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Brought back a memory as the News Director of KENO Radio.
By Norm Seeley | October 8, 2007
When I saw this FoxNews Story about former President Carter, I couldn’t help remember a story about when he came to Las Vegas, when I was the News Director of KENO Radio.
Carter came to Las Vegas, Nevada. I think it was his one and only time to visit sin city. It might have been as he campaigned for the Presidency. A news conference was set up. It doesn’t take much time to figure out, as News Director one should maybe attend. So I planned to be there.
Once there, and to be honest I don’t remember where it was held, it’s been a few years. But I got there at least 30 minutes before the scheduled starting time. Picked a spot and sat down. Talked with fellow news people who were there. It was open only to news people, not a public situation. There might have been 20 of us there. We waited, and waited. The scheduled time arrived but no Jimmy Carter. No official said he’s running late. Mind you we had already figured that out, but it would have been nice. Nothing was said. No one got up to let us know what was happening. We just sat there .
Finally, after at least an hour, I said first to myself, “That’s enough”. A few minutes later, I got up, took my Sony cassette recorder and headed for the rear door. Saying now, out load. “That’s enough. I’m out of here.”
I got outside and felt a hand on my shoulder. It was not a light hand. It made me come to a stop and I turned to confront not one but two Secret Service Agents. I remember for what ever reason, both of their coats were wide open. “Where are you going?” He asked. “I’m leaving and going home” was my reply. “Who are you?”, He then asked.
At 6’4″, I was much taller and much bigger than both men. A point I wasn’t even thinking of pushing.
I put my recorder down on the ground and pulled out my wallet from my back pocket. Opened it and showed him my Nevada Drivers license and a valid Las Vegas Police Press Pass. He looked at them, and then, and his exact words have long been forgotten, but something to the effect, “Don’t you have respect for Mr. Carter………..” I cut him off. It was my turn. “I’m sorry, I have been up since 3:30 this morning and the man is over an hour late, and no one has had the courtesy to tell us what’s going on, I’m going home. There is no point in me staying to record the same old stuff I can get off the network”.
He looked bewildered.
“Can I go?” I asked. He motioned with his left hand. I turned and 10 steps later was in my car and on my way.
I never said anything about this on the air then, maybe I should have. I know at least 3 other news people saw the whole thing and were close enough to hear it all, but they never wrote about it, or asked me about it later. Somethings just aren’t news.
There is really no relationship of the two stories, other than reading about the former President brought it to mind and I felt like sharing.
Topics: Broadcasting, Las Vegas | No Comments »
