CNN’s Blitzer relaxes during Husker pomp Jeff Zeleny WASHINGTON Covering the White House is all in a day’s work for Wolf Blitzer. But Monday, the CNN chief White House correspondent got a special treat — a look at the nation’s best football team. And thanks to President Clinton’s tardiness, I got a lesson in news geog raphy. Blitzer, who gained his TV fame during the Gulf War in 1991, got a pretty look at the national-champion Comhuskers all decked out in shirts, ties and jackets. From his perch on the South Lawn of the White House, Blitzer wasn’t even mildly distracted by the commotion of putting more than 80 football players on three-step metal bleachers. After all, he is used to real excite ment. When a zealous Daily Nebraskan editor introduced himself to Blitzer, he was in a cordial, but less-than talkative mood. “Excuse me, Mr. Blitzer. I’m a reporter from a Lincoln, Nebraska newspaper.” “Good for you,” Blitzer said. “What do you think about the Huskers? Are you a fan?” “I can’t say I was pulling for Ne braska,” the bearded CNN celebrity said of the Orange Bowl. “It was a good game. Good plays.” “Why weren’t you pulling for Nebraska?” “I’m a Buffalo Bills fan.” Wolf and I finally hit common ground. He revealed that football wasn’t his favorite subject, either. After we got that out of the way, the real conversation began. “Do you find these ceremonies annoying when you have a real job to do?” JeffHaller/DN Jeff Makovicka, left, Jason Peter and Christian Peter entertain themselves while waiting for President Clinton. “It doesn’t distract from my day,” he said. “This is a pleasure.” It turns out the real reason he was excited was because Monday’s cer emony with President Clinton and the Comhuskers was the first outdoor event of the season. Wolf was prob ably just trying to wprk on his tan. As we continued to wait for the president, Wolf must have seen that curious look on my face as I stared at the White House, wondering how I could sneak in. “We’re standing where the plane crashed into the White House,” Blitzer said. Now we’re talking curiosity. The bearded broadcaster in an expensive silk suit had piqued my interest. And I apparently had ful filled a news celebrity’s ego because I wanted to hear a not-so-old war story. Wolf pointed out the flight path of the estranged flight that crashed into the White House on Sept. 12, 1994. “It circled around the Washington Monument,” he said, “and came right down here where we are standing. See, the lawn has been resodded.” Cool. Not only did I see Wolf Blitzer, but I was standing with him on the exact spot where the plane hit before it slammed into the south side of the White House. The house wasn’t damaged much, Wolf said, but the magnolia tree didn’t fare so well. Bark was stripped from the tree when the plane grazed it before hitting the White House. One of many White House press girls, Laura Schwartz, said the staff couldn’t comment on any plane crash. She’s right, there’s nothing worse than bad press, especially if it’s smelly old. But Wolf reassured me that we were safe. - “There will be no planes landing here today,” he said. And with that, he smiled and went back to reading his Washington Post. So when Mr. Clinton finally ap peared more than 30 minutes behind schedule, Wolf began to itch for the Husker ceremony to end. He had real press briefings to attend. Apparently him briefing me on the plane crash wasn’t enough. It was for me. Thanks for being late, Mr. Presi dent. Zeleny is a Senior news-editorial major and the editor of die Daily Nebraskan. T-SHIRTS WEATSHIRTS MUGS CUPS GLASSES KOOZIES BOOKS VIDEOS BOXERS f NATIONAL I i CHAMPIONSHIP 1 ! HEADQUARTERS \ g Nebraska Bookstore is the place for quality % 1 Big Red and National Championship ” | merchandise and apparel. § n fa v; CC I