This is an entertaining story that someone posted on my site that I thought some may get a kick out of here.
http://www.politicalgroove.com/election-center-2008/4550-my-monday-obama.htmlI woke up Monday with a curious feeling. Other than being sleep deprived, that is. The curious feeling Monday was a feeling of, well, I guess I'll see what all the fuss is about.
Monday, you see, Barack Obama came to town.
My brother picked me up and we left for the UC Campus at ten thirty. The website said the doors open at noon, and the place holds quite a few people, so we figured we'd be alright. I threw on my old hooded jacket, since the weatherman said forties were in the forecast, but I didn't realize he meant he'd be drinking after his report was over.
We get there easily enough, after a bit of roundabouting on a few of Cincinnati's well thought out one way road system, and park at a self serve parking garage around the corner.
Okay, now the trek. Damn...It sure doesn't feel like the forties...
A nice old lady asks us a question about paying for said self serve parking, so I gladly help her out. She's a little worried about the ice, so, once more, I gladly help her out. We start walking up the road, but down a hill, and are soon flocked by three little old ladies looking for strong arms and someone on first (or second, who's counting?) legs to help them not break a hip. We all make it to UC in one piece, and the happy little old ladies go their separate ways.
Wow...That is one hell of a line...Walking, walking, walking...See the end yet? No? Well, hell, man.
Walking, walking, walking....There it is.
The line wound around UC, down the street towards the field, out the side entrance, around the corner, and up the hill. Maybe a three minute walk from where we parked. That three minutes turned into a ten minute walk, what with all the winding, and a rather long wait.
12:00 pm.....
Hey! We're moving! Oh...wait...nope. We ain't moving. Oh, yeah we are! Oh...ten feet.
12:30
I am now officially freezing my little ass off. We can see the main doors now, so, hey, smooth sailing.
12:45
I need warmth. I walk my happy ass up the hill and around the corner to a BP gas station. One coffee, three hot cocoas. Yes, only me and my brother went, but damned it I'd let ALL of us be bitterly cold. Two people were going to be happy. If they don't run screaming for the hills when I ask, "Hey, man, want a hot cocoa?"
When I got back to my brother, the line had moved another ten feet. I asked an older black woman and her husband if they'd like a cup. She says, no, she doesn't care for coffee. I tell her it's hot cocoa and she says, "Oh, I'll take that!" And snatches it up. I was tickled for about twenty minutes. That made me giggle. I admit it.
I asked a younger girl if she wanted one and she declined. A guy next to her said he'd take it if I'm giving the cocoa away. So, being a nice guy, the dude, not the cute chick, unfortunately, got the cocoa. But he was cool enough. The little gaggle of about ten people we ended up in line with were good people. Hell, all the people there seemed like good people. But man, am I cold.
"Obama buttons!"
I yell out "Get me some Obama gloves! I need handwarmers I can believe in! Yes we can make it happen!" He doesn't make it happen, but I get a chuckle from the crowd. The warmth of laughter versus the warmth of gloves...This time? Gloves win.
1:00
Obama is supposed to arrive soon. Thankfully, Presidential candidates, like divas, are always fashionably late.
1:10
A guy, apparently a prof at UC walks out. As he passes us he says, "Hillary likes you all!" I tell him, "If Hillary likes us, either have her send us a couple barrels we can light on fire, or keep moving, man."
More laughs, no barrels. Damn I'm cold.
1:25
We make it to within 300 feet of the main entrance. Apparently they had one door open and everyone had to go through metal detectors. So, being cold and needing to use the restroom I walk in the side door and find the facilities. You don't but coffee folks, you rent it.
I make my way to the door to see my brother flailing his arms. I run out. "They opened up these doors over here. Come on, dude, we gotta hurry."
Two damn hours in line and once the dudes opened the side doors for entry, the line moved a mile a minute. But we did get our seats.
1:45
It is electric.
People are chanting "Oh-bah-muh! Oh-bah-muh!" "Yes we can!" and "We need change!"
During those moments I can't help but agree with them all.
Mallory walks out to thunderous applause. He's an alright cat, I guess. He spoke at my graduation and I gave the dude a business card, but no call. I wonder, for a moment, "If I yell out, Mallory! Why didn't you call me? A: Would he remember me (I think he would. Have you seen my pic? Wild, man.) and B: Would I get my ass tazed?"
I don't want a repeat of Don't Tase Me Bro! So I let it go.
He endorses Obama, and the place erupts.
Finally, here comes the man of the hour, Barack Obama. He looks taller than he does on tv. And for ten minutes straight, the place is deafening.
He might repeat his message of hope, change, and healthcare, but damned if old doesn't seem new again. He might just repeat those words a lot, but when he speaks them to you live, you can't help but feel like he's saying it for the first time.
He speaks of bringing jobs back to the city. Which I agree should be a priority. He speaks on how he would work the tax cuts and rollbacks on the wealthiest of America. During this time of a very shaky economy and the cost of the war so damn high, again, I agree with him.
The main thing I notice though, is that people genuinely like this cat. He is a very amiable guy. Seemed damn caring, too. When a lady in the little "mosh pit o'press and groupies" faints, he calls for an emt, some water or orange juice, and a chair. He stopped talking. He actually stopped talking. I never thought I'd see a day when a candidate in the middle of a verbal roll would stop everything until a fainting woman is taken care of.
I know a lot of people say Barack doesn't have the experience for the office. They may say he's all talk. They may say he's preaching ideas and not talking facts. When all is said and done, hell, they may be right. But you know what?
We need someone not jaded by years in the system. We need someone who believes in big ideas. We need a "talker". Someone who can converse with the "enemy" and not just push a button or make a call to go bomb brown people. We need someone who believes in the idea of America and believes in him/herself.
Some McCain and Clinton supporters might be thinking I was out in the cold too long and am unwell. You're right. I gotta fever. And the only cure is
Obama '08
As me and my brother are leaving, turning down the street in his car, I see the little old lady who took the cocoa again. I wave, she waves back. And yes, I giggled again.
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