John McCain In The Flesh

Today I shook hands with the (possibly) next President of the United States.  John McCain came and visited my place of employment to share his message with us.  Not only did I get to shake his hand, but I got his autograph and he fielded a question of mine.

I went and got a seat an hour early which was positioned towards the front and in the aisle.  I figured that if he came off the stage to shake hands, I could definitely get the chance.  He gave his spiel, which wasn't all that different from the sound-bytes that you can hear on the news.

After that, he started fielding questions.  Nobody seemed to be brave enough to ask, so I shot my hand as far as it would go, at which point a mic was stuffed into my palm.  I asked him, "Senator McCain, have you given any thought to whom you would consider being your running mate for the general election in November?"  He responded, "Well, I want to secure the nomination, first, then I will give consideration to whom that would be."

BS.  We all know that he has someone or some people in mind.  Inquiring minds want to know.  Huckabee and Paul are irrelevant.  Just tell us!

After he was finished fielding questions, we all gave him a standing ovation and he proceeded down the center aisle to shake hands.  It's awesome that I'm able to say that I shook his hand as he filed through the crowd.  I kicked myself, though, because someone behind me had a pen and paper handy and caught an autograph from him.  I complained out loud that I should have done that, but the person sitting next to me remarked that at least I got to shake his hand.  I replied, "Well, I don't have any proof that I was that close", to which she conceded that that point was true.

I had written it off (pun intended) and started filing off to the side aisles to let people pass through, but noticed that security wasn't letting more people through that aisle because apparently, McCain was coming back around right where I was to leave.  I thought quick, whipped out my pad and paper, and got his autograph!

So, at the end of the day, I got to ask him a question, shake his hand, and get his John Hancock!  What an awesome day!