"Just a Thought" column continues in La Prensa of SA, 4-14

Just a Thought: Mexico’s President Vicente Fox
By Steve Walker

Last week I wrote about my opportunity to interview civil rights activist Cesar Chavez in 1982 while a reporter for KENS-5 Eyewitness News.

I informed the reader my most striking memory of Cesar Chavez was his calm demeanor. He spoke softly, respectfully and articulately. He never raised his voice. He reminded me of Gandhi, I wrote.

May 24^th, 2007 former Mexican President Vicente Fox served as the keynote speaker at the Hispanic Media Awards, held at the Marriott River Center, in the Grand Ballroom. The event honored the nation's top Spanish language journalists & media personalities of the day.

Having published the Walker Report at the time for nearly a year, I obtained my press pass and attended the event in hope of taking photos of him giving his speech. Imagine my surprise when I not only took lots of photos of him but got to talk to him briefly as well.

I was visiting with Telemundo 60 News Reporter Yolanda Vasquez and her photographer Roy Ibarra out in the hallway outside the banquet hall awaiting his arrival. We figured he would come in the back and go behind the stage. Much to our surprise I looked up and saw him coming down the hallway in the hotel with an escort and his wife, Marta. I motioned to Yolanda and Roy and exclaimed, “There he is!”

Yolanda, Roy and I made a mad dash towards him with their video camera, her microphone and my small camera in tow. He graciously stopped when Yolanda identified herself and asked for an interview. I was directly behind her snapping photos of him as she began what turned out to be a 20 minute interview.

His wife stood at his side quietly and patiently as Yolanda asked questions, Roy kept his camera rolling and I furiously was snapping as many photos as my camera would allow.

Unlike Cesar Chavez’s calm demeanor and slow movements, President Fox was animated and when he talked his hands were motioning in the air and all over the place. He was one of those who spoke with his hands.

When all was said and done I snapped nearly 60 photos of him of which at least 20 weren’t good because his hand was covering his face as he spoke.

As he spoke, my former wife Linda was standing nearby. She quietly asked Marta Fox the former president’s wife in limited Spanish if she could take a photo with him when he finished.

His wife grabbed the President the minute the interview was completed and told him, “Take a photo with this lady.” He posed with Linda and she now has photos of her and the president.

As Yolanda, Roy and I walked backwards continuing our coverage, the president shook hands etc. At one point Fox News Anchors Ernie Zuniga and Michael Valdez stood close. I quietly directed them closer and then I asked the President if he would pose with the two Fox anchors. He graciously obliged. He thought it was fun to pose with “Fox” reporters. I told him the caption would read, “Fox Y Fox!”  He laughed. Ernie and Michael were elated and to the best of my knowledge they both still have a copy of the photo I took.

Anyway, as always, what I write is “Just a Thought.”

Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist. His column “Ask the Judge” column ran in La Prensa for the last two years. Next week: Memories of Harlandale ISD.