Last night we arrived at the House Press Gallery at about 7 to sign in and get our tickets for Obama's address. We had been there before but I had never seen it as busy as it was last night. It was like a zoo. Very hot, overcrowded and kind of dirty. Trash cans overflowing with empty cups, pop cans and food wrappers. Reporters on their cell phones and laptops, filling up every chair and crouched in every corner.We waited for about an hour and a half observing the scene and watching for a free place to sit. Eventually Alex, Caitlyn and I shared a large leather chair that was apparently free, except for a small bag that someone had left. When the owner of the bag returned he said it was OK for us to sit there and he gave us cookies. We watched a three-minute tutorial on how to use the gas masks in the gallery should an emergency arise, and then filed into the House chamber with only our notepads and pens. Nothing electronic or battery operted is allowed in with the exception of watches, though we did see a number of reporters ignore the rule and take their phones with them anyway.
The press gallery is located directly above the platform where Obama spoke so we only saw him enter and occasionally the back of the top of his head while he spoke. We listened to most of his address and then left for Statuary Hall just a few minutes before he finished. There we stood among the many other reporters who were waiting to speak with Senators and other officials as they left. We stayed for a while longer and just made it to Metro before it stopped running for the night.
