Don't get between Cranley and a camera

UPDATE BELOW

Face time and name recognition mean everything when you are asking people to vote for you.

Cincinnati Council Member John Cranley, who also is running as the Democratic candidate trying to take the 1st District Congressional seat from Republican incumbent Steve Chabot, was late for Wednesday's press conference where city and Hamilton County officials announced they'd reached an agreement that allows the proposed $600 million Banks development to continue.

As politicans were speaking at the press conference, the car carrying Cranley pulled up and stopped in rush-hour traffic. Cranley jumped out of the car, ran across the street and jumped into the line of politicians, leaving himself on the end -- and likely out of view of the television cameras there.

Moments later, one of the videographers hoisted his camera to his shoulder and walked to Cranley's left looking for other shots. Out of the corner of his eye, Cranley noticed the camera..

He also noticed that a newspaper reporter -- who'd been standing in that spot since before the press conference started -- was between him and the rolling camera.

Cranley called to the reporter who was taking notes. When the reporter looked up, Cranley motioned for the reporter to step back -- so Cranley would be in the camera shot.

Cranley didn't speak at the press conference and wasn't involved in the discussions that led to the agreement.

UPDATE (2:56 p.m.):
Cranley called the reporter to apologize for that reporter's interpretation of Cranley's hand gesture.

"I would never even dream of doing that," Cranley said. "I was only trying to say 'Hi' to you. I can understand why you thought that. I'm sorry it looked that way."

Cranley swore "on a stack of Bibles" he would never ask someone to move so he could be in a camera shot "because that would be rude."