Behind the scenes: AFL-CIO Presidential Forum

Hardball — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:23:00 GMT

The load-in (as our tech folks call it) to create the AFL-CIO presidential forum television coverage began at 12:01 am CT on Monday after the Chicago Bears cleared Soldier Field. The MSNBC election department had all team leaders on site to turn around the first outdoor candidate face-off for 2008. Led by NBC News Specials chief Phil Alongi and MSNBC's senior director, Marc Greenstein, looking beyond the lightning (yellow and pink) and put their plan into action to create an intimate feel with 15,000 AFL-CIO members in the end zone.

The NBC Weather Plus team (now officially a member of the election road crew!) kept us up to date as we created two locations to accommodate any weather scenario. But the driving force is editorial, and, with Keith Olbermann at the helm, it had to be fast, furious and focused. So, Alongi and Chuck Todd huddled with Keith and his team. In the morning, the candidates walked through, noting the giant jumbo screens across the stadium. (Even if you are used to being on TV, we noted candidates flinching when catching their own images.)

Former Senator John Edwards was first in for his "look see" as well as his interview with Matt Lauer for "Super Tuesday" coverage. He strode across the field and hopped on the stage like an experienced gladiator. You could feel the energy and expectation that this was going to be the Olympics of primary debates (hey, Beijing is one year away!) And candidates had to use all their training and finely honed debate skills to win the audience on location and at home. Roland Woerner led the pre-screening of audience questions the night before with Hardballer Brooke Brower. We were all moved by the retired steelworker who almost stole the show.

But some of the most intriguing moments you will never experience, like the final moments off-stage when the contenders are required to line up like you did for the milk line in elementary school. Last night it felt more like the entrance to The Palm in D.C. as the candidates schmoozed each other in a circle -- a difference from the Reagan Library debate in May, where the GOP candidates stood perfectly still and stayed in line behind the formidable Joanne Drake (Reagan Chief of Staff). Then the breathless crowd standing and yelling for their man or woman as they walked and waved (cue the Rocky theme). Some used the Miss America wave, which means never cover your own face and act like its another day at work (Obama and Clinton).

Your humble blogger was horrified to realize that we were trapped on the corner of the stage at the top of the steps where the candidates had to pass. "Countdown" superstars Eelin Reily and Margaret the intern and I delicately dove stage right as they gently pirouette for a final wave as they hit the stage. (We promptly shook their hands and wished them well as if it was all planned.)

Former Hardball topper now NBC News biggie Phil Griffin noted the coliseum feel as the candidates moved into podium position. During the commercial breaks the candidates would gather in small groups and have to hoof it to get back to position in time.

Post-debate, Chris Matthews had a killer line-up and it was a mesmerizing site to see Howard Wolfson, David Axelrod and David Bonior getting ready to appear for the first time together on TV. People say politics is a blood sport but on this night everybody on stage and on the field had their commitment and hearts on their sleeves. Go to the Hardball web site and see debate highlights and other blogs about this riveting political event.

Time 100 party: A killer time was had by all!

Hardball — Wed, 09 May 2007 20:54:00 GMT

A visit to 30 Rock is enough to send any hardworking Hardballer into happiness, but walking the red carpet into Rick Stengel’s Time 100 party at the Time Warner Center with NBC News Snr. V.P. Phil Griffin, Arianna Huffington and Ana Marie Cox and, excuse me, Cate (Blanchett) so nice to meet you, that’s a grand slam!

With Chris Matthews, Mayor Mike (Hey, I asked Kevin Sheekey if you could announce on Hardball’s 10th Anniversary show), John Mayer, Jeffrey Sachs, Matt Lauer, Dan Abrams, Page 6’s Richard Johnson, Richard Branson, and Brian Grazer among the notables….a killer time was had by all.

From left to right: Hardball's Tammy Haddad, Time's Anna Marie Cox, Elizabeth Edwards and ABC's Elizabeth Vargas.

Rick Stengel might be getting his own show soon after his Oprah-esque host role of introducing some of the honorees to talk about their inspiration. NBC’s own Brian Williams was among those who spoke so beautifully, but all eyes (some wet) were on Elizabeth Edwards as she spoke of growing up in Japan and the geisha-in-training who inspires her to this day. She carried the scars of Hiroshima on her chest, yet showed up at their home every week to teach Elizabeth and her sister how to dance. Silence followed by wild applause. ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas told Elizabeth Edwards she too had spent part of her youth in Japan in a military family. And look at Elizabeth “Mayweather” Edwards give Time Washington Bureau Chief Jay “de la Hoya” Carney a piece of her fist -- I mean mind…

Ana Marie Cox told me that the new Newseum not only wanted her turquoise slippers, as the New York Times reported yesterday, but they also wanted the pajamas she wore as she changed the media industry with Wonkette. She declined. She was in diamonds and Armani.

Our table included the fabulous Jeffrey Sachs and Iceland’s DNA tracker Kari Stefansson and movie and TV impresario Brian Grazer who was surrounded by such an elite crowd no one asked him to read their script! The group, including Brian, flipped as Phil showed us MSNBC live on his experimental PDA.

Two of NBC News biggest stars behind the cameras were in attendance, Today show’s super booker Matt Glick (affectionately known as half of Matt squared) and senior producer Noah Oppenheim (right), the bestselling author of “The Intellectual Devotional: American History: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Converse Confidently about Our Nation’s Past.” Noah and George Lucas were really yakking it up. Switching to pictures, Noah?

Of course, any party with "Meet The Press" topper Betsy Fischer, Condi’s deputy Dina Powell (double kisses from Queen Rania), Phil and CNBC’s Jim Cramer is one you need to attend.

NY Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and his wife Veronica could not be talked into moving back to DC, despite all your briefers efforts. A note to bookers, John Mayer is a great talker as well as a terrific entertainer.

Hardblogger : Tammy Haddad

Behind the scenes: AFL-CIO Presidential Forum

Time 100 party: A killer time was had by all!