Journalism/tourism

I’m driving down to Troy today to see President Barack Obama’s economic address at a local community college.

The truth? There will be at least two great public radio reporters there already: our Albany correspondent, Karen DeWitt, and someone from NPR.

So why am I going?

Call it journalism-tourism. One of the great perks of being a reporter is the Forrest Gumpian fun of being in cool places and meeting fascinating people.

I’ve had the experience the last few years of watching two sitting Presidents live and fairly up close and personal:

Bill Clinton in Lake Placid (stumping for his wife) and George W. Bush in Wilmington (pushing an environmental plan).

I always hope to find a fresh angle, a part of the story that other journalists aren’t finding. But really, today, that’s secondary.

Sometimes a reporter goes just out of sheer cussed curiosity. Tune in tomorrow morning for the story…