By Scott Westerman CAS ’78
If you’re an NPR fan, the name Don Gonyea is probably a household word. The intrepid reporter worked his way from the automotive beat in Detroit to one of the most coveted gigs in the biz, NPR’s Chief White House Correspondent. He is also a proud MSU Spartan.

Gonyea has been honored as a Communications Arts & Sciences Distinguished Alum and gets kudos from his peers for his insightful reporting and a fearless ability to ask the important questions. So it must have come as no surprise that when the White House decided to put together a stealth Presidential trip to Iraq, Don was one of the journalists who got to go along for the ride.

When last we met in East Lansing, Don told me that covering the White House means you have to be ready to rock n roll at a moments notice. And that’s how the adventure began when he was alerted to appear at Andrews Air Force Base on Sunday evening, a full day earlier than was normal for a departure to the announced Presidential trip to Australia.

Two groups of reporters were ferried out to the hangar that houses Air Force one. They surrendered laptops and cell phones, boarded the aircraft and waited with shades down while the President made the trip to the base in a two-car convoy instead of his usual motorcade.

Once airborne, Gonyea and the others were told of the actual destination. Their equipment returned to them with admonitions against turning on anything that could make it possible to track the flight.

12 hours later, the President stepped off of the plane into the sweltering desert heat. And a Spartan was there to tell the story to the world.

Link: Don Gonyea reports from Iraq