Letters to the President #1316: 'And the clock ticks'

Reporter's Note: Each day, I write a letter to President Obama. And this week in particular, I have the time.

Dear Mr. President,

I'll take a day in which I am too busy over one in which I am not busy enough any time of the week. Today was a trial. In simple terms, everyone here for the convention in Tampa is basically hunkered down, waiting for the rain to end and for the politicking to begin and it is not a lot of fun.

Don't get me wrong: I am having a decent time connecting with reporters, producers, photographers and others whom I often don't see for very long periods, and even your political pals are pleasant enough. Although I suppose they're not all your pals, as such.

I was trapped for a short while in a building entryway by the rain, and I chatted with Ted Yoho from here in Florida. He is the veterinarian who whipped a long term Congressman in the primary by running hard as an outsider.

Once I made it over to the convention center, I also talked for a while the mayor of Los Angeles, some of the Daily Show folks, and some students from Southern Methodist University, among others. But mainly, I and everyone else here just waited. The heat, the dampness, and the creeping clock all reminded me of some of the stories I covered years ago living in New Orleans, during which I would have to sit in some steaming news car waiting for some guy to come out of a building, or some woman to get arrested, or some person with something to show me to show up... yadda, yadda, yadda.

Anyway, just in case you ever considered becoming a Republican, you were wise not to make it this year, at least in terms of the convention. I'm sure the skies will clear and it will be much better soon, and the people of Tampa are certainly doing all they can to make it nice. But for now... we wait.

Regards,
Tom