President Bill Clinton visited WJAR Studios 30 years ago for '10 Town Meeting'

CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — As WJAR celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, we take a closer look at a historic television event that happened 30 years ago Thursday.

A sitting president visited the NBC 10 studios in Cranston to engage with you, our viewers, on live TV.

In little before seen footage and interviews, we go behind the scenes of that visit May 9, 1994.

Air Force One touched down to a waiting crowd at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick.

President Bill Clinton emerged from the plane, greeted on the ground by then Gov. Bruce Sundlun, Sen. Claiborne Pell, and Warwick Mayor Lincoln Chafee, among others.

The media was out in full force too, as was the crowd, which lined both sides of Airport Road and cheered.

The presidential motorcade arrived at our Channel 10 studios in Cranston. Clinton entered the building with then congressman, now Rhode Island's senior senator, Jack Reed.

A large crowd followed suit, and once inside, the "10 Town Meeting" began.

It took place in the studio where today we do our newscasts every day, transformed then into a setting fit for a president.

Our anchor team at the time, Doug White and Ginger Casey, shared hosting duties, taking questions from the audience assembled.

After the town meeting ended, the president stuck around for handshaking, picture taking, and even some one-on-one Q&A.

"We passed family leave. We passed the Brady bill. We're going to pass the crime bill. We're going to pass the welfare reform bill. I'm doing what I got hired to do, and that's turn the country around," he said in one conversation.

Sound familiar? Even three decades ago, the president spoke with a 9-year-old concerned about guns and violence in schools.

"Get the guns out of the hands of younger people," the child said.

As far as we know, the president stuck around to talk to everyone who had something to say to him.

Afterward, NBC 10's Gene Valicenti pulled back the curtain a bit to give viewers a look at what went into hosting the president -- the state troopers, the Secret Service, the set-up.

"You put the makeup on the President, it's not every day you get to make up the President of the United States," said the makeup artist.

There were souvenirs for staffers like former consumer reporter Mary Maguire.

"It is spun sugar, but there's nothing inside it," Mary said, admiring a fancy creation.

And apparently the food was good.

"These pastries are just so delectable," said Kenny Aubuchon, a member of the technical crew. "I'm at a loss for words."

It was a lot to digest from a whirlwind visit from a sitting president.

"I was a little nervous, but I had the chance to meet him backstage, and he shook my hand and he said, 'Hi. How are you? It's going to be all right,'" Doug said.

And it was.

As night fell, President Clinton made his way out to his limo and back to T.F. Green Airport for a few more departing handshakes to put the wraps on his historic visit to WJAR.