White House Tour

Unfortunately I wasn't able to take my camera on the White House tour. But it was still very much worth it.

It was fantastic being in such a historic place. Dale Bartscher, Dennis Schmidt and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and extend our thanks to Senator John Thune and his outstanding staff for getting us the tour.

We stood in the room where many if not most press conferences are held, the one where you often see the president walk down a hallway to approach a podium. We saw the room where the president holds private briefings and private interviews with individual members of the press. We saw many historic paintings of the presidents. We came out the front of the White House, stood among the columns, and walked out through huge old trees that formed a canopy over a large part of the grounds.

One highlight I recall was seeing the original portrait of George Washington that Dolly Madison whisked from the White House as the British came to burn the place in the War of 1812. It was awe-inspiring to consider what I was looking at, and all the history behind it.

We got to see Marine One land, watch the President and First Lady board, and the helicopter take off again. We only saw from a distance, from inside a hallway inside the White House, and Marine One was only on the ground a few minutes, but it was an unexpected bonus to an unforgettable tour.