Just got back from the convention center in downtown Albuquerque and thought I would jot down a quick diary...will try and add some photos later, but they are from a distance and with my iPhone...so we will see how that goes...but first:
Well it actually worked out quite great. But it didn't seem like it at first. The line to get into the convention center went all the way around the block...and that was at 12:30, the doors opened at 11:30. But some of the nice young volunteers went around saying not to worry, that we would all get in....I doubted it, but held out hope.
Senator Obama was to talk at 1:15 or 1:30. The line was moving slowly. At one point I could see through a window that people were on the second floor of the Convention Center going through metal detectors...My thought, "Oh, this is going to take a long time." Also, I rode my scooter to the Convention Center from work and was in my riding gear and carrying my helmet...My thought, "Oh, they are never going to let me in carrying a helmet." But I held out hope.
I get to within sight of the entrance when the line starts moving very fast...I thought this was a great sign, it was not. The Conference Center was full and the Fire Marshall wouldn't let anybody else in. We were directed to the Plaza across the street. This turned out, surprisingly, to be a good thing.
There are now a few hundred people in the plaza and we are told by a gentleman with a megaphone that Senator Obama would be speaking to us before going inside. And then he introduced "The Next President of the United States...Barack Obama"...and just like that the Senator was on stage.
He was up on stage with the megaphone under his arm and talking into a hand piece. He had a great line of, "Now this is Old School" about using the megaphone. There was no microphone or speakers set up as the crowd size for 1 pm on a Friday kinda caught everybody by surprise, and sadly the megaphone was not very good and squeaked a lot. The handlers tried to fix it, but finally Obama just said, "I don't need a microphone," and finished his speech to us just talking louder. The good of this is that it felt even more personal and he got to walk the stage, addressing the whole crowd. The bad of this is that he said he couldn't talk long at this "loud" level or it would kill his voice for the speeches ahead...and that he had many more speeches to make in the days ahead.
Still he talked for about 10 minutes and then (and I really thought this was funny) he moved from the stage to shake every bodies hand that was along the barricade. Why this is funny is that he went to the far side of the stage away from the secret service guys and you can tell it surprised them....they didn't start running over, but they did do a very fast walk-trot to get over to the Senator. He then went the whole way from the far side of the stage back to the street shaking hands....it was great. When i saw what he was doing I went to the end by the street and waited my turn.
Now when he was about halfway through the crowd other people figured out what that he was moving all the way shaking hands and ran over to where I was. By the time Senator Obama got to me and shook my hand, the mass of people behind me almost pushed me right into the Senator...he even said, "Whoa, watch the pushing," which I appreciated because I actually had the concern that I would be pushed through the flimsy barricade and into a bear hug with the Senator...and the Secret Service guys would "harm" me....here I was still holding my helmet, wearing bulky winter riding clothes and being pushed headfirst into the Senator...it would have be "unpleasant."
Still, It was a great afternoon...Yes, I didn't get to see his whole speech. But I did get to see him up close, did get to shake his hand, did get to see him in a probably more relaxed manner. I've seen his speeches on u-Tube and his site and on the web...It is much better in person, but 10 minutes out in the beautiful New Mexico sun without having to wait in a cramped, over crowded conference center is probably a bonus...
I wish the organizers had planned his whole visit to be in the Plaza instead of the Convention Center...the Plaza would have held everyone. But you probably can't count on the weather (it was beautiful and sunny and warm.
Observations...
A wide range to the crowd...but a lot of young people and young people you wouldn't normally see...a vary varied crowd....I really hope the young people vote, and it is great to see them "caring" and getting involved.
I heard a group of woman, mostly older, talking about how they really wanted to vote for a woman (I echo that as I was raised by my mom, have a wonderful wife and two amazing daughters...a woman president in my lifetime is a "Must"), but that they couldn't for various reasons...take that with a certain grain of salt as one of them said, "If it was Condi I would vote for her"...I gagged at that...but felt better as the others in the group gagged at it too and yelled at her a bit.
I saw young and old, punk (!) and yuppie, Latino and Native American and Asian and White and Black...Honestly, though still very much the minority of the crowd, it was the most Black people I've seen in Albuquerque...our population is only 1 or 2 percent Black. It was great to see.
The Senator really does have a presence...He is calm and strong and deliberate...almost...grrr, regal....not sure that is the right word...Presidential might be better...I see him growing into this role...
All in All...a great afternoon....and I got to shake his freakin' hand!!
g
ps...I will vote on Tuesday for Senator Obama....I really really hope he wins the democratic primary. If not, I will gladly and proudly vote for Senator Clinton. I do have a few concerns, but I will gladly vote for either of these great and bright and strong candidates.
pss...i know some with be concerned about the Secret Service thing...and i guess i should be too...i grew up in the sixties, i know how it can be....but the Senator didn't seem concerned or worried...so i wasn't either...
EDIT: a horrid photo from my iPhone...usually take nice photos, but the going from very bright outside to the dark up on the stage, and the distance, it isn't very good...i have one from closer i will add...but i didn't take many up close as i was too busy shaking his hand (and holding my helmet...)
first is the whole shot, second is the close up of the same image to show the great use of the megaphone....it was beautiful weather...