Pennsylvania State University at Capitol Campus
C MC. Ire al
Vol. 9 No. 6
Media's expenditure of energy
Two student's view:
Democratic process
by Mike Kondor and
Jan Hrabovsky
Five people from Capitol
Campus were chosen to assist
the White House Press Staff
at Tuesday night's Democrat
ic State Committee Dinner
and Reception. Those chosen
were Jan Hrabovsky, Term 9,
Multi-Media; Mike Kondor,
Term 8, Multi-Media; Carole
Wix, Term 12, Multi-Media;
Carol LeVan, secretary to the
Director of Campus Relations;
and Jane Kinsey, staff assis
tant to the Campus Relations
Office. The event was held at
the Farm Show Arena in
Harrisburg.
Local TV camermen prepare to type the Vice President's
comments.
President Carter was ex
pected to be the featured
speaker. At the last moment,
however, due to the gravity of
the situation in Iran, Carter
was forced to cancel his ap
pearance. Vice President
Walter Mondale became the
substitute guest• of honor.
Following is an account of
the experiences of two of the
students from Capitol Campus
at the dinner/press confer
ence:
2:01 PM - We are driving to
the Farm Show Arena in the
rain, listening to the radio,
when we hear the disapppint
ing news that Mondale will be
replacing Carter at , the. Com
mittee Dinner.
2:07 PM - We enter the Farm
Show Complex. The atmos
phere is permeated with the
odor of previous livestock ex
hibits.
2:17 PM - We meet Terry
Doyle of the White House
Press Staff, who shows us the
vital areas of operation. First,
we are shown the portable
headquarters of the Secret
Service. Pin-striped suits
dominate the scene. Next, we
are told of the room for the
"crazies" -- people who, for
example, bring chocolate chip
cookies to present to the
:'resident.
photo by Mike Kondor
2:59 PM - We are shown the
reception area for the Vice
President. Terry points out
two large motor homes, one of
which would have served as
the official eating place of the
President. Terry explains
that the President never
touches food at social func
tions of this sort. All of his
food must be tested by the
Secret Service before it is
eaten.
3:15 PM - There is frenzied
activity in the arena through
out the time we are there.
Caterers have arrived and are
busy setting the tables; com
munications experts are wir
ing phones; television crews
Terry ,of the White House Jss pito,
Campus Press Volunteers. From left to right, they are Jane Kinsey,
Carole Wix, Carol LeVan, and Jan Hrabovsky.
from the local stations are
setting up their cameras; and
we are hanging signs to direct
the press and to direct guests
to the rest rooms.
3:30 PM - After completing
our assigned tasks, we are
resting at a nearby press
table. We are approached by a
Farm Show Arena guard.
"Hey, you're press people,
aren't you? How's the situa
tion in Iran?" he asks.
We reply: "We aren't
authorized to give out that
information."
"Oh, O.K. -- How's the
weather out there '?" he re
torts.
Accident
campus
A girl was hit by a car on
Fifth Street (the road leading
to the main building) before
the intersection leading to the
dorms at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday.
Officer Charles Alexi,
head of Police Services, said
that the girl was taken to
Osteopathic Hospital, where
she is under care.
The driver of the car is a
campus student.
Local and Campus Police
are working on an offical
investigation of the accident.
4:01 PM - The aroma of (3100
a plate) chicken dinners com
pels us to venture into the
caterer's area. We are im
mediately approached by a
Secret Service agent (6 feet 4
inches, 220 pounds), who po
litely directs us to return to
our original positions.
4:05 PM - We leave the Arena
and drive to McDonald's in
the rain.
5:45 PM - We return to the
Committee Dinner. Guests
and reporters are arriving
every minute. Now the fun
begins. Almost immediately, a
guest's finger is severed from
Result of impact of girl's body with car on Fifth Street
(Sneaker placed on hood by investigating officials).
15 November 1979
photo by Mike Kondor
his hand as his chair collapses
under him. Paramedics are
hastily summoned to the
scene. The guest is transport
ed to the hospital and the
confusion continues.
6:30 PM - Local news person
alities begin to arrive. Among
them: Nancy Johnson and Les
Miller from Channel 8; Rich
ard Seneca from Channel 27
and Jim Sinkovitz from
Channel 21.
7:30 PM - The dining hall is
rapidly filling to its capacity of
2000 guests. Terry explains
that our job is to prevent
Continued on page 4
photo by Darryl Bielski