Christopher's Blog

It has been an incredibly eventful week; both for myself, and for the program as a whole. It is hard even to do it justice in this brief write-up.

I trust others will fully appreciate my lateness in posting an entry this week as I have not long returned from a weekend in New York, and genuinely could not be much more tired than what I am now.

It seems long ago, but casting my mind back to last Monday our Program were treated to a meeting with senior U.S. media figures Mark Shields (PBS and CNN), and CBS news analyst Dottie Lynch. At the same event we were able to speak with Harold Ickes, who was the Deputy Chief of Staff during the Clinton administration, and also played a significant role in Hillary's push for the Democratic nomination.

In this vein of thought, an incredible opportunity arose on Wednesday, where we were requested to arrive in good time at the Russell Senate Building, to the Office of Senator Clinton. We were brought down for her to speak briefly with us and have a memorable group photo taken. I remarked in a previous entry how I had seen her in traffic, this time it was the real thing. She has been a great supporter of the program, and consistently allowed us to have an intern in her office… commonly referred to as 'Clintern's'. It was thanks to our own Clintern's initiative that this event was scheduled.

That very evening we held a Congressional Forum, where House members Donald Payne, Jim Walsh, Patrick Murphy, Carolyn McCarthy, Joseph Crowley, Peter King and others spoke with our group. It was quite a special occassion, but the speaker who stood out most for me was Rep. Patrick Kennedy, the nephew of President J.F. Kennedy, who spoke at length, even though the bells were tolling that he was required to vote on a critical bill at the time.

I may comment too, that after this hectic day, the best way to unwind was to see the Washington Nationals (baseball) win their first game in six; or perhaps surprisingly for this side, win at all. The atmosphere was poor and almost too commercial/family-orientated to take it seriously as a sporting event, but as a spectactle, I would recommend it. They even set fireworks off when batter Orlando Hudson hit a home-run. Although there were some 30,000 there, and it was live on national television, it is a far cry from following Linfield on many a cold, wet, miserable night in South Belfast; but, I know which one I prefer.

On Friday I was asked to address the Catholic Business Network of Northern Virginia. Pointing out quite clearly that I was the token Presbyterian at the event, I had the opportunity to speak on the principles I believe were missing from modern journalism, and on the reasons why I aspire to such a career. I also tried to place focus on the principled commonalities between Protestantism and Catholicism rather than the differences which gain the most focus. Such was the task, it was a difficult topic to approach.

Hence, imagine my relief to head off to New York for the weekend, as our program enjoyed a brief hiatus. On Saturday and Sunday proceedings were largely tourist based, with the usual sights and sounds of this great city explored to the fullest, including a memorable speedboat trip to the statue of liberty. Monday, however, was the reason we came. We made our way in our finest attire to the United Nations HQ, where we met with H.E. Paul Kavanagh (the Irish Ambassador to the U.N.), Eva Busza (Strategic Planning Unit of the Secretary General's Office), Steven Feller (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) and Ted Maly (UNICEF). It was highly constructive and informative. In my last year with Methody I had taken part in a debate within the U.N., so it was surreal to be back again and to keep things in perspective.

Where everything before may be great to report, Tuesday may prove to be the highlight of the summer on a personal basis.

Arriving home very late on Monday night, we were straight into work the next day (remember I said I was tired…?).

I had overhead one of our producers in the office saying how they were conducting vox-pops (interviews with general public) outside the Woodrow Wilson Centre, where Barack Obama was due to speak. A few McCain supporters and Obama-ites were all we were after.

I was able to tag along, and lifted my passport on the complete off-chance that something may happen. It has been an unrealistic aim of mine that if the slightest chance came up, I wanted to see him speak. Jessy Elmur, Arabic Services, wanted to conduct a piece to camera at the event, and met us there. As Obama's convoy passed by, his window was down, and there he was sitting in the back seat. It was surprising it was that casual, but I ought to point out that the car behind had two sub-machine guns manned and more than prepared.

With no reservation of places, we asked at the door if we could get through, we did, and came to press registration. As the only member without press credentials it took my colleagues to convince them I was there with them and very fortunately it came to be that I was granted access.

I have spent much of this summer watching endless footage of the two candidates, their styles, stances, enunciation and delivery of speeches. What you do not see is behind the camera. I was sitting dead centre of the slightly raised platform the media were designated, looking right down the hall as Obama delivered his most significant speech to date, on his foreign policy aspirations.

I was there alongside CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and many others, most of their top reporters, presenters and producers. I have known reporters using dictaphones and writing down the odd catchphrase or sentence, but never have I seen a whole media grouping sitting upright, almost captivated by their target. The camera's were wildly flashing at the start, but once Obama began to speak, a single flash disturbed the silence and appeared disrespectful.

I do not agree entirely with everything he stands for, and within my remit of the BBC I judge not one way or the other, but for anyone out there who wants to learn the technique of delivering a speech, watch this man live. I was permitted to stay to the very end by those back at the bureau, and again, using the word spectacle, I will remember itfor a long time. I am predicting from this point that barring yet unknown events or circumstances, I was sure that during this speech I was looking at the next President of the United States.

Upon my return I was able then to go along with Defence Correspondent Adam Brookes to the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, where he conducted a piece for the 10 o'clock news related to the speech; and again, it is a fantastic experience to see it all come together and be broadcast live that evening back in the U.K., when here I am, living it!