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Vice President breaks-up racquetball match

By Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Jones, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published April 08, 2009

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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- When Air Force Two landed here April 1, Johnnie Webster and Staff Sgt. William Rudoff weren't sure they'd get a chance to see--let alone meet--the Vice President.

Neither of the two 4th Communications Squadron members were able to make it to the flightline as Vice President Joe Biden stepped off the aircraft, waved and was quickly whisked away by his motorcade for destinations in eastern North Carolina.

As the day wore on and Mr. Biden remained away from base, Sergeant Rudoff and his supervisor Johnnie Webster decided their opportunity to see one of their nation's leaders had passed. The two went about the rest of their day like any other Wednesday and headed to the fitness center for physical training.

"I was thinking there's no way I'm going to get to meet him," Sergeant Rudoff said.

When Sergeant Rudoff tried to park near the fitness center, he was redirected by a 4th Security Forces Squadron Airman. He knew something was going on, but he wasn't sure until he saw Mr. Biden's motorcade roll by. He followed the entourage of Secret Service agents and base VIPs into the fitness center, but Sergeant Rudoff remained doubtful he'd cross paths with the Vice President.

"I was just there to play racquetball,'" Sergeant Rudoff said.

Mr. Webster and Sergeant Rudoff began to play racquetball as the Vice President toured the facility, meeting with Airmen and families along the way. After approximately 45 minutes, the racquetball players assumed the Vice President had departed.

But a quick look behind them revealed otherwise.

They watched through the racquetball court's plexiglass window a as parade of suited Secret Service agents strolled down the fitness center's main hall.
Maybe Sergeant Rudoff would be lucky enough to catch a glimpse after all.

They waited, and when Mr. Biden passed by the window, they waved.

When the Vice President peeked into the court and greeted the players, Sergeant Rudoff said he was star-struck.

"It caught me off-guard," he said.

Mr. Webster jokingly invited Mr. Biden to get a racquet and join them. While he didn't get a racquet, he did join them.

"He just popped his head in and started shooting the breeze," said Mr. Webster.

The Vice President started the encounter by recounting a racquetball story from his early days in the Senate. While running for the 1988 democratic presidential nomination, he was challenged by a woman to a racquetball match. Though he didn't know it at the time, the woman was a racquetball pro and soundly defeated him.

Behind the closed doors of the racquetball court, away from his entourage and base VIPs, Mr. Biden talked to the Airmen like one of the guys. His relaxed, informal delivery had the communications squadron Airmen laughing throughout.

"It was unscripted, unedited," Sergeant Rudoff said. "It was amazing to me to see how down to earth he was."

Mr. Webster said the Vice President didn't talk about politics or global affairs. He mostly told funny sports stories.

"I didn't know he was that funny," Mr. Webster said.

Mr. Biden bid farewell after nearly 15 minutes of joking and laughing, but he didn't leave without making a big impression on the Airmen.

As a result of following politics throughout his Air Force career, Mr. Webster said he had been familiar with Mr. Biden for a number of years. Mr. Webster said he had always respected Mr. Biden's working-class roots, but was even more impressed with him after their meeting.

"He's the kind of guy I could see rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty," Mr. Webster said. "He's old school, and I mean that in a good way."

Sergeant Rudoff was less familiar with the Vice President, but said he found him very engaging.

"He is one of those guys who you could sit on the front porch with and listen to his stories all day," he said. "You could be entertained for hours on end."

Both men said the informal meeting with the Vice President provided a major morale boost, and that there was a sense of pride knowing someone so high in the chain-of-command could be so personable and genuine.

After the chance encounter, the Airmen contacted friends and family members to relay their story.

Sergeant Rudoff said, "Since it was Aprils Fool's Day, no one believed me!"

He needed photos to prove to his friends that he caught much more than a glimpse of the Vice President of the United States.

"It wasn't the fact that I met him, it was the way it happened," Sergeant Rudoff said. "I met Joe Biden in the most peculiar way."
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