My Congressman, Lane Evans, had his office contact my husband to invite us to a cookout in the backyard of one of his staffers. Even though it was 90 miles away, we decided to attend. There were pols from the Rock Island Democratic party, but we were the only ones from our county, Fulton. I'd say there were about 50 people there. Lane introduced us to Barack. He was in the Illinois State senate and we'd never heard of him before. We were curious and wondered why a Congressman from an area of Illinois dubbed Forgottonia would back a Chicago Democrat. When Barack shook my hand and looked in my eyes, I could see his soul. He actually listened to me and truly seemed interested in my opinion. I asked him about gun control because I live in an area where hunting is big business and gun ownership is an important right for most folks. I didn't record the exact date, but, I will remember the evening for the rest of my life. That evening began our efforts to get him elected Senator from Illinois. We followed him all over the state.
His campaign would call us and tell us where and when he would be speaking and we would take off to see him again. Every time, he was the same caring, listening, sincere person that I'd met that first evening in Moline. During the summer of 2004, we probably went to a dozen campaign events, including his birthday party in the south of Chicago. It was there that I heard him speak to a predominately Black crowd. Although the cadence of his presentation was more like church, his message was the same. He was in this for the people and he knew how to articulate their needs and wants.
Later, after he was in Washington, D.C., my husband and I visited friends in Virginia and we were able to attend a constituent coffee that Barack and Dick Durbin hosted. Now, it was two years since we'd seen him. But, Barack didn't forget. No sir, he pointed out my hubby and told the crowd, "There's my guy, He's been with me since I started my run for Senate." After Barack and Durbin addressed the gathering, we were escorted up to the front and had our photo taken with both of them.
What a time it was! When we heard him speak at the Democratic Convention, we knew that one day he'd be our President. Now, I am praying that our country re-elects Barack Obama. He is the real deal.