About two hours before Pope Benedict XVI arrived at the White House, there was a flurry of activity and long lines waiting to get into the presidential compound.

There were more TV crews and reporters on "Pebble Beach," the standup area on the North Lawn, than I've seen in a year of covering President Bush.

And then in the driveway on the north side of the West Wing, where the press come and go to and from their work area, a group of Catholic cardinals from around the U.S. were waiting to be ushered onto the South Lawn, surrounded by people taking their picture wondering who they were.

And the place was awash with journalists. When I got to my desk near the back of the White House press corps work space, Matt Lauer and Tim Russert were huddled next to the NBC booth. Below you'll see mostly photographers waiting in two different spots, waiting to be allowed onto the South Lawn to set up for the best possible shot.

— Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times