[Copied from PCC’s UPDATE newsletter of November 9, 1990, story by Mike Foley; reprinted in pcc50.com, September 21, 2012.
Foley accompanied the PCC/BYUH Brass band to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Ballroom in Waikiki to a fundraising event for U.S. President George H.W. Bush on October 19, 1990, and shared the following impressions.]
In Mike Foley’s words: It was, quite simply, a thrill to shake the hand of the President of the United States, George H.W. Bush.
I had actually met a U.S. president before, and so I rather routinely went along to the fundraising party on Oct. 19, 1990, in Waikikl to cover the PCC/BYU–Hawaii Brass Band and, perhaps, get a few photos of President Bush [the father].
Our band got in free, naturally, but we had also been given a couple of tickets for photographers.
Heavy security: Everyone going through metal detector gates and the close hand inspection of all camera gear reminded me of the elaborate security measures the U.S. Secret Service took at the Center in 1984 when Zhao Zyang, then Premier of the People’s Republic of China, visited the Center:
They had guard dogs patrolling the grounds, Capitol Police every 50-yards around the perimeter, scuba-divers checking out the lagoon, and the ever-wary bodyguards, all sprouting miniature earphones.
Nice pupu and $1,000 portraits: The pupu [refreshments] for the president’s fundraiser weren’t bad — veggies and dip, chicken
wings, baby ribs and some other munchies with mean petit-fours for dessert — but the band wisely went to Sizzler’s after the affair.
While the main crowd was munching, VIPs held a private reception in another room where, for $1,000 per person, the VIPs could have pictures taken with the President.
I was surprised to find I could have an excellent front-row spot if I were willing to stand on it for 45 minutes and wait. (Besides, me and the photographer next to me took turns saving our spots and hitting the pupus.)
Meanwhile, the band played repertoire favorites and other groups also performed, but frankly, the people around me weren’t paying attention.
Then, as the audience swelled in size and the President’s entrance drew near, an interesting thing happened:
Anticipation energized the crowd. People began to boogie to the band. Bula Laie drew great response, and everyone got more excited.
Suddenly, the band struck up Hail to the Chief, and in strode the President of the United States. He gave our PCC band a big smile and the double-thumbs-up sign for their efforts. It was great!
I’m not very political, but the event was a terrific experience. President Bush did his party plugging and gave a good speech. I was quite impressed with his personal energy that previously didn’t come across to me on television.
Heavy security: The close attention to security reminded me of the preparation the U.S. Secret Service took at the Center in 1984 when Zhao Zyang, then Premier
of the People’s Republic of China, visited us in Laie: They had guard dogs patrolling the grounds, Capitol Police stationed every 50 yards around the perimeter, scuba divers had checked out the lagoon, and ever-wary security bodyguards, all sprouted miniature earphones.
Tasty pupus: The pupu [refreshments] for President Bush’s fundraiser weren’t bad — veggies and dip, chicken wings, baby ribs and some other munchies with mean petit-fours for dessert — but the band wisely went to Sizzler’s after the affair.
Soon, something even more exciting happened:
President Bush started to exit right, and then, suddenly, did a 180º turn back toward the band. Neither the Secret Service nor the media expected it, and they literally trampled each other to get in front of him again [while I was still in my front-row spot].
The President shook hands with several members of our band, and then worked the audience down the front row . . . until it was my turn.
It was definitely a “chlcken-skln” moment, worth the waiting to save my spot.
By the way, President Bush had a firm grip.