Part B News has covered the White House before, but President Obama's March 5 health reform summit was my first opportunity to go.
First, I had to give my Social Security Number to one of the White House press officials. I spent the night wondering who inside the Secret Service was poring over my personal information. Now I'll admit I've got a few speeding tickets, but nothing that would make me a security risk. Hopefully.
The next morning, I got a two-word email response from the White House: "You're fine."
With that I set off for Pennsylvania Avenue on the metro - the fastest way into D.C., because you won't need to find and pay for parking. The Metro Center station is just four blocks from the White House. I reached the famous black iron fence surrounding the White House just before noon. Across the street, a group of protesters from Iran were chanting about American troops in Iraq.
At the security booth, a uniformed Secret Service agent asked for my last name, then buzzed me in. He asked for my driver's license and ignored my press credentials; then I went through the metal detector. That's when Helen Thomas, who has covered every president since John F. Kennedy, walked into the security booth. Now 88 years old, she was gently sped through the metal detector by the Secret Service agents, and soon I found myself walking next to her down the White House driveway, toward the press briefing room.
Helen didn't seem inclined to chat; I was still wondering about the best way to start a conversation with the most famous female White House correspondent in history when we made it to the briefing room.
The White House briefing room is much smaller than it looks on TV. The lighting makes the room - with its clean white walls and presidential-blue trim - feel expansive on camera. In person, it's feels like the economy-class section of a jetliner, with padded seats in tight rows and reporters constantly bumping into each other.
I wasn't here long. Soon all the reporters lined up outside and were escorted to the front door of the White House to hear the president's opening remarks.
(continued next week)