Diary Of A Presser

I wear a tie to work every Tuesday as an intern for Planet Money. This tradition is, imaginatively, named “Tie Tuesday.” Despite my best efforts, nobody else at NPR’s New York Bureau joins in – most of the reporters dress like interns.

But today, Tie Tuesday paid off. When it was announced this morning that Hillary Clinton would finally discuss her growing email scandal, NPR needed an intern on scene, and I was dressed the part. My navy blue tie signaled my seriousness of intent. I packed up a kit, spare kit and camera, and got ready to roll tape.

Then the fun started. MSNBC reported that the presser would follow Hillary’s remarks at the United Nations, and that journalists needed to apply for credentials 24 hours ahead of time.

The Twitter jokes started immediately:

Veteran political journalists are apparently used to shenanigans when it comes to covering the Clintons.

I set about obtaining press credentials with two instead of 24 hours’ notice. 31 emails, seven phonecalls and one press credential later, I was in a taxi on my way home – reporters needed to bring their passport to the UN’s Media Accreditation and Liason Unit, referred to by flacks, reporters, and UN Security Guards alike by the Orwellian acronym MALU.

Hillary was scheduled to give her UN remarks at 1:30 p.m. I reached MALU at 1:20 p.m., and took my place behind 12 other journalists, all there for the same reason.

While there were several MALU reps dealing with incidental staff and visitors, only one was assigned to the press. By 2:15 p.m., I was at the front of the line. Thankfully, things were running late.

I pinned my badge to my coat and ran across the street to UN headquarters. At this point, I should apologize to the sixty-odd tourists waiting to go through the UN’s TSA-style security checkpoint. I cut all of you in line and pretended to be busy on my phone so you wouldn’t notice. I’m sorry!

Once inside, nobody could point me to the room where the press conference was taking place (update: it was in a hallway between two other rooms). I approached a desk labeled “information,” and was told very politely by the attendant: “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Onward and upward.

I found a Fox News cameraman who worked the UN on a regular basis, and followed his directions – across the UN headquarters, down an elevator, then up an escalator. When I reached the hallway, it was closed and guarded by several security officers – the event was at capacity. Tourists and UN interns strained for a glimpse of the former Madam Secretary.

I took a picture of a guard holding the crowd back, and nearly got kicked out for it. She let me stay after we went through my phone and deleted the photo. Finally, a MALU rep took pity and let me sneak through a side door to a tiny spot behind the scrum of television broadcasters and their rampart of equipment. 

From there it was a quick slip under the guard rail to the press pit. A producer for Japanese television was taking a #stakeoutselfie on his iPhone.

After all that, the event was streamed live with broadcast-quality audio, and NPR didn’t need mine. Thankfully, I’d brought a good camera, and managed to stay useful by getting some up-close photographs when the presser began, just before 3 p.m. 

–Ryan Kailath

Eds note: For more on Hillary Clinton’s presser, visit npr.org