Only the Stickered Survive.

The article presents a narrative on covering a visit of U.S. President George W. Bush to Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The author arrived at the school a little before the time when Bush is expected. He shuffled into the press check-in area about the same time as another Pennsylvania reporter. Together, they were quizzed by the White House advance team, asking for their name, the newspaper they work for, and their credentials. The two reporters accommodated the team, and in exchange they gave them each a White House press badge, but with no stickers. A woman from the team announced that they were out of stickers. The sticker people were out of stickers, motioning in the direction of the check-in desk, passing the blame. A guy with a gun exclaimed that the reporters could not get into the gym without stickers, because according to him, they were essential. So, the two reporters and a gathering press crowd, huddled against the wall, waiting for the man with the gun to sort things out. Frowning deeply, he relayed the situation into his radio, and fifteen minutes later announce that the press would be permitted in. The press people herded into the roped-in media area, where reporters outnumbered chairs by 2-1 margin.