Reminded of My White House Visit

Above, here I am (with much more hair on my head) at the presidential podium in the East Room of the White House.

The current news story about the White House "party crashers" at Obama's first state dinner brought back memories of when I was invited to the White House in 1982.

The occasion was a reception for members of the 1980 California Reagan Delegation to the GOP National Convention that was held in Detroit, Michigan. The reception for the delegates was most likely delayed due to the assassination attempt on President Reagan in March 1981.

We were invited to the White House in June 1982. The invitation had the official invitation card (that I had President Reagan autograph at the reception) and an R.S.V.P. card in which we had to complete (including our Social Security number) and return for a background check. If there were anything that should come up, I'm sure we would have been notified before buying our plane tickets to Washington, D.C.

On the day of the reception, I stopped first at the Veterans Administration headquarters as my former boss, Paul Bannai (who was my area's state assemblyman) was working as head of the memorials department of the VA (in charge of the national cemeteries, etc.). As the VA was within walking distance to the White House, we went on foot to the reception. We had to go to a special entrance once we got there.

We had to show our identification to the Secret Service personnel and be checked on the list of invitees. We also had to go though metal detectors. Mr. Bannai had to submit to additional inspection (it was amazing since he was a part of the Administration) as his belt buckle set off the metal detectors. I stood by on the other side of the checkpoint and waited for him (I cleared with no problem). I just had my camera with me.

This is why I believe that the current "party crasher" story seems a little bogus to me. I think there's more to the story than what has been said so far.

Once Bannai was cleared, we went into the White House. Food and drinks were set up buffet-style in the State Dining Room. We were free to wander about in all of the first floor rooms, including the Grand Foyer, Red Room, Blue Room and the East Room.

The presidential podium was set up on a platform in the East Room for President Reagan to give his remarks to the gathering. Some of us got up behind the podium for photos. The presidential seal is installed within moments of the president's arrival, so when we took our pictures behind it, the seal was not yet put into place.

Soon it was announced that President and Mrs. Reagan arrived at the reception. I don't recall if "Hail To The Chief" was played or not. The Reagans mingled with the guests shaking hands and signing autographs.

Above, this White House photo shows President Reagan in the East Room signing an invitation. I am on the left just above someone's shoulder in a white suit.

After a while, President Reagan went behind the podium and addressed the reception. Following this, he mingled some more with the gathering before heading upstairs to the official residence.

We mingled around after the Reagans left with members of the Administration, including Sec. of Defense Caspar Weinburger and others.

When the reception was about over, we exited the White House from the North Portico and left the premises.

I only spent three days in Washington, as that was all the time I had available to me. I took the "redeye" flight to Dulles International Airport and from there I took the Washington Hilton's shuttle van into Washington. The Washington Hilton was only a few blocks away from my hotel. I think the price was only ten dollars.

I crammed a week's worth of vacation into three days. I visited the Air & Space Museum, Library of Congress, Ford's Theater and the Petersen House (where Lincoln died), The Capitol Building, Arlington National Cemetery (I was amused that Arlington had the same type of tour buses as did Universal Studios) and Mt. Vernon (George Washington's home). I took a boat from Washington down the Potomac River to get to Mt. Vernon and back.

I said to myself that I'd like to return to Washington, but thus far, I haven't yet. Maybe one of these days I will.