Presidential Campaign Trail October 2014 - February 2016

While I happen to live in a state that presidential candidates don't typically visit, I am lucky enough to be close to the first in the nation state of New Hampshire, which provides ample opportunity to meet the candidates. Here is my journey over the the span of roughly two and a half years of how I met eight of the front runners.

October/November 2014:

Governor Chris Christie in CT

Over the span of a few weeks in the fall of 2014, New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie was traveling all over the country to stump for various Republican Gubernatorial candidates. He stopped in Connecticut twice to support Tom Foley, who who eventually go on to lose the race.

At the time, Christie was considered a front runner for the presidency, but since then, he has faced some issues such as, "Bridge-gate", which nearly torpedoed his chances. 

Nonetheless, Christie was awesome in Connecticut, and signed a ton of items for me, and took at picture at one of the two stops I went to.

 

October 2015: 

Donald Trump

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump's ascension has been one of the biggest news stories of 2015, and beginning of 2016. On a long weekend in October, I went up to Atkinson, NH to a town hall event that Trump was holding. There were A LOT of people at this event, and I was able to experience the beginnings of what New England Collectors have been calling the, "Trump Pit". Donald signed two items for me, one while he was walking away from the stage, and another outside of the event on the way to his car. This was an awesome kick off to meeting candidates in 2015.

You may remember from my previous Trump post that I was caught, "face-palming", in this below tweet(in the lower left if you zoom in).

In Atkinson, Trump says that 30% of the press are good, but "50% are the worst people I've ever met." #nhpolitics pic.twitter.com/np6mjk73eg

— Kailani Koenig (@kailanikm) October 26, 2015

December 2015: 

Senator Rand Paul

Being my favorite candidate, I was really excited to meet Senator Paul. I saw him at a diner meet and greet in Nashua, NH where he talked to many supporters, and I was also able to attend his town hall meeting later in the day a few towns away.

Rand went throughout the diner meeting with everyone, taking pictures, and signing autographs. It was an awesome, relaxed event.

Senator Lindsey Graham with Senator John McCain

I went to New Hampshire again in mid December for a day full of events. First, I went to a Lindsey Graham town hall meeting at a library, mostly because Senator John McCain, the 2008 GOP nominee for president was stumping for him. Both guys were super nice. I got a couple of pictures signed by both, and both were happy to take pictures with me.

One of my favorite memories from the campaign trail is when I was taking a selfie with John McCain. I was holding the phone up, getting ready to take the photo, and he went to press the on-screen photo button. When he saw that I clicked the button on the side he said, "Oh, you guys don't do that anymore." Mind you, John McCain is almost eighty years old, so this was pretty funny.

They both really liked this photo:

Governor Jeb Bush

Later that day, Jeb Bush held a town hall meeting in Exeter, NH that I was also able to make it to. There were actually a good number of collectors at this one, and Jeb took his time after the event and signed up a storm/took pictures.

As you can see, by the time I got back to him, he changed his pen to a terrible faded black one:

January 2016:

Senator Bernie Sanders

I went up to UMass Amherst for a Bernie Sanders rally in early January, which was absolutely packed. I wasn't able to get inside, but Bernie gave a speech outside for the overflow crowd before his main event of the afternoon. As he was walking inside, I had the best possible spot to get him to sign my copy of his "Rolling Stone" magazine issue, but he said he had to go. It would have only taken him a second to sign it, but oh well. You can't win them all, I suppose. At the end of the day, it was cool to experience a true grass roots rally.

Senator Ted Cruz

It just so happened that Ted Cruz was holding a meet and greet at a diner in Southern New Hampshire on Martin Luther King Day, and I had the day off so I decided to head up to the granite State again to meet the junior senator from Texas. It was bitterly cold, and I couldn't stay inside because it was SO packed with literally no room to move around, so I met him as he was getting off of his bus. After he signed for me, and took a picture with myself and what I can remember to be one other person, his aides rushed him inside of the building. It is worth mentioning that at some points that I was there it was snowing. Getting the book signed made it worth the trip though.

February 2016:

Senator Marco Rubio

Just a few days before the New Hampshire Primary, I had a big day planned because this would represent my last day to partake in the campaign trail for likely at least a few years. The first event of the day was supposed to be a pancake breakfast with Senator Rubio, but the campaign had so much demand that they decided on the eve of the event to change it to a town hall meeting. This didn't matter too much to me even though there were going to be a lot more people there, because I had mostly good experiences on this journey, and most of the candidates were very cordial even with large crowds of people.

When I arrived at the event, there were already a ton of people, but i managed to get a good spot.

Marco was running a little late, and in the meantime, the organizers of the event announced that cars in the fire lane would be towed. I hadn't parked in the fire lane, but across from it. After about another ten minutes or so, they made another announcement for about 4-5 cars to move, and I was indeed one of them, so i ended up losing my spot.

I got back inside after barely finding a new parking spot, and Marco came on soon after. 

The speech/question and answer session went maybe a little less than an hour, and then it was time to try and meet him. I had made my way through the crowd a little bit, but I still found myself about 6 or 7 people away from him on all sides.  Eventually, I was able to make it close enough despite the entire crowd pushing, to reach his book over to him, which he glanced up and saw, then signed!

He continued taking pictures with just about everyone who wanted one, and when I finally got next to him, he took a picture with me and signed an image of his TIME magazine cover, despite his handler telling me that he wasn't signing anything due to time restraints.

I was satisfied with my morning so far, and I then waited for him to make his way out, during which I was able to add him on one more photo to top off the success I had at this event.

I had planned to attend another Rubio Town Hall, followed by a John Kasich event, but I was just too exhausted after traveling to this one and getting up to him to go to any more, so I decided to pass up those opportunities.

With that, my journey to meet as many 2016 Presidential candidate front runners as possible is likely over, and it was truly a one of a kind experience that was pretty awesome to take on. I met so many interesting people along the way, and it was worth every minute.

Best Selling Author James Patterson 6/17/15

Last Monday I was walking back from lunch at work and I saw James Patterson's face on the wall. The sign was an ad for an event happening the next day in Hartford to benefit the Mark Twain House. It caught my eye because I'm a huge James Patterson fan, and I especially enjoy his Alex Cross series.

Seeing how this was to benefit a really great cause, and he is my favorite author not named J.K. Rowling, I decided to buy tickets online. On the page, there was a line about a book signing after the lecture, so I was happy that I didn't have to try for him outside. As much as I love doing this, sometimes it just takes too much time these days!

After I bought the tickets, I went out to a few stores to find some cheap books in good condition(while I have read a ton of his books, they have all been in e-book format). I ended up getting 8 books total. I was going to this with my girlfriend, so 8 really isn't too crazy of a number. Also, while the event was for a good cause, it was pretty pricey, so I wanted to get as many books signed as possible.

The lecture itself was very good, but a little long in my opinion. It went an hour and a half, but had some really good moments in which Patterson showed a sense of humor and a passion towards education.

As we were getting in line after the talk, the people running the event said you could have one personal item signed, unless you bought one of the books they were selling. I probably would have bought one of their books because they were only $10, but I couldn't justify buying a 9th or 10th book, and their selection wasn't fantastic. By this point though, my readers know that I'm pretty good at this, and most 'graphers know that you shouldn't take out extra items until the last minute, and by doing that I was successful.

Between us, we were able to get 5 books signed including a First Edition, "Along Came a Spider", which is one of my favorite books of all time!

The only even slightly disappointing part about the night was that I found out that the Mark Twain House had held this same event last year with Dan Brown, and in 2013 with Stephen King! I literally lived 2-3 streets away from the venue last summer, so I was shocked that I never heard about the Dan Brown event.

Hall of Fame Inductee Pedro Martinez Book Signing 5/7/15

Despite last week being the last finals week of my time in college, I found time to make it to Massachusetts for the iconic Pedro Martinez's book signing. This was actually his second signing of the day, and third of the week.

I got to the store (The Paper Store in Framingham) about 2 hours before the event because I knew it would be packed. Luckily I was only about 25 people back, but if you know about Pedro Martinez you know he takes forever to sign his autograph. Anyways, I got in line and about an hour after the event started I got to the table. 

Pedro wasn't overly talkative, which is understandable because he had a long day. I had met him a number of years ago anyway, so I didn't mind anyway since I really just wanted his signed book.

I ended up getting 4 books signed, 1 for me, 2 for friends, and one extra:

Here is a link to when I met Pedro 4 years ago:
Pedro Martinez 2011

Actor/Comedian Patton Oswalt(King of Queens,Young Adult, Ratatouille) 1/6/15

Last week I finished off my winter break from school by making my first 'graphing trip to New York City in about 2 years to meet an actor from one of my all-time favorite tv shows, Patton Oswalt. Besides his role as Spence on King of Queens, Patton is known for his stand up comedy specials, his supporting role in Young Adult, and as the voice of Ratatouille.

This was a book signing at a store in which I had attended many events at in prior years, and had generally great experiences with in the past. The event details said that one outside item would be allowed to be signed which was a nice surprise, and not usually something that is guaranteed to happen at book signings.

I ended up being the first person at the event, and waited for the discussion to start. John Hodgman was on hand to talk to Patton about the new book, and their discussion was hilarious. I truly enjoyed my time there, and I actually connected to a lot of things Patton talked about in his life which was honestly really nice.

When the signing started, I was the first in line, and Patton was nicer than I could have imagined. He actually listened to everything I told him, thanked me 3-4 times during our short conversation, and seemed to be a pretty genuine guy. I wish more famous people were this friendly, but at the end of the day those who aren't are major pieces in what makes the hobby interesting. I ended up getting two books, and a photo signed, as well as a picture taken with him:

SURVIVOR Redemption Island Winner/Reality Legend "Boston" Rob Mariano

Just a few days ago, I read online that my favorite SURVIVOR castaway ever, Boston Rob, would be at Mohegan Sun to promote an Amazing Race casting call. I have always had very good luck with events at Mohegan, so I knew if I could make it, I would have a very good shot.

I had ordered photos earlier in the morning for him, but when I got to the store, their photo printer wasn't working, and I literally spent an hour there getting my photos. Needless to say, I will never go back to that store again, and this was after going into work 2 hours early just to get out in time to get to the event.

Anyway, I got to Mohegan at about 4:55 for the 5:00 signing, and it was already underway. There was a decent line, but a much bigger one for the casting call that had going on all afternoon.

I was really excited to know that I would definitely be meeting Boston Rob, and as far as SURVIVOR successes go, this is one of the biggest ones that is obtainable. Rob has been on 4 seasons of the show, which happens to be one of my favorite shows ever, and he won in his 4th try. As any regular viewers know, Rob is an avid Red Sox fan, and became known as "Boston Rob" because of his Red Sox cap.

Also, Rob and his wife Amber, whom he met on the show, and who beat him, are the only married couple in the world in which both members have won a season of SURVIVOR.

Rob was quiet, but really nice. He signed everything I had, and even gave me one of the stock photos that the event provided.

As always, I will update the entry when Mohegan Sun releases the photos from the event.

Total Autographs for 2014:122

Rick Reilly in West Hartford, CT 5/14/14

Now that I'm living in central Connecticut, and working full time, my 'graphing opportunities are a little different than in summers that have passed, but I opened up my summer yesterday by going to the beautiful Blue Back Square section of Hartford to meet Sports Illustrated and ESPN legend, Rick Reilly.

Rick is quitting ESPN soon, and he put together another collection of his favorite columns from over the years, hence why he was in the city. He was scheduled to promote his new piece at Barnes & Noble.

I went straight from work, and was the first person at the store for the event. It was a very small event, but there was a good discussion, with lots of great questions being asked and answered.

Rick was really nice, and I tried to get a photo with him, but the kid who was taking it just kept failing, so Rick asked to take a selfie, and we did that.


Check out the awesome title he chose for his book. He said the reason behind it was that he 'collects quotes nobody has ever said, and this was his favorite one.'

Total Autographs For 2014: 113

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright 3/28/14

Well I feel like I've been saying this a lot, but it's been over a month since my last entry, but I'm back with a great success from this afternoon.

My school is actually very good for getting famous lecturers for the Arts and Lecture series, and when this year's lineup was released last fall, it was surprisingly weak compared to last year when we had Dan Rather and Bob Woodward come through. There was one exception to this though, and that was the Secretary of State under the Clinton administration, Madeleine Albright.

I went into the day thinking I would just get her autograph upon arrival at the event(outside), but as I was doing homework for a few hours, I found out that she would also be at a dinner before her lecture. The access is fantastic to where the dinner was going to be, and there was no possible chance of her getting in without walking by where I was doing homework, which was nice.

Before I go on, I should mention that both Dan Rather, and Bob Woodward had book signings after their respective lectures, whereas Dr. Albright would not, so there were no guarantees, as there usually aren't in this hobby.

A little before she was supposed to arrive, it started to rain, so it was good that I was waiting indoors for once, rather than outside.

She walked through the door with an agent and a bodyguard, both of which were friendly. Dr. Albright was extremely nice as well. I thought she might say no because she was running a little late, but she actually talked to me a little bit, probably spending about a minute with me, with her guests waiting inside the dining area.

Overall, it was a great experience, and I can't wait to watch her speak in about an hour.

Total Autographs For 2014: 37

Top 50 Autographs of 2013

Well, another successful year has gone by. 2013 Really flew by, and brought a ton of new adventures for my blog and I. This year brought me the experience of  'graphing in New York City for the first time, as well as meeting a ton of interesting people. In the past I have done shorter countdowns, but my collection quality has gotten so much better over the last few years that I really thought it would be cool to do a huge countdown of my top 50 autographs of the year.

Remember, as always the list is HIGHLY subjective, and I ranked people based on:
Ovaerall Quality
Name Value
Impact on 2013
Overall Relevance

This is why for instance, Ace Hood is ranked higher than say Bob Woodward. Clearly Bob has had a bigger impact on the world, but Ace Hood was extremely relevant in 2013.

With all of that said, please enjoy!

Previous Countdowns:
2012 Top 12
2011 Top 5

The Breakdown:

City| Spots On List
Cromwell,CT|9.5
Pawtucket,RI|8.5
Uncasville,CT|7
Storrs,CT |7
New Britain,CT|5.5
New York,NY|4
Willimantic,CT|4
Providence,RI|2
Canton, CT|1
Woodstock, CT|1
Brooklyn, CT|.5
*A .5 means that I met the person in 2 cities in 2013, so their spot is divided in 2.*

Rank|  Name  |Organization/Team|City Obtained In
50.Kevin Gausman, Baltimore Orioles. Pawtucket,RI

49.Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati Reds. Pawtucket,RI

48. Scott Burrell, Former NBA/UCONN player. Cromwell,CT

47.Tim Daggett, Olympic Gold Medalist. Cromwell,CT

46.Jackie Bradley Jr.,Boston Red Sox. Pawtucket,RI

45. Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder. Providence,RI

44.Kevin Ollie, Uconn Head Coach/Former NBA Player. Cromwell,CT

43. Boog Powell, Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. Baltimore,MD

42.Tina Charles, 2012 WNBA MVP. Uncasville,CT

41.Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians. New Britain,CT

40.Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins. New Britain,CT

39.Will Middlebrooks, 2013 Boston Red Sox World Series Champion. Pawtucket,RI

38.Jose Contreras, Former World Series Champion. Pawtucket,RI

37.John Thompson III, Georgetown Head Coach. Storrs,CT

36.Thompson Square, 2012&2012 ACM Duo of the Year. Woodstock,CT

35.Rickie Fowler, PGA Tour. Cromwell,CT

34. Zach Johnson,2007 Masters Winner. Cromwell,CT

33.Billy Donovan,Florida Head Coach(2006,2007 National Champions). Storrs,CT

32.Doug Flutie, Former Heisman Trophy Winner/NFL Player. Cromwell,CT

31. Bubba Watson, 2012 Masters Winner.Cromwell,CT

30. David Ross, 2013 Boston Red Sox World Series Champion. Pawtucket,RI

29. James Woods, Actor(Family Guy, Various movies).Uncasville,CT

28. Branford Marsalis, 3x Grammy Winning Artist. Storrs,CT

27. Xander Bogaerts, 2013 Boston Red Sox World Series Champion. New Britain, CT& Pawtucket,RI

26. Bob Woodward, Legendary Journalist(Broke Watergate). Willimantic,CT

25.Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves. Pawtucket,RI

24.Justin Rose, 2013 U.S. Open Winner. Cromwell,CT

23.Caroline Kennedy, Author/Daughter of JFK. New York,NY

22.Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76'ers. Providence,RI

21.Bucky Dent, Former MLB Star. Uncasville,CT

20. Geno Auriemma, Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer/UCONN Head Coach. Brooklyn,CT&Cromwell,CT

19.Jim Calhoun, Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer/Former UCONN Head Coach. Storrs,CT

18. Ralph Nader, Former Presidential Candidate/Consumer Activist. Canton, CT

17.Dick Vitale, Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer/ESPN Legend/ Former NBA Head Coach. Uncasville,CT

16. Ace Hood, Hip Hop Artist(Hit Song in 2013, "Bugatti".) Willimantic,CT

15. Tommie Smith, Civil Rights Activist/Olympic Icon/Medalist. Storrs, CT

14.Rick Pitino, Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer/ 2013 National Champions/Former NBA Head Coach.Uncasville,CT.

13.Tim Wakefield, 2004&2007 World Series Champion. Cromwell,CT

12.Jim Rice, National Baseball Hall of Fame/Red Sox Legend. Uncasville,CT

11.Roy Williams, Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer/ 2005&2009 National Champions. Uncasville,CT

10.Dwight Evans, Red Sox Legend. Pawtucket,RI

9.B.o.B., Hip Hop Artist. Willimantic,CT

8.Jim Gaffigan, Comedian. New York,NY

7.Paul Molitor, National Baseball Hall of Fame. New Britain,CT

6.Rudy Giuliani, Former NYC Mayor/Presidential Candidate. New Britain,CT

5.Kendrick Lamar, Nominated for SEVEN Grammy Awards in February. Storrs,CT

4.Jeff Bridges, Academy Award Winning Actor. New York,NY

3.Sonia Sotomayor, United States Supreme Court Justice. New York,NY

2.Seth Meyers, SNL Legend/Future Host of Late Night. Storrs,CT

1.Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls. Willimantic,CT