MICHAEL NUTTER SHAKES 5,000 HANDS WITHOUT STOPPING

January 9, 2008 by HughE Dillon 1 Comment

Really, I was in the room with him for 4 hours non-stop, and he didn’t stop. I arrived about 3:30PM for my “volunteer” job. I was supposed to help the tour office and PR person set up. I did about 30 minutes of work, but then the lure of the event enticed me to drop everything and catch the action. The folks just kept coming and coming, even a few “Philly Celebrities”

A Brighter Tomorrow

at 3:30PM I entered City Hall and the line began to wrap around the building

I got upstairs just as the Mayor began shaking hands, and in this case, signing autographs.

He needed assistence and a hard surface for the next piece of paper

Always on the ball, Nutters Admins think out of the box and grabs a clip board for the next autograph

Many of the visitors gave Nutter their best wishes, but some handed him business cards, resume’s, lists of ideas and Prayer Cards, like the hell women

She’s probably given you one too

It really was a moving experience to see Nutter connect with so many people, like this women who brought a message for the mayor to not forget the handicapped

to save the Boy Scouts home on the Parkway

after 2 hrs my friend Steven (Styling Steven from New Years Eve) was next in line to greet the mayor

People took photos, the Nutter people gave out posters

Of course while I was taking the above shot, the all important “Money Shot” occurred and I wasn’t prepared. The Joe Fraizer photo op.

Cropping is a wonderful thing

For this shot I stood behind the “City’s Photographers”. Their job is to chronicle the Mayor’s administration. They take the photos for guests and then send copies to them. They also send shots to the Mayor and he chooses what he might want to keep, and what should be archieved for the history books.

Kids were so excited to meet the mayor, this girl literally ran into Nutter’s arms

Eventually I made my way outside to see what it was like. I love the look on Marie Mills-Torre’s face as she spots the Mayor just 100 feet away, after waiting 2 hrs to see him.

The crowd winds down the stairs outside Conversation Hall and out onto Dilworth PlazaMusicians were in each portal to entertain the crowdsthere was a large tent in the courtyard where Tastykakes, pretzels and hot chocolate could be had there are those signs that I put up, giving the directions to the line and rules against taking photos or getting the mayors autograph
It was back inside to check out the action. Here in the Mayor’s reception room I found the City Hall Tour Guides giving the visitors tidbits on the room and a few more Philly Celebrities. Here’s the folks from one of my favorite sites, Philly Skyline http://phillyskyline.com/ – Brad & Steve with Ben Franklin and William Penn.
then it was back into the room for the wrap-up