First stop in Austin is over. The girls went craaaazy for the boys as expected.

 

Kids were in the theater with their 3D glasses on ready to see the movie and what they got was, as one girl told me, "their bestest dream come true!"

 

Then, we headed to Vegas.

 

I've been on private planes before...but nothing like Air Jonas.
 

Faith Hill was so genuinely excited to be part of the festivities, it was refreshing. She was giddy.

 

It's 6 AM here and I'm heading to the Capitol for the swearing in ceremony.

 

Every street is blocked off with either an armored car or a bus.

 

Security is everywhere. This is the most exciting event I've ever been a part of in my life -- and nothing will probably ever compare.

If you're reading this, it's probably because you've seen the headlines about my recent interview with Lindsay Lohan.

Nobody knows what word she used... what we DO know is that she is a huge Obama supporter. Her many blogs of support have been well documented.

As for me not questioning her on the use of the supposed word "colored"... if you replay the moment back in a quiet room five times and still cannot understand it, how was I supposed to hear an unintelligible word in the midst of an interview?

Howard Stern played the moment for Robin Quivers this morning three times and she still couldn't make sense of it.

When stuff like this happens I immediately ask, "What was the person's intention?" In this case, I don't feel Lindsay meant any harm, if she indeed did use the word. It was a mistake for which I'm sure she'd be sorry for.

Her intention, in my opinion was never to hurt anyone.
 

I'm standing here in Chicago's Grant Park as the first portion of election results are trickling in. It feels like the calm before the storm. The general public has just been allowed into the park and they are racing for position as if participating in a diamond giveaway. It's chaotic, for sure, but exhilarating.

Incredibly, the background is serene. The normally frigid Chicago is actually relatively warm, and the landscape couldn't be more beautiful.  Sky rises are all lit up.Most notably, there's one with lights arranged to read "USA."

The media and general public feel as though they are all ready to be part of history in electing either the first African American President or the first female Vice President. People came out in record numbers to vote, perhaps showing the world that we are, in fact, ready to reclaim our image and redeem the current woes we are experiencing in this country.

Young people showed what they were made of - "rocking the vote" as it were. Celebs are taking a back seat here as I've heard tonight it is all about Obama - no celebs are expected to be in view during his speech. That could change, but that's what we are hearing now.

Growing up, the 4th of July was always a work day - and a tough work day at that. July 3rd was quite the popular party night in Boston and the nightclubs that my parents and I cleaned were no exception. In college, I sold hot dogs and sausages to crowds gathered to see the fireworks. Needless to say, when I received an impromptu text message from Access Hollywood Executive Producer, Rob Silverstein, inquiring as to my availability for short notice work on this past 4th of July, I was more than ready.

 

However, this was not going to be a typical celebrity interview. On this particular 4th of July, I would be flying to Butte, Montana interview none other than Senator Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. Access Hollywood producer Steve Forrest had apparently been working quite diligently to get this interview and it was to be the first sit down with the couple since the Senator presumably clinched the Democratic Nomination.

 

There were so many questions that I wanted to ask Senator Obama and I jotted a few pages worth of them. I have to remain cognizant of the fact that this interview is coming through "Access Hollywood." This isn’t to say that we don’t ask tough questions at Access. A long list of celebs will attest that we very much do. However, asking Obama for a time frame as to when our troops will be out of Iraq or how he feels about Blackwater isn’t what our audience is looking for necessarily.

I realize this subject may not be within the realm of a typical Access Hollywood blog but I feel compelled to share some thoughts about these 2008 Boston Celtics.

 

Yes, they are beating their life long rivals, the Lakers. But what impresses me, and, likewise, irks me most is what a dynamic group of thirteen. These Celtics are and how, even today, they are still not appreciated for their talents. This very morning, all I have heard is how the Lakers fell apart in game four and how the Lakers are playing soft and how Andrew Bynum will be here next year. 

 

Instead, I should be hearing how this Celtic team is so deep in talent that they could lose two starters (Rondo and Perkins) and find a way to pull off the greatest comeback victory in NBA playoff history. People, this is the team that swept the dreaded Texas Triangle, beating San Antonio, Dallas and Houston on the road, stopping Houston’s near record breaking winning streak in the process. 

 

All year long, as well, we heard that the Celtics had an easy schedule and that the Western Conference was so much stronger. Yet, at one point in the season, we were 16-0 against the west.  Still, few paid attention. My boss here at Access, Rob Silverstein, is an amazing basketball player and part-time coach as well as a huge sports fanatic. I was positively stunned when he said the Lakers would win the series in four or five. He added a few more fragments of what has become a familiar argument: Celts don’t have a “go-to” guy, Kobe is an MVP whom they can’t stop and hey, they’re going against Phil Jackson. 

 

Taking each point one at a time, we are a defense based team and have anyone of a Big Three go-to guys WHEN we need them, defense Coach Tom T. and the rest of the green disrupted Lebron James who is bigger and stronger than Kobe and Phil Jackson, per my father, is an amazing coach as long as he has Jordan and Pippen or Shaq and Kobe.  Moreover, Jackson, at this point in his career, appears to lack Doc Rivers’ heart, too. For me, he was all too casual, joking and smiling, in his interview during the pre-fourth quarter break of game four.   Doc, who I have not been afraid to criticize, has made creative and excellent substitutions. Like his team, he has improved as the season has transpired. 

My first day at Access was exciting.
 

I spent it in Chicago on the bus on the “Access Across America Tour.”

 

What a great way to kick off my first day with all the excitement surrounding the tour and my move to NBC.

 
I remember Billy saying, “We are gonna show you how we do it here at Access,” and we all met up for dinner at Ballo where I realized this show was more than just a show, it was a family and I was the newest member -- even the limo driver was invited to attend.
 

It’s 11am here and I have completed my interviews with Cate Edwards and the Romney boys. It’s been a hectic pace up until now with long days and much travel. The interviews not only afforded us the chance to speak with potential future first family members but also allowed for the opportunity to experience life on the campaign trail.
 
We interviewed Cate back in South Carolina where she was speaking at an AIDS rally. My producer and I were quite impressed. We both remarked that if you didn’t know it, you might have thought Cate were a candidate herself. She was incredibly well-versed on her father’s policies and his track record. However, her own views, particularly on gay marriage, and the fact that she has her own set of beliefs while supporting her father so ardently, are what made her truly impressive. On the subject of gay marriage, we discussed her and her father’s differing views. Cate supports gay marriage and is continuing discussions with him in the hopes of altering his stance.
 
Cate said her father taught her and her siblings to be appreciative of everything they have. He continually stressed that they as a family, and as individuals, were blessed and extremely fortunate. As a result, he told them they should always give back to the community, and I believe Cate is and will continue to do so. 
 
She studied politics and is a second year Harvard law student. Though she has no plans to ever run for office, she says she could never learn in the classroom what she has learned on the campaign trail. Campaigning since the year 2000, she may have the most experience on this level, second only to Chelsea Clinton.
 
This school year, Cate opted to take a lighter class load at Harvard in order to participate more in this election than she did in her father’s previous run. Campaigning for one election is grueling enough: a twenty four-seven schedule where sleep and food are luxuries and your every move is scrutinized. Now imagine doing this for years - as many of these children have. Yet, Cate seems to somehow handle it all with grace. She did mention that having such vast campaign experience has made this year’s effort more routine and therefore, easier in terms of execution and even much more fun.

I flew from NY, having finished my duties on the "Today" show Wednesday, to Columbia, South Carolina in order to interview Sarah Huckabee and Meghan McCain. I had been efforting the candidates’ kids for a few weeks and finally on Monday night I started getting responses, which I am very happy about.

I sat with Sarah Huckabee in the boardroom of the Courtyard Marriott. They took over this conference room as a mini headquarters of sorts for her, her brother David and a few staffers to work from. She has been on a 36-hour bender and was definitely tired, but she managed to give us a lot of time.

The candidates’ kids have been very visible in this campaign, more so than we’ve ever seen and all in very different roles. With Sarah and Meghan for example - Sarah is the national field director for her dad’s campaign and Meghan chose a less official role - she started a blog to document her journey for those curious about the process. Both have chosen very public roles unlike the more silent role of Chelsea Clinton.

Why? I think we live in a time where there is unprecedented access to information - via the Internet and sites like YouTube and MySpace. In this particular campaign, that access is helping to connect these candidates with the masses, and the younger voters in particular. It humanizes them to see their real moments and to see that their kids are just like us. The young people relate to the kids and thereby connect with the parent much more than ever before, which may be the reason why so many young people seem to be more interested and engaged in this race than previous races.