President talks with students, as security orchestrates the chaos

The campus was alive with commotion yesterday during the three hours that President Clinton was in town. Hundreds of New Jersey State Troopers, Township and Borough Police, Secret Service agents and support staff descended on the grounds to coordinate the logistical nightmare that accompanies the president wherever he travels.

From the moment Clinton arrived with a fleet of four Marine helicopters on Poe Field — half an hour after he was scheduled to begin speaking — conference organizers and the president's aides worked tirelessly directing crowds, checking credentials and leading the president's entourage through campus.

Clinton was accompanied from Washington by New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt, who had to hurry to make the flight with Clinton. "I had to dash out of the House after the last vote," he said.

Holt, who said he has a good working relationship with Clinton, is in the middle of a tough race for reelection against former Rep. Dick Zimmer and had a lot to gain by appearing with the popular president.

North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was also scheduled to travel with Clinton, but was held up in Washington.

On Poe Field, Clinton met crowds of onlookers and a long line of vans, limousines, fire engines and armored cars. Members of the press waited for him in the arch in Scully Hall while the public was directed to the far side of Elm Drive.

American studies program director Sean Wilentz, along with his wife, history professor Christine Stansell '71, and their two children greeted Clinton as he climbed down from his helicopter. Wilentz organized the conference on the progressive tradition at which Clinton gave the keynote address.

Clinton mingled with conference organizers and participants in the basement of Alexander Hall. Wilentz presented Clinton, an avid collector of political memorabilia, with a button from Roosevelt's 1904 campaign.

At the same time, members of the national and local press pools were shuttled up Elm Drive and into Alexander Hall. Computers and telephones were provided in a makeshift filing room for the national traveling press.

After his speech, Clinton worked a ropeline under a tent outside Alexander Hall for several minutes, talking to students and answering their questions.

Several students said they preferred being in the tent because they could actually interact with Clinton instead of just watching the speech.

While Clinton was in the tent, he was surrounded by Secret Service agents who kept the media at a distance. As he progressed along the ropeline, his limousine, 20 feet behind him, crawled along the road, always keeping its open rear door aligned with Clinton's position so that he could be quickly pulled into the car and whisked away.

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Alison Jonas '04 was one of a group of students who captured the president's attention for several minutes, while the crowd and Clinton's security detail looked on. She said the president spoke extensively about his experience with China and its role in the global economy.

Holt followed Clinton along the ropeline. He chuckled as he watched Clinton linger on the ropeline — the president's troop of aides waiting anxiously to move their boss on to the next event.

"You can see how much he loves this," Holt said.