Step 1: Call the White House and ask for a meeting

That seems like the logical place to start.

So I called 202.456.1414 and told the person who answered "I would like to meet with the President."

He very politely connected me to the Scheduling Office, no questions asked.

Ashley at the Scheduling Office also didn't bat an eye (as far as I could tell, us being separated by 1,000 miles and phone lines) when I asked for a meeting with the President.

She probably gets that request a lot.

But I've got to give Ashley and the Bush Administration credit.

She did not ask me how much I had contributed to the Republican Leadership Council. She did not ask if I was a personal friend of the President (not that that necessarily does you much good as the late Ken Lay found out).

Instead, she said "OK, how it works is that you submit in writing a letter via fax or mail that's sort of like an invitation."

I can fax my letter to 202.456.6208 or send it to:

White House
Scheduling Office
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC 20502

Whew. This is going to be harder than I thought.

OK, I will write a letter. I will then fax it and mail it.