The death of Jimmy Carter brought to mind the time as president when he arrived in St. Louis by riverboat.

It was kind of cool. As a small town media guy with credentials to be there, I waited with the other press crews for his him to arrive.

Two points of memory.

One, when he did arrive the national tv people pushed aside all the locals to get the best spots. Ruthless and they could care less.

And, protestors on site carried signs protesting the closure of Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis.

With that iron grip on local issues, I remember one of the puzzled national press people turning around and saying “Who in the hell is Homer G. Phillips.?”