Phi Alpha Literary Society's great benefactor Rep. Paul Findley brought President Jimmy Carter to be the latest speaker at the annual Phi Alpha lecture series. I tried to contact the actives and finagle my way into the pre-speech meet and greet to no avail.
I was already in Springfield so making the quick trip over to Jacksonville was no big deal.
And so I had to wait for Jimbo's big speech in a giant line with all of the lowly non-Phi "normals". It was degrading.
I almost didn't even make it in the building. It was packed to the gills.
Honorary Phi and Billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor gave a little pre-speech, as did Paul Findley.
I made the July 2010 issue of the Illinois College Quarterly last time Habtoor was in town. It's not a huge thing.
President Carter gives Phi Alpha a good shout-out in the first minute of his speech.
On my drive back to Springfield I caught up with Carter's convoy. There were a bunch of cop cars in it so I was too afraid to pass it. I ended up just stalking them all way back to town. After the time I saw Obama I have now seen 2 out of 5 of currently living presidents. Whoop whoop! What a random and fun day!
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