By Bill Logan

It’s not everyday that you’re assigned to a story that we all hope won’t happen… but such was the case back on Friday, October 12, when I was dispatched along with photographer Eugene Perry to the fortified front gate of the Bayou Club in Pinellas Park.  You see, the President was to have a luncheon with some big-time benefactors of the G.O.P. … folks who’d paid 25K a plate to dine with Dubya.  We were supposed to be there “in case” something happened.

Well, it was an uneventful morning… with Secret Service. County Cops and other assorted local law enforcement types securing the route and making sure we didn’t get our “in case” story… Instead, we found another.  Robyn Staffan and her mother-in-law Luanne Ream were there along with Robyn’s son, 10-month-old Ashtin… so they could see Robyn’s husband’s boss.  As Commander-in-Chief, President Bush was in fact Staff Sergeant Kris Staffan’s BIG boss.  The trio had found out about the route because Luanne’s husband, Cpl. Randy Ream was part of the motorcade detail. 

Over the course of about 40 minutes, I had a chance to talk with these ladies (Ashtin didn’t have much to say) and found out that despite all the nay-saying, misgivings, and political wranglings all around the US-led coalition forces overseas, there IS support for the troops here, and by extension, for the president.  It made my day to see them proud of a country, a president, a police officer… themselves. 

 It made me remember that we all need to be proud… that we’re Americans.