Tuesday, January 15, 2008

My First Attendance to a Political Event

My friend Christene and I got there early and stood outside in the FREEZING cold weather for almost an hour. We were having a good time and joking that after this long of a wait his speech better be life altering. In line to listen to Obama were alot of people that reminded me of what I might see at a Volkswagen event. These were my kind of people. He brought out a pretty big crowd and we heard several volunteers say that they weren't expecting this many people. Could it be a sign of things to come ? I was kinda bummed to report David that there were no protesters. NOT a One!! As I stood there I began to wonder why any of us get excited about these political events at all. It is hard not to be a skeptic when it comes to all things political but then I guess if we all bowed out because of the negativity surrounding politics we would be in a world of hurt today? So we go, we listen, we vote, we hope for this person to be different than the last or we wish the last person could stay forever.
When we finally got in there were no seats in the bleachers left and so Christene and I had to see in the isle, on the steps, where people were trying to get in and out of their seats the whole time!!! This provided for very close quarters to a gentleman sitting at the end of a row and very close to my left. I know my sister Jen is going to say once again that I most like my mother in this way but I am going to have to say that one of the highlights of the whole event for me was talking, mostly listening to this man tell me about pretty much his whole life story. He is a Native American man about my parents age and the whole conversation started by him telling me that he was a political volunteer for Bobby Kennedy's campaign and was there the night he was shot. That night he threw in the towel on politics never to be involved again until NOW. What an amazing story and what a conversation. We talked about minorities, Jesus, politics, media, and I saw him begin to have a flicker of hope again as Obama was speaking.
The most impressive thing to me was that Obama did NOT make a bunch of promises that he couldn't keep. He did NOT bash on other politicians or even different political parties. He did NOT talk about things as though once he was in office the world's problems would be solved, he would bring about world peace and everything would be rosy. He did however, say that if we as the American people wanted something to change then we have the most power to do that. He put the responsibility of the future in our laps and said that he knew that it is within us and through us that true change will really come IF we want it WE have to do it. I liked that. I liked that he said he knew that there is something to the urgency of NOW. I think he quoted Martin Luther King Jr. on that one. I have to say I went as an incognito, registered republican, and a bit of a skeptic. I left feeling encouraged and like I had been to a church service. My hands were stinging and tingling from clapping so much in agreement to what he was saying. I am going to do some more research of course but from what I heard yesterday I am at least hopeful for a much needed change.

15 comments:

laura said...

very interesting... I am a registered Independent, so I am not sure if I can even vote in the caucus. If I could, I am still undecided. So maybe it will be easier for me to just wait until there are only 2 choices. I guess I have to start prioritizing the issues. But I know that we definitely want to keep our guns, so that pretty much nixes all democrats.

Erica said...

I'm going to try to make the caucus this Saturday. Kinda've doubtful. The Obama's campaign called our house and let me know how I could vote democratic even as a registered republican. I'm still on the fence though

No(dot dot)el said...

laura- my friend that i went with found out that as an independent you couldn't vote at the caucus so lucky you, that makes it easy for ya until november.
erica- i not totally off the fence either. i have to remind myself over and over not to go with who i like for thier persona as much as what kind of real, true plan do they have for our country that might actually work.

Murdoc said...

If you think that the president actually has power you are misguided. I wish we could vote on the secret group of devil worshipping freemasons that control not only the president, but the entire government.

TimmyMac said...

But, Murdoc, we can vote on them . . . you've just got to be in the club . . . didn't you get the memo?

Jeni said...

I wish I had been there! And I am voting (shhhhhh as a democrat!) in the caucus... :)

laura said...

just an fyi, one of our precinct officials told me last night that you can change party affiliations at the caucus. So, I think I will go.
Ben- I just watched a documentary last night that was eerily similar to your statements.

Murdoc said...

My grandfather was a freemason.

digapigmy said...

you can register as a democrat to vote in the caucus at the door (not so for the republican caucus).

i have thoughts about changing from libertarian to democrat for a day just to sabotage by voting for the most unelectable moron possible. then i realize the democratic party has had no problem doing that on their own since the 60's.

No(dot dot)el said...

i just took a quiz through abc.com that matches you with a presidential hopeful by what you answer your questions with. the most appropriate canidate that stands the same on issues like you do. guess who i got? it wasn't barack either. IT WAS HILARLY!! hee hee hee.
ben you are a goon-bah!!!
jeni- me too
tim- hee hee hee
brent you are a goon-bah for being an emo blogger. get your blog back on already.

laura said...

re: caucus. I just talked to a precinct official and she said that they changed the "rules" last week. You can now register republican at the caucus. She gave me a registration form so that I can change my party affiliation.

Jen's World said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jen in Budapest said...

The essence of true government, that you can change your party affiliation at the door. We have so many freedoms.

Jen in Budapest said...

that would be a nightmare in Eastern Europe.

No(dot dot)el said...

laura- yes, i will be changing at the door this time as well. not that it really matters all that much or will change anything but it just makes me feel better.
jen- i love the freedom. it is a beautiful thing.

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