Last Thursday, I had planned to attend a pre-debate rally for Barack Obama, but as it turned out, game seven of the NLCS kept me at home in front of the television. The next night, trying to get that Astros loss out of my system, I went to an announced rally with Barack way out on the West side, with nothing but a mapquest print-out and a lousy sense of direction.
Turned out, the rally was at a church, on the way to which I met a little kid who asked me if I was going to see "That Obama." I said I was, and I told him he should go, because Obama could be president one day. The kid's eyes grew wide and he said, "That's what I told my mom!" I told him he should go, if his mom said it was okay (I guess she did, because I did see him there). Upon going into the church I was handed a button that said "African-Americans for Kerry/Edwards" (I am the whitest Irish/Norweigan girl you'll ever see). I giggled and the woman who'd handed me the button broke out into hearty laughter and put her arm around my back and squeezed my shoulder.
The energy inside the church was unbelievable. I was early, but the place was already packed. Rows and rows of people with buttons and homemade Obama signs, all singing and clapping and anxiously watching the door.
There were ten or twelve local elected officials who spoke, all of whom talked about the importance of voting and voting democratic. After each statement, the crowd hooted and hollered. These people were EXCITED about voting, not only for Barack, but for John Kerry as well. I was in heaven.
What is it about Barack Obama that inspires a standing room only crowd to get this excited about voting -- something less than 50% of Americans have been doing in recent elections? What is it about him that inspires these people to get involved in the process, and really put their hearts into it?
He was introduced, to my delight, by Dick Durbin, and when Barack took the podium, the applause was nearly deafening. He gave a rousing speech, and the room was buzzing.
This was something I needed to do. I needed to get out of my Wicker Park/Rock show niche and go somewhere new. What I found was that we are going to win this election. We are going to win because of people like Barack Obama (though he may be one in a billion), and churches like this, people like this. I know there are hundreds of groups like the one I witnessed last Friday, who are working and doing all they can to both get out the vote, and get it out for John Kerry.