For me,
First time for me was the Polish day parade back in 1992. I was part of the Wayne State Republicans while in college, and that facilitated being the front camera fodder during his speech in Hamtramck, MI. Bush 1 stopped at the front of the stage before going up. Somebody threw a piece of broccoli at him that landed right at our feet. It was a tense moment until it was discovered as broccoli. Anyways, Gov Engler and President Bush stood 5-10 feet from me for about 3-4 minutes until the stage was cleared by the SS. We all looked at each other but didn't say a word. I voted for Buchanan that year in the primary.
The back of my head was on the news that night.
Also witnessed Clinton and Bush 2 at speeches, but that was far away.
The best one was when I went to Bush 2's Inauguration in 2000. Drove through the night from NC to get there. Stood in the pouring rain for hours waiting for the traditional procession. Because of what I was doing at the time, I got to be off the avenue, and so happens, right across the street from the nut job protesters. My idea was to see Bush go by on the avenue. Figured in was a historical moment, being a tense election and all. Anyways, our immediate area on our side of the street was kind of sparse. It was just me and a guy from NY at the front by the street barrier. The NY guy held up a Bush sign when a press truck went by thinking it might have Bush behind it. The protesters thought the press truck might be Bush to, and started yelling. The press vehicle was not, and just cruised by. Now, it was just me, the guy from NY (with the Bush sign) and about 200 nut job protesters across the street from us. The avenue is real thin with barriers. The nut jobs caught eye of us. All of them. Then me the NY guy proceeded to get about 200 middle fingers pointed towards us. That really ticked me off. I wanted to go around the monument and get over there and have some fun with them. I was really nuts back then. My girlfriend (now wife) didnt have any of it, and I was her ride, so we left. Bummer.
Good times.
