CLINTON VISITS MICHIGAN CITY

A special day for the mayor

Bergerson Brillson proud of community's response

Editor's note: This story originally appeared inThe News-Dispatch Thursday, Aug. 29.

By Dan Rosenberg

News-Dispatch staff writer

Riding on a train with the president. Riding in a limousinewith the president. Introducing the president to an audience of 40,000.It was all in a day's work for Michigan City Mayor Sheila Bergerson Brillsonon Wednesday.

The experience was one she will never forget.

"Pinch me," she said several hours after thepresident left for Chicago. "It was an incredible honor to ride inthe limousine with the presi"I'm so proud of northern Indiana, MichiganCity and LaPorte County. We had a very good crowd. Very enthusiastic."

President Clinton reacts to a rousing Michigan City welcomeas Mayor Sheila Bergerson Brillson welcomes the president to WashingtonPark Wednesday

Photo/Jennifer Flowers

He and I talked about Michigan City, and he asked me aboutmy career and family. We had a nice chat."

When the limousine reached the speech platform in WashingtonPark, Bergerson Brillson stepped to the microphone with the president, governor,lieutenant governor and congressman behind her, and helped wind up the crowdfor the president's address.

"I am so proud," she said, emphasizing the lastword as the audience whooped and cheered. "When the White House calledto tell me they wanted to come to Michigan City, I told them we'd give awarm Michigan City welcome, and you've done us proud. What a wonderful dayfor the city of Michigan City, the county of LaPorte and the great stateof Indiana."

Bergerson Brillson's day actually started in Michigan,where, after taking an early-morning flight in the private plane of Johnand Larry Fegaras, she boarded the "21st Century Express" forits trip from Kalamazoo to Michigan City.

During the first leg of the journey, Bergerson Brillsonwas not on the president's car. She sat in the "VIP" car and alsogot a chance to walk through the rest of the train.

After the president's speech, Bergerson Brillsontakes time to greet visitors.

Photo/Lisa C. Schreiber

"The train ride was awesome," the mayor saidin an interview after the festivities. "The train was very high-tech.There was a press studio set up in one car, with all the press people busyon computers and phones and connected to satellites. Then there was theVIP car, a few Secret Service cars and a staff car. The president's carwas in the back."

The mayor spent plenty of time looking out the window,and she was impressed with what she saw.

"I honestly was struck by the fact that people waitedby the track to see the president," she said. "It was very touching.Veterans were saluting as it went by. People in wheelchairs from nursinghomes. Children. You hear a lot about Americans being apathetic and uncaring.I didn't see that today."

As the train neared Michigan City, a presidential aideasked the mayor to come sit in the president's car. Clinton was not in itat the time, she said. She talked to White House staff, who told her theywere expecting a large crowd.

"They'd all had advance notice about how many peoplewere waiting, and they were very impressed," Bergerson Brillson said.She was told the crowd was the largest of any gathering that had greetedthe president on his four-day journey across the Midwest.

The mayor also was impressed by the turnout.

"I'm so proud of northern Indiana, Michigan City andLaPorte County," she said. "We had a very good crowd. Very enthusiastic."

The enthusiasm carried over as Bergerson Brillson strodeto the microphone to make her introduction. "I was moved as I steppedto the podium," she said. "The atmosphere was electric."

Mayor Sheila Bergerson Brillsonspeaks with President Clinton after his speech Wednesday.

Photo/Jennifer Flowers

In her speech, she talked about the effect Clinton's visithas had on the city, and she recalled her own background.

"Mr. President," she said, "your visit toMichigan City has drawn the community together with a sense of excitementand a feeling of honor. We hope you'll take home warm memories of your afternoonin Michigan City.

"Only in America could a girl from the west side ofCleveland, born of Irish immigrants, come to share a stage with such anhonorable group of statesmen."

As Rep. Tim Roemer, Lt. Gov. Frank O'Bannon and Gov. EvanBayh made their introductory remarks, Bergerson Brillson stood next to thepresident.

Several times the two were seen talking quietly to eachother.

"I said, 'Mr. President, I'm very proud of my community.The working people are here, the children are here, businesses are shutdown.' He said, 'This is unbelievable.' He could really feel the enthusiasmand the excitement."

After the president's speech, Bergerson Brillson accompaniedhim to the airport, where he boarded a helicopter to take him to the Democraticconvention in Chicago. When he arrived there, he was nominated for a secondterm as president.

Bergerson Brillson did not go with him. Instead, she returnedhome to tuck her children into bed.