OBAMA-RAMA!

[Blogger's note: This is my 250th post! I am pleased to present a mega-post of an exciting event with tons of pictures for your viewing pleasure.]

The rumors were flying on Wednesday when the student newspaper reported that Barack Obama was planning a trip through Indiana, including a yet-to-be-determined stop in Bloomington. I called everybody I knew and I couldn't find out any information. My friend Susie, who I work with at the School of Music, kept calling me to see if I knew anything. No details.

The email came around 3:30. "Friday: Barack Obama in Columbus - Please join Barack Obama at a Town Hall in Columbus, where he'll talk about his vision for bringing America together and creating the kind of change we can believe in."

I don't think I've ever been so anxious for 5 o'clock to come. After work, I drove an hour over to Columbus to try and get tickets.


After waiting about an hour in line at the Crump Theater behind two hyperactive toddlers, handing out my home-made buttons to people in line and the volunteers, I got to the window and got my two tickets.

Our boss had not been in the office on Wednesday, but Susie and I assumed that she would let us have the day off on Friday. Luckily, we were right! She knew how excited we both are about Obama, and there wasn't TOO much going on Friday.


Susie and I got up very early on Friday to make our road trip out to Columbus. The doors for the 11:30 event opened at 9:30, and we were there and in line by 8:30.


I brought one of my Obama books...just in case. You never know what opportunities might happen.

We had brought crossword puzzles and stuff to read but we ended up too excited to be bored. They finally opened the doors and we made our way through security, which was amazingly efficient, by the way.

Everyone filed in and was seated in rows in the bleachers - no running to get the best seats in the front row. :) The VIPs were clearly in the seats on the floor, and the seniors from the high school were sitting in the top bleachers.

We, by pure luck, ended up in the second row and had a great view of the podium.

OUR SEATS:

We hadn't been sitting down in the bleachers for even a minute when an Obama staffer or volunteer came up to us, and the two people next to us, and asked if we wouldn't mind giving up our seats...to go sit on the platform behind the podium. This was not a difficult decision.

The view from our new seats:

Of course, this put us directly in the TV shot. We were in the first raised row behind the podium and obviously, had a much better view.

Had I known I was going to be on MSNBC, I might have actually worn make-up for once.

We were giddy, we were so excited. We started calling people to watch for us on TV. Susie said she had always wondered how the people on TV ended up in those seats behind a candidate - and now it was us!

An Obama staffer came up and "briefed" the people sitting in our section. We had special rules to follow, because we were "the face of the campaign" for this event. We were supposed to try and look engaged and not distracted. No taking pictures once Obama was on stage. No cell phones. No trying to shake his hand as he came in or left - we were supposed to stay in our seats. This was the price to pay for having the good seats. So much for getting his autograph in my book.

During several boring introductions, we learned that we couldn't hear very well because the speakers were kind of muffled. We said the pledge of allegiance and then there was a prayer.

But then, suddenly, THERE HE WAS!!!

Susie got some great pictures. It was unbelievable. Susie said, "He looks just like he looks on TV!" I have been working so hard for him for months, only reading about these big events, and all of a sudden there I was, 20 feet away from Obama!

Susie couldn't resist trying to discreetly take a picture or two during the speech and questions. We had been worried that we would only see the back of Barack's head, but he used a cordless microphone and sort of did laps around the little stage. He looked right at us!

Can you see us? :) Several people have told me they saw us on TV. Apparently, we were even on "Hardball"!

You can see us in this video - don't we look serious?

It was great to hear him speak in person. I've read or heard his stump speech so many times now, that there wasn't anything too surprising. I was good and I didn't cry or faint. I only got teary-eyed once, when he talked about bringing people together over their differences in a respectful and productive manner.

Since it was a "Town Hall" style event, there was about a 45-minute session of questions. All of the high school kids wanted to ask questions, and I was afraid someone would ask something very stupid (boxers or briefs?) and that it would be on the news. But the high school kids actually asked the most interesting and thoughtful questions, I thought.

The Columbus Republic newspaper has some fun videos and pictures in their coverage of the event. Check out their multimedia gallery.

As he left, we ignored our staffer guy's instructions and all tried to lean over and shake Obama's hand, and I held out my book. I was about six inches away. So close!

And then he was gone.

A few minutes later, as people were starting to exit, one of Obama's aides walked by carrying a stack of books. I figured he was not peddling copies of "The Audacity of Hope," so he must be bringing them to get autographed. PLEASE TAKE MY BOOK! He wouldn't because my name wasn't in it. And I couldn't find a pen. And then he was gone too.

So Susie and I and the rest of the TV-stage people were waiting, like we were told, until everyone was gone before we could start leaving. And then, a DIFFERENT guy walked by carrying a stack of books - and I got him to take mine (now with my name scribbled in the front cover)!!!

About 10 minutes later, the books came back out. We had to show ID to prove the book belonged to you.

And here's mine:



There is actually even more to this story about Barack's visit to Indiana last Friday, but I will save that for next time.