UPDATED Just Back from Dallas' First Obama Rally!

Hello, all:

I've just walked in from Dallas' first Obama rally, and am typing this as my eight-year-old and I are eating dinner and basking in the glow of the fun we had.

We've signed up to phone bank, we've signed up to provide some grub from time to time, and we've signed up to take a national volunteer in for the duration of the campaign.

In short, we're both PUMPED!

UPDATE: I awoke this morning to find this note from the campaign:

I have never been more proud of the ObamaDallas volunteers than tonight at the Gilley's event.  The campaign staffers said they have never seen anything like it.  Even when I teased them and said 'I'll bet you say that to all the grassroots girls' they said, no, we are absolutely in awe.  The support, the crowd, the readiness to get to work...they are just stunned. And, when I told them about you guys, it was another jaw-dropping experience for them. Very very soon, they'll harness your forces for the campaign. I can hardly wait...they ain't seen nothin' yet! All the best and much thanks...Molley Hanchey

I can't tell you how thrilled I am that, at the age of 44, I'm about to have my Democratic primary vote count for the first time in my entire voting lifetime.

Being able to support a candidate my eight-year-old is enthralled by, that I am inspired by, that my neighbors support with more than just another check is intoxicating.

We headed for Gilley's on Dallas' Lamar Street at 6 p.m. for an organizational event that was slated to begin at 6:30 -- and there were already 200 or so people there.

By the time we had met the traveling, national campaign staff; signed up for specific volunteer activities; listened to local Latino leaders explain why the Clinton campaign counts the Tex-Mex vote in its column at its peril; and hooped and hollered with kindred spirits, there were at
least 600 people in the room!

The national field director, who led Obama's field effort in South Carolina, said it was the biggest crowd they've ever drawn for an organizational meeting, and the crowd went wild.

I left energized, my kid left with a purloined button and a kid-crush on one of the traveling campaigners, and we both left believing yes, we can.

Yes, we can.

The Clintons take Texas and its delegates for granted at their peril.