We went to the Obama Rally in Detroit (Barack City) yesterday. We, being myself, my son, and my nephew.
My pictures, taken with my phone, did not turn out well at all, especially not compared to the other pics I've seen of the event. In lieu of posting my poor quality pics, here is a link that has the pictures I was trying (hoping) to get
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/17/04858/7876/891/537112We got there early, around 2pm and got in line - there were probably 200 people ahead of us. The weather was good, sunny with a nice breeze. We were directly across the street from the press entrance, and we watched with interest as the press buses arrived, but didn't see anyone we knew. We had brought a picnic with us, and snacked as we watched the crowd grow. It was a constant stream of people and eventually the line grew beyond where we could see the end. I'm not good at estimating, but Obama mentioned 21K or 22K in the stadium, and I heard someone say the overflow had been taken to Cobo Hall. I don't know.
When we got inside - and this is my only complaint about the whole day - they were only letting people in to a couple sections of the arena. The invitation said "First come, first seated" and for as early as we got there and as long as we waited, we should have been allowed on the floor or not been told that the most desirable seating in the sections we were allowed in had "reserved seats." We ended up in okay seats, but not very near the stage. We were behind the press area but on the correct side of the press stage, so our view, distant as it was, was not obstructed.
Again, we settled in and watched the crowd grow. The arena was filled to the rafters. There was only one area, behind the press platform that did not fill completely - but there were some latecomers that took a good portion of even those seats.
While we waited for things to begin, the big screens in the center of the arena flashed "Detroit, Barack City." The crowd cheered wildly.
Some guy was introduced and came out on stage and the crowd again cheered wildly. I was looking at my son and nephew like "who is that?" They were shrugging too. It is, perhaps, apparent that my son and I are political junquies of the worst kind, as we recognized Richard Wolf from a great distance, but had no idea who Chauncy Billups is (I have since learned that he is a sports guy - basketball, I think).
Jennifer Granholm, our fine Governor soon took the stage. She was firing up the crowd very successfully until she ... well, everyone already knows about this - she took off her shoe and talked about high heels carrying a lot of weight. We were confused en masse. Then she mentioned Hillary Clinton to groans and boos from the crowd. I clapped, and gave my son and nephew a look like "if you dare..." and they refrained from making any negative noises, if they had considered doing so (which I do not think they did). She tried to pull everyone back, but her speech was kind of flat after that. (Obama took the crowd to task for it later, and had the crowd cheering Hillary.)
Al Gore and Barack Obama were introduced and came on stage together. I knew that Al Gore was going to be there because my Mother had called me when we were still in line and said she'd heard on TV that he was going to be endorsing Obama. I told her to go online and confirm that he was endorsing in Detroit. She called me back about 20 minutes later and said that none of her usual blogs had anything about it, but that she had come to DU (which she usually finds confusing) and DU was the only place she could find it. SHOUT OUT to DUer Pirate Smile- my Mom read your LBN post to me over the phone, confirming that Al Gore was going to be at the rally I was just then standing in line to see. My cup over-ran.
Al Gore received the longest and loudest cheering of the night. I know many think that his endorsement is too late, and without meaning, but I don't think the people who crowded into the Joe Louis Arena last night feel that way. The response when he took the podium was deafening. The first several times the applause and cheering started to subside, he would start to speak and everyone just started clapping and cheering the louder. Myself very much included. It was indescribably wonderful to see him.
He was fantastic! Even our pets know that elections matter! He was alternately critical of *bush and praising Obama, much to the delight, and enthusiastic response of the crowd. Serious, humorous, earnest, and sincere, Al Gore, a worthy endorser, gave a worthy endorsement to our nominee.
And then Barack! It was apparent that he veered off of his planned speech a couple of times. He straightened us out about Hillary Clinton, and had more good things to say about Gore than he perhaps initially intended. He comes to Michigan with a message that we in this state do not necessarily want to hear - we are never going to have a booming economy again by producing gas-guzzling automobiles. His emphasis on global warming and the responsibility we all have to take on aroused nothing but cheers from the audience. Barack Obama is TEH AWESOME (for lack of a better or more descriptive phrase). I cannot recall how many times during his speech we all stood up to chant "Yes we CAN." I wonder if he gets tired of hearing it? It seems Detroit, Barack City does not tire of saying it.
Al Gore, my old love (and I mean "love" in the purest political way)... *sigh* ... I've spent years anticipating the Gore presidency. I liked Bill Clinton well enough, but all through his 8 years in office, I was waiting for Al Gore. If ever a man was born to be president, that man would be Al Gore. And I hoped he would run in '04 and fulfill his destiny. '08 I knew he wasn't going to run, but still hoped he might.
Last night was great. I got to fall in love with Al Gore all over again, and fall truly in love (and I mean "love" in the purest political way) with Barack Obama. I've been an Obama supporter for quite some time, but after hearing and seeing him (and getting Al Gore's permission ;-) ), I am fired up and ready to go.
Tomorrow I am going to take the steps necessary to change my voter affiliation from Independent to Democrat.
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