November 5th 2008
I was at the first security gate at 6am.
Police were checking for press credentials.
As previously instructed I called the producer to let them know I
was at the first check point.
A woman met me there with my press credentials.
She led me past the check point and through the metal detectors.
She quickly informed me which trailer was ours and introduced me
to different members of the crew.
They were all very nice.
She showed me the four camera staging areas, two back where the
crowds where going to be and two in view of the stage where Obama will
eventually be speaking.
My job was relatively simple, as the reporters came to do their live
shots I handed them a pass to go up on the riser.
When they completed their live
shot I took the pass back, and gave it to the next reporter when it was
their turn. We only had so
many passes so it was important to not lose them.
If any of the crew needed anything I got it for them.
It would get busy at times we would have back to back live shots.
I got to talk with reporters from England to Argentina.
They were all very nice and very appreciative of any and all
efforts.
Towards the end of the night I had started to recognize faces.
One of the guys I met took a few pictures of me which I posted on
my website.
The reporter from Mexico was upset she couldn’t
get her live shot out because Mexican officials went down in a plane in
Mexico City possibly tied to drug cartels.
They were eventually able to do her live shot.
We were all tired, a little wired, on coffee or red bull.
As they played CNN for the crowds starting to form I listened to
the polls closing state by state.
I had confessed too many that I was rooting for Obama to win.
As they announced the winner I was overjoyed.
There was electricity in the air.
I walked back through the crowds of people to get a closer view
of Obama’s
acceptance speech. Obama
came out and the crowds roared.
I watched history take the stage.
It was a beautiful event.
As Obama left so did I.
I gave a hug to one of the producers, wished him well, and headed
for my car. I proceeded
through the metal detectors past the police and security vehicles and
towards the parking lot. I
heard people shouting Obama in the streets and I saw teenagers doing
cartwheels down Michigan Avenue, it was bliss.
I got home around 1am and was up and at work by 7:30 sharing
tales of my adventure with my coworkers.
By Mike Danahey
Staff Writer
Jim Chambers helped the world watch history being made. On November 4, the night Barack Obama was elected President of the United States, Chambers was in Chicago’s Grant Park working as a television production assistant.
“My main job was to walk different reporters from around the globe through a security check point to their camera position to do their live shots. I also ran around and helped out where needed,” said Chambers, 34, of Elgin, who has photos from the Obama rally posted on his Web site, www.jimchambers.org. Chambers current job is as an IT support technician for Honeywell in their System Sensor LifeSafety Division. The job will end in February as the position is being outsourced.
Prior to Honeywell, Chambers was the technology coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, where his duties included teaching children how to use computers for all sorts of things, from doing homework to making music and movies to designing Web pages. He still volunteers at the club one evening a week.
It was Chambers’ job before that which led to his election night assignment. After earning a TV degree at Columbia College in Chicago Chambers worked for more than four years at CLTV.
“While employed there I met Raza Siddiqui, an independent photographer. He now owns his own business, Skyline Media, and I work for him occasionally doing different events and shooting stories,” said Chambers.
Siddiqui asked Chambers the Sunday before the big downtown Obama rally if he could be a production assistant and work with international clients. Chambers jumped at the chance to be a part of the event.
It was a long day, as Chambers was at the first security gate by 6 a.m.
“A woman met me there with my press credentials. She led me past the check point and through the metal detectors. She quickly informed me which trailer was ours and introduced me to different members of the crew. They were all very nice. She showed me the four camera staging areas, two back where the crowds would be and two in view of the stage where Obama would eventually be speaking,” said Chambers.
As reporters came to do live shots Chambers handed each a pass to go up on a riser for a better view and background. When they completed their live shots he took the passes back, and gave them to the next reporters waiting for their turns. He also served as a gofer for the rest of the crew.
“I was told that these were the Katie Courics and the Dan Rathers of the world. There were reporters from England, Jerusalem, Kuwait, Iraq, China, Mexico, Argentina and many other places. The people behind the scenes where from all over as well, I worked with a woman from France and a man from Greece,” said Chambers.
As the day wore on, “we were all tired, a little wired, on coffee or Red Bull,” Chambers recalled.
“They played CNN for the crowds, and I listened to the polls closing state by state. There was electricity in the air. I walked back through the crowds of people to get a closer view of Obama’s acceptance speech. Obama came out and the crowds roared. I watched history take the stage. It was a beautiful event,” said Chambers.
As soon as Obama left the stage, Chambers made his way home.
“I gave a hug to one of the producers, wished him well, and headed for my car. I heard people shouting ‘Obama’ in the streets. And I saw teenagers doing cartwheels down Michigan Avenue. It was bliss,” said Chambers.
Chambers got home around 1 a.m. and was back at his day job at 7:30 a.m., sharing his adventure with his coworkers.
“I told them about where I was and how much fun I had I was tired but still energized from the experience,” said Chambers.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden The Change We Need!