Joe Biden joined Governor Chris Gregoire, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Congressman Jim McDermott, and Congressional Candidate Darcy Burner at a gathering in Tacoma Sunday afternoon.
The lines were extremely long and boisterous, it was warm in the sun splashed areas but definitely chilly in the shadows, and the sound systems refused to fully cooperate at a gathering to hear Joe Biden speak at an outdoor rally at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington Sunday afternoon. The crowd estimate was somewhere around 8,000 and the claim was made by some that this was Biden's largest turnout yet (I question that, but we went with it anyway).
Everyone entering the stadium was required to hold a ticket, with a detached stub which listed the attendees name and contact information. This stub was collected before we were allowed entrance into the venue. I did not fill out mine, in part because I plan to contribute my best but not by becoming part of a mailing list. I will continue to send Barack funds my way.
[A side note: I have spent the past three weekends standing on major intersections with my two Obama signs, decked out in my ball cap and navy blue OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT t-shirt. Over the next two weekends I will probably don my old Navy trenchcoat with Lieutenant bars on either shoulder, and hold up a VETERANS FOR OBAMA sign. The negative responses I have encountered have been exceptionally virulent: "assassinate the N###r," "Obama is the Anti-Christ," "Obama sucks the root," etc. I don't know whether I take greater pleasure in pissing off the McCainiacs or encouraging the Good Guys/Gals, but it's worth it.]
Cantwell, then Murrary, and finally Gregoire each had a few moments at the microphone before Biden strode out into the sunlight with a great deal of energy and many smiles, looking confident, yet determined.
As the crowd roared and waved, Biden announced he was temporarily suspending the name CHENEY STADIUM and rewording it OBAMA/BIDEN STADIUM. He then launched into a standard stump speech, and I do not believe he read from a teleprompter because of the power problems, but I could be wrong about that. 1/3 of the way through his remarks he grew very serious and quiet. You could hear a pin drop, as he talked about the needs of the middle class, and the abject failure of the Republicans to even talk about this fundamental subject in the campaign. Everyone listened very, very intently.
Biden has an exceptional ability with his cadence and his tendency to wind people into a frenzy at one point, and then calm everyone down to dead silence where he then leans into the mike and softly enumerates the "crimes" (my words, not his) of the opposition. Biden is in fact respectful of "my friend John McCain," but he still has the ability to hammer him silly.
Biden carefully noted the endorsement of Colin Powell in the middle of the speech, explaining how he and Powell had known each other for a very long time and he (Biden) was enormously respectful of Powell's career.
The event seemed very well organized. I did not care for the hour-long wait in line, but on the flip side the enthusiasm was tremendous, and the campaign shirts, buttons, and extraneous gear was fun to see.
One guy wore a T-shirt reading, "My Pit Bull is Smarter Than Sarah Palin," although I wanted to point out to him that the dog on his shirt was a bull dog, not a pit bull. Another guy's shirt read, "I'm Tommie the Baker and I'm Voting Obama," which was cute.
Biden closed with his obligatory caution about "taking nothing for granted," and a special shout-out to "you youngsters out there. We are depending on you." He also implored everyone to "get to work right now. There's plenty more to be done, in any way you can."
Then we all trudged back to our cars in the late sunlight, as the shadows lengthened and a mid-autumn chill descended on the stadium grounds.
I'm getting back to work for Obama next weekend.
Rod H.
Renton, WA