He told the Secret Service to get the chopper ready, he was headed to a meeting at Goldman Sachs. So they warmed up Marine One and a few minutes later with his usual retinue of handlers advisors and a few staffers, he crossed the lawn and climbed into the copter seconds later and headed off east nor east.
They landed about an hour later on the roof top helo pad atop the GLASSINE TOWER that obscures the corruption at Goldman Sachs. The president was all grins, as he tucked his briefcase under his arm and walked briskly across the roof to the elevator that would take him to his place beside the seat of power.
Far below in the streets thousands had joined the Occupiers that had now, begun the 30th day of the encirclement of the Goldman Sachs building. The occupiers had taken up positions circling the buildings non-stop while the police who have not allowed any sitting or standing on or around the building permitted them to parade around the building provided they didn't blockade the entrances. The police union had promised the occupiers, they would defend their constitutional rights to assemble and protest. Provided they agreed not to blockade any entrances. This truce had stood for two weeks. The circling crowd, never counted less than several thousand.
Not long after Marine One had disgorged its passengers, the crowd surged around the entrance. A galvanic impulse seemed to energize the crowd. A clot of secret service had appeared at the main entrance to the building. The crowd surged forward and then lurched back as the corporate security team pressed outward against the shifting and slowly circling occupiers.
"Stand Down", the secret service, waved the security guards off, they were rumored to be a wet team from Xe, each one an example of beefy steroid excess reeking of mercenary bloodlust. The had stood silent guard at every entrance heavily armed bristling with automatic weapons and more.
Seconds later the lanky figure of a black man exited the building surrounded by the secret service contingent that quickly formed the flying wedge that would provide the normal phalanx of protection for a head of state in a public arena. Those closest to the entrance turned to see what would happen next. Instant consensus was that the president would shake a few hands, maybe exchange a few comments and move on, the press hadn't even arrive yet. After all, hadn't Nixon chatted with Anti-War protestors?
The president walked right into the crowd which parted, both in deference to the wedge of secret services and partially out of civic respect. It was only a few of the curious with cameras perched high overhead and a few souls in close proximity who actually gathered what in fact, was happening. The president strode right into the crowd, with secret service in tow and headed right down the street toward the park that had become the epicenter of the occupation.
The president stopped briefly at the park edge and spoke to a pair of colorfully coiffed teenage girls. He then turned to some of the media activists and after a few brief exchanges was seen nodding and smiling. He continued wading further into the park. He walked among the seated people pausing here and there, the secret service team twitchingly alert. But eventually one of the occupiers, offered the president some salad and a cushion to rest on, and the crowd shifted to accommodate the newcomers. Some moved closer to catch the exchanges between those near enough to toss a question and retrieve an answer from this adventurous politician.
Some of the secret service hunkered down, after a bit and settled in for what seemed to be an extended stay. A camera crew and producer from Democracy Now, made their way through the crowd, and with battery powered lights opposed the dimming sunset, and the president conducted a brief press conference, from the heart of occupied Liberty Square.
One by one, the commercial media crews found their way most for the first time to Liberty Square. They set up their cameras, and equipment and took up positions ringing the president. He sat, holding court while a couple toddlers, alternative dove in his lap, or raced their toy fire engines over his head. Ringed by cameras he held forth on the importance of the Liberty Park occupation sitting on a cushion next to a young family who had offered him a bowl of their family salad dinner. Their child had grown comfortable with the president and had begun, occasionally to climb on him, as children will on a person who is the center of attention. While the young mother had twice, tried to pull back when he ran his firetruck over the presidents head, Barack had smiled and gave the toddler a thorough tickling while an uncomfortable Dan Rather balanced uncertainly against a tree.
The press eventually tired of the president's "TIME FOR JOBS" theme and as the lights were shut off Barack began talking with the occupiers. Every few minutes for the first couple of hours, the secret service would lean in and ask, was he about ready to go? Clearly the president had no, interest in leaving anytime soon.
It began to drizzle and across the crowded square tarps and plastic sheeting appeared to envelope the activist village. Somebody passed the president a poncho and the secret service team scrambled to locate umbrellas, but the president waved them off. Down the street, bright lights appeared and began slowly to work their way toward the park. The secret service lead man, leaned down several times and exchanged information with the president. A large smile played across the president's face.
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