Attack of the Scots!

I started my workday in the House Chamber Press Gallery today, covering action and a vote on H Res. 41, a resolution that supports the proclamation of a Scottish-American National Holiday.

I walked in, sat down, and waited for the session to begin. Now, when I covered the State of the Union, the press gallery sat still when the President entered. That's just the way they were.

But today, when they said "all rise," the other reporter there stood up. Now, I know I shouldn't go with the crowd, but I stood up too. I even said the Pledge of Allegiance with the Representatives. Now, I must've looked dumb, all the regulars on the floor were looking at me funny. But it wasn't dumb, because while I was standing I got a better view of who was standing below me so in the end, I was better-informed. As Bill Cosby once said "We are dumb, but then, we are not so dumb."

They went through a string of one-minutes, where Representatives just stand at a podium and rant on something or rave on something else of their choosing for an allotted one minute.

Then the real action started. They announced the bill, four lawmakers spoke in support of it. At one point, a congressman pointed at the guest gallery, located on the other side of the room from the press gallery, where there were two guests dressed in Kilts in support of the resolution. They stood up, smiled, and sat down, pulling their kilts with them to avoid exposing themselves to the United States House of Representatives Press Gallery.

He was then chastised for pointing out someone in the Gallery, that is a no-no, it seems.

They stopped "debating," (no one was opposed to it, I just can't think of a better term at the moment) and then they had a voice vote. All twenty or so said "Yeah," none said "Nay," and it was passed unanimously. So if anyone reading this is totally opposed to anyone celebrating "National Tartan Day," guess what.

You got disenfranchised. Sucks to be you.

I then tried to find one of the congressmen outside, like he had agreed to do, but sadly, I could not find him for I had been held up and he couldn't wait very long.

So I hit the metro and returned to home base. I started on the story, and then my editor told me it really need some MOS (Man On the Street), then corrected herself and told me it needed some Person On the Street. Then I pointed out that would be called these people POS's, or Pieces Of Sh*t. We agreed it should just be "Individual On the Street," or IOS.

And that I needed some of it. I decided that 1600 Pennslyvannia Avenue would make a good enough street, and ran, er, jogged, er, walked briskly to the White House. I got some people on the street to comment, one of them was the spitting image of Donald Sutherland. Only he worked nextdoor to the White House.

I got my quotes, and made my way back to the bureau quickly to get the story done on deadline. Made phone calls, did research, you know the drill by now, right?

So the story is on the wire now, I think the Scripps Howard News Service Wire picked it up, so that's good news in and of itself. Even more good news: if they make a holiday for Scottish-Americans, my friend Jocelyn will have a holiday to call her own. Let's have a cheer for Jocelyn.