"Kind of like Christmas"

The president was only visible to the public at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for about five minutes.

Yet that five minutes the president was visible before leaving in the presidential motorcade created enough excitement from the spectators.

A contingent of more than 50 local residents behind barricades at the airport waived enthusiastically and raised their cameras and children into the air to view Bush exit the plane at 4 p.m.

"There’s the president, Tyler," said Dawn McKenna, of Lebanon, to her 17-month-old grandson she held in her arms. "Look."

For about five minutes at the airport, Bush met with local Republican U.S. Reps. Jean Schmidt and Steve Chabot as well as local Republican leaders and DeWine supporters.
Most of the spectators at the airport received special invitations from airport employees or secret service staff.

Evan Martin skipped class from Scott High School in Taylor Mill to see the president fly into Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Martin, 16, a self-described Bush fan, said he watches the president’s speeches and actions every night on Fox News.

"I am a big fan of his," Martin beamed. "I have been watching him on television everyday. I watch Fox News a lot. I’m just excited to be here."

Dan Henson, of Milford, said didn’t pass up the invitation from an airport employee to see the president land in Air Force One. Thursday marked his second time seeing Bush in person. The first time was at a campaign stop on Halloween in Great American Ballpark.

Presidential visits have the atmosphere of a holiday, he said.

"It is several hours of waiting and anticipation and then it seems really brief," Henson said. "It is kind of like Christmas. You hurry up and wait and then it happens."

Justin Scher, and employee at the airport and Florence resident, had his camera ready to capture an image of Bush. The highest official in the country he had ever seen prior to Thursday was former Vice President Dan Quayle.

"It is pretty exciting," Scher said. "It is a once in a lifetime opportunity."