White House Briefing

It was called a White House briefing. But this gray edifice -- while unmistakably patriotic -- was certainly not white. It's actually a hop, skip and a jump from the actual House, and this is called the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

In the name of homeland security, we spent some time wilting outside the building. This is what 91 degrees in 60 percent humidity does to a person. Once past the barricades, however, we were greeted by some friendly executive faces.
And I located my future office. If I gained anything from today, it's that I'm applying for a presidential speechwriting internship next summer.
But the point of the briefing was not to wait outside, to take pictures or to ooh and aah at Secret Service badges. It was to hear what life in the White House is like for one of the most visible, influential women in the country.

She's down-to-earth, born in Wyoming and a former journalism major. She wakes up at 4:20 a.m. and travels to Europe with Bush. The CIA briefs her every morning and she's the one who decides whether or not the Associated Press gets a call back.

She's awesome, and she's got an unbelievable job.

Ladies and gentleman, I got to meet the Deputy Press Secretary of the White House, Dana Perino!!