission attend presidential events. Not everyone was lucky enough to score the magic piece of paper. If adults weren’t able to see the president, would I get a chance to snap my photos?

I set my Millikan High School identification card down on the table. The official handed me my White House Press Pool card back, already on the lanyard. I was granted permission to see the president for the event!

The Secret Service piled us all on a bus and took all 40 or so of us on a 30-minute ride to a tarmac located somewhere within Long Beach Airport. We waited on the hot tarmac for hours. It was well worth the wait: I finally saw Air Force One coming from the distance.

All the photographers went crazy. At certain moments it seemed as if the clicks from the shutters were louder than the jet’s engines. The moment everybody here had been waiting for: Obama stepped out of the plane.

The president took two steps. He stopped and waved. He walked the rest of the way down. He saluted the Marines, waiting on either side of the steps. He was immediately escorted to his private helicopter for his trip to Orange County.

After the shuttle bus ride back to the fire station, I was walking on air. I saw the president! I took his picture along with the rest of the media pool! I was invited back to cover the president’s departure on Thursday.

Thursday after school, I made my way back to the media rendezvous. I arrived and was nearly denied another press pass. They said my name wasn’t on the list. I looked up and said, sadly: “Okay, I’ll just walk home then.”

They told me to wait, and they handed me another pass. I was in. Again we waited and waited just to see a glimpse of our 44th president: Barack Obama.

Thanks to Millikan GATE teacher Katie Hickox for submitting this story. (Ms. Hickox is the wife of Register Politics Editor Chris Knap.)

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loudog says:

March 23, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Awesome job, Ian - Way to bust your hiney to get the scoop (and the coveted White House Press Pass!)!

behumble says:

March 23, 2009 at 2:49 pm

That’s wonderful. Congratulations. Your were very lucky to get that pass but we are even luckier to have someone as young as you so interested in our President. I’m sure you have a great future ahead of you.

Patrick says:

March 23, 2009 at 3:04 pm

Sounds like the Secret Service wasn’t doing their jobs if they couldn’t keep a 15-year-old from gaining access.

bobexoc says:

March 23, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Obama’s bus. Now why would anyone want to do that!!!

ocvoice says:

March 23, 2009 at 3:17 pm

Ian - i hope you didn’t ask him any tough questions without his teleprompter

OC4truth says:

March 23, 2009 at 3:31 pm

Great initiative and a wonderful opportunity for a high school freshman whatever his politics. But yeah, I wonder about the secret service screening. Maybe they figure he looked fairly harmless?

Of course since Obama seems to be so popular especially among the young, maybe he had dropped the word to allow access to budding young journalists. It would sure make political sense.

Ben Dover says:

March 23, 2009 at 3:38 pm

I guess the Secret Service dude will either be fired or posted in Timbuktu. Good intel for Al Queda too. Thanx OCR, u are true patriots.

Zacksmom says:

March 23, 2009 at 3:52 pm

Way to go, Ian! I feel so proud, and I’m not even your mom! Seriously, this gives me great hope for a renaissance in good news reporting and the pleasure of reading great newspapers.

bpsqwerty says:

March 23, 2009 at 4:53 pm

they have GATE in high schools? I had that in the 5th grade

10yearsafter says:

March 23, 2009 at 4:55 pm

I saw the President’s Helicopter fly right above me that day and I got a pic and I didn’t have to do anything. lol

Great job kid, and I’m glad you weren’t a terrorist!!
Now, go back to school and continue to learn something, it
seems you’re almost there!

Michael says:

March 23, 2009 at 5:14 pm

Congrats… I guess?! But I’d like to know all the in-betweens… the details.

Hate to rain on your parade but nobody in the line asked you what you were doing there? Nobody in the bus asked you what you were doing there?

Or maybe they did and you have some super telephathic powers that can convince people to do exactly what you want them to.

OK, in reality, either everyone is still high on the President Obama drug or people really are completely passive. Maybe a combo of both.

It amazes me that people don’t question anymore. They just go through the motions and even if something looks out of place, they look it over.

Please, more details…

Ann says:

March 23, 2009 at 5:15 pm

Good for you. And I bet you have the grades too!
congratulations!!!!!!

Tom Turkey says:

March 23, 2009 at 5:55 pm

I looked at the wiki for “Millikan High School” (MHS) and it is a pretty impressive school!

I feel punchy so I will add that a lot of our best high-schools –the ones who drew Sweepstakes and International Championships in all manner of competitions like MHS, but were located in nicer areas a bit to the North, were the first to be targeted by Chinese immigrants looking for a good home for their descendants. After 60 years from the Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, combined with the decision of these immigrants to refuse to truly “Americanize” (meaning businesses line every major street in their areas with Chinese lettering and “dirty looks” towards non-Asians trying to patronize them), these incredible schools were lost to a huge Asian colony that today runs from San Marino to Torrance and East to Diamond Bar. A lot of old timers talk about how their school house were paved over somewhere back East during urbanization in the post-WWII boom, but only the kids from SoCal can, for the first time in the history of America, claim that their alma maters were re-occupied by a completely different culture. What’s more is that since China’s remarkable economic boom, many of these immigrants are becoming multi-nationals who go to Shanghai with our tech, represent foreign sellers trying to get into Walmart and Frys or bring over foreign buyers like: http://www.findforeclosureproperties.com/blog/foreclosure-filings/chinese-tourists-buying-foreclosure-properties –leaving us to wonder what we gave up our communities and schools for in the first place? It’s not about race either –I know plenty of Asians who trace their American roots back to the 1800s and are just as angry about seeing 80 miles of Chinese signs. At least MHS was surrounded by a “bad area” while all that was going on for the past 60 years and was left more or less untouched by this lawful invasion. Go MHS go!

Judi Bailey says:

March 24, 2009 at 2:10 pm

Hey Ian,

I’m proud to say “I knew you when” Keep up the good work

Ian DeLucca says:

March 24, 2009 at 5:35 pm

Thank you for your kind words everybody. Hi Judi, you know you could just tell me that in person, I see you all the time.

Michael, I noticed that you wanted to ask me some specifics, I’d be more than happy to answer! I really love telling the story so any questions you have for me would be great.

-Ian

Kathi Reyes says:

March 24, 2009 at 6:15 pm

I think it is a very positive sign that young people are showing interest in the politics of today! That is a sure sign of hope for our future. I am very impressed with this young man and have been for 15 years as he is my grandson!
Way to go, Ian!!!
Nonni