Conventional Politics

Photographing at the Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas in 1992 for The Colorado Statesman, I was faced with tall, looming photographers in front of the stage before the last night’s finale. John Sununu (Sr.) offered me his second row seat to stand on, but I thought I could do better to get the shot. I approached an agent of the Secret Service and asked if he would lift me onto his shoulders. Right before the balloons dropped, he lifted me up, and then was reluctant to let me down as he galavanted towards the podium and Barbara Bush began to point in my direction. At subsequent conventions I have scoured the floors to find a friendly Secret Service man to help with my vantage point. But given the post-9/11 heightened security, it will never happen again.