HATFIELD – The President doesn’t always visit toy factories- but when he does, he comes to Hatfield to play with K’NEX.

Actually, President Obama didn’t play with K’NEX, but on Friday he did tour the factory that these colorful constructive toys are made in. And lots of secret service agents accompanied him.

As soon as I pulled up to the designated parking lot for the media, I saw a Hatfield police officer, and standing next to him, a secret service agent. I could tell he was a secret service agent because he looked like someone straight out of Men in Black– he was wearing a long black trench coat and dark sunglasses, and had an earpiece running from inside his jacket to his ear.

After parking the car, I started walking to the Rodon Group building. On the way, I spotted other secret service agents with a German Shepherd, who was busily sniffing the inside of a car’s open hood. Deeming the vehicle safe, he then moved on to a truck parked in front of the car and thoroughly smelled this vehicle also.

I ran in to more hard-working canines while giving my name at the media check-in desk. I was instructed to lay all of my camera equipment and belongings on the floor so another secret service dog could smell it as a secret service agent scanned me with a metal-detecting wand.

President Obama gave his speech in a room filled with dozens of factory machines that regularly churn out piles of K’NEX pieces, Lincoln Logs, and Tinkertoys. Decorative K’NEX constructions such as ferris wheels, a grandfather clock, and an American Flag, which, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, was made out of 49,000 K’NEX pieces, were set up throughout the room.

Reporters were scattered everywhere; some were lounging back at the designated media table, others wandered around looking for someone important to quote, and photographers snapped pictures of the scene.

The Rodon Group Company’s staff and Washington politicians sat in chairs that wrapped around the edges of Mr. Obama’s podium. Michael Araten, The CEO of the Rodon Group gave a small speech at around 10:30, and when he was finished speaking, announced that President Obama would arrive in about an hour. That’s when the anticipation began.

The clock read 11:30, and a monotone voice came over a loud speaker, instructing everyone to please take their seats. Then another announcement sounded, this time instructing everyone to please silence all electronic devices. Ironically, about twenty photographers/reporters turned their cameras on at that time to prepare for the President’s entrance, making various whirring noises.

But it didn’t matter how loud the cameras were, because President Obama didn’t walk through the heavy silver door at the side of the room until about a half hour later, when sudden and loud presidential music burst into the room with him.

Everyone jumped out of their seats, and the air was filled with cheers and continuous clicking of cameras until the President began his speech. The sound of pens scratching against paper replaced the noisy cameras as President Obama talked about middle class tax cuts and the looming fiscal cliff.

After his speech, President Obama went around the room shaking people’s hands. Regardless of political affiliation, everyone at the event was excited to just be near the President of the United States. A certain aura surrounds such important political figures. Maybe it’s their immense power, their ability to inspire with words, or their great achievements that speak for themselves. Whatever it is, my stomach performed some pretty impressive somersaults when he entered that building.