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I have not been able to attend any of the Kerry appearances in Dayton because of schedule conflicts, but I was bound and determined to see him at the airport last night. It was my LAST chance, before the most important election of my lifetime, and I was going to make the most of it.
Phantom DUer Gemdem and I got there around 9:30 (gathering time was 10). There weren't a whole lot of people there. Some were milling around the parking lot, and as I was walking around, I noticed a small line was forming by the gate leading out to the tarmac. It turned out it was a security check to let people in to the gated greeting area. We immediately got in queue and were able to find places right up front. We were NOT moving.
It was an extremely fun evening. I'll say it right now -- Kerry supporters are the BEST! Down-to-earth, genuinely good folks. We met a couple from Crawfordsville, Indiana, who came in Saturday to canvass. We met a retired schoolteacher with such an exquisite sense of humor it was contageous, and made the time pass that much more quickly. We met small kids who said that trick-or-treating was more fun than seeing John Kerry -- but they were jazzed too.
Kerry was about 45 minutes late getting in from Youngstown, but we all passed the time joking, exchanging election stories, and trying to guess what would happen next, as there were so many vans, sheriff's cars, klieg lights, advance staffers running around, you name it. It got to be comical after awhile because every twinkle in the sky, every plane we saw coming in, we assumed to be his. It was a little chilly and breezy, but the atmosphere was charged. By that time, the greeting area was packed. (I'm not a good crowd-guesser, but Gemdem thinks between 200-300 were there.)
Finally, he arrived, and I tell you, the sight of that huge plane turning the corner was about the most awesome thing I have ever seen. It stopped right in front of us. After about five or 10 minutes, he came out, wearing the yellow jacket, and looked genuinely surprised and touched that there were people there to greet him (of course there would be, John!). He came bounding down the steps, right over to where we were. He then went to the end of the barricade, and worked his way back around the line. He took his time, had something to say to EACH one of us, and took our hands in his and gave us an honest handshake. He looked at me and said, "God bless you." I was dumbstruck. I think I said something stupid like "Ohio's for you, sir." But what can you say when you meet someone who could very well be the president-elect in four more days? I think that thought struck home with many of us -- some were moved almost to the point of tears.
In that short span of time, it was clear that John Kerry is truly the real deal. He took his time with us last night, after what I am sure was a very long day at the end of a very grueling campaign; around midnight at the beginning of another very long day in a very grueling campaign. Even though it was for less than a minute, I feel humbled and honored to have met such a man. It made me wish that I had been able to do more for him here -- but I've done what I can, and I know he appreciates it. I will do him the ultimate honor on Tuesday when I cast my vote for him -- the first such presidential vote that I can say I will cast without reservation and with great pride.
Not that I was unconvinced before, but I left the airport last night sure that the United States -- and the world -- deserves and needs a leader such as John Kerry.
It was an awesome night. He is an awesome man.
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