The Pentagon

Driving into the Pentagon and the south parking in particular, we passed the side of the building where the airplane hit on September 11.  The only person to talk about the attack so far was White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.  We would revisit the attack several times that day.

The group gathered outside in the morning, where we met our tour guides for the biggest office building in the world.  We had both a Navy Seaman and an Army Specialist; apparently tour guides always work in pairs, one in front and one behind the group.  We passed through the metal detectors and waited while our security badges were printed; for a black and white webcam outside a bank-like window, it was a surprisingly good-looking picture of me.

...we [visited] the office of Victoria Clark, the Pentagon Press Secretary.  Ms. Clark happily discussed at length the journalist embed program and jokingly commented on the possibility (or lack thereof) that she was replacing Ari Fleischer.  Her tone turned serious when talking about the events of September 11, and the little changes in behavior she noticed in people while they continued to work through their missions on September 12 and beyond.  She fielded questions from the group for over 30 minutes, before we shuffled off and she returned to her work.

Our last working stop of the day was the Department of Homeland Security.  Although Susan Neely was held up at the White House, the Deputy Chief of Staff was very accommodating with her time and took the occasion to answer questions for us.  We were seated in the office where Secretary Ridge briefs the press, and much like the White House press briefing room, it looks much more impressive on TV.

The Department of Homeland Security has been accused by some of tearing down the Bill of Rights with provisions that allow for the tracking of individuals through airline ticket purchases, library check-outs, and low standards for phone taps; it has been accused by others of focusing too much on civil rights by not profiling particular groups at airport and border security checks.  Either way, they are likely acting on the advice of a specific counsel in the department.  The Department of Homeland Security has a staff member whose only job is to anticipate and react to the potential civil rights issues of department actions.  We could not stay for long, because dinner was looming.

George and Mari Maseng Will

The Will's house is large and impressive, and fits the image of George and Mari Maseng perfectly.  We were treated to a fine dinner of grilled chicken and sausage, and a rice dish that at least one student used to redecorate his shoes.  Mr. Will was eager to hear about our trip around Washington and our impressions of the different offices.  Mrs. Will (a USC alum) was more interested in the news from the university and where the students' studies would take them.

There were obviously discussions of baseball, as you would expect whenever George Will in within 50 miles.  Amanda Ingram, a senior in Public Relations, is particularly interested in following her boyfriend into working in minor-league baseball.

Most of the discussions were informal, a contrast to the question-and-answer sessions we'd been through all week long.  The Wills offered insights and comments on a variety of subjects, from the Democratic Party's national strategies to the varying organizations of the White House staff over the years.  In all, it was an enjoyable end to whirlwind of Washington government and politics.

Lessons Learned

Pentagon spokespeople can be just as canned as White House spokespeople.  They will almost never deviate from the party line, regardless of what anyone else says.

The Department of Homeland Security still doesn't seem to have its consistent message down, though.  For a really big, specialized police force, they seem to think they're much grander than that.