DNC Blowout

For those who were waiting, here’s the rundown, though I doubt you’ll gain much in the way of new insight:

DH and I arrived at Mile High at around 2:00.  From there, we wandered a great deal, following throngs of people, hoping they knew where they were going.  (They did.)  Around our necks were “credentials” that had required on-line registration.  I had been told we absolutely would not be allowed inside without photo ID proving that the credentials were indeed the ones assigned to us.  It brought up thoughts of FBI background checks and Secret Service.  In the end, no IDs were required, but we were searched as thoroughly as if we were going through airport security.  In fact, the company that does Denver International Airport’s security ran the whole thing.

Then began the climb to section 524, which is to say the nosebleed seats on the north end of Mile High.  Although sections were reserved, seats were not, which was why we went so early.  We got seats together on the aisle.  Perfect.  From there, we could not see the Temple of Obama, but the speakers, even those who did not rate the podium up front, stood far enough out that we could see them in all their one centimeter tall glory.

Then again, I wasn’t there to partake of the theatrics.  I was there to witness the moment with 90,000 others.

It was hot, but that was no big deal.  Pretty quickly they brought out a bluegrass band, Cheryl Crow, several Iraq vets to speak, Stevie Wonder, local politicians—in general, there was plenty to listen to.  As the seats filled up, there were folks to talk to and to watch.  When I find the cable to download photos, I’ll try to post my bird’s eye view of the gathering crowd.

The speakers were very good.  I’m not sure which ones all of you saw, but they had a series of sort of “average Americans” talking about how the past disastrous 8 years had affected them, and they were all well spoken and engaging.  Al Gore was in top form on the environment.  Biden was looking gray-haired and affable, and he is clearly ready to fight the good fight.  I could fill pages and pages on all the speakers.  I thought the array of military leaders who spoke on the need to withdraw from Iraq were especially impressive.

In the stands, DH and I spoke with the couple in front of us, tut-tutting over the state of things these days, scoffing at McCain’s insistence that the economy is just fine, but also sharing our sense of hope and optimism.  Then I found out the husband was a teacher, and in exchanging where we taught, it turned out he knows one of my colleagues.  Small world.  The guy next to my husband was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican dragged there by his girlfriend.  He looked surly throughout.  DH leaned over and said, “You’ve got to admit—great theatrics”—to which the guy grumbled a grumpy response.  Another man in a McCain t-shirt traipsed back and forth to the bathroom or concessions stand, avoiding eye-contact.  Then, after Obama spoke, he came up and shook the hand of the fellow teacher I’d been talking to.  He didn’t say anything when he did it, just grabbed the fellow’s hand and shook.  Whether it was because my fellow teacher was black and the McCain guy wanted to show he wasn’t a racist or he was just entirely moved by Obama’s speech was unclear.

I have to say, I think Obama nailed that speech.  Now mind you, I could hardly see him when I looked down where he stood, but on the big video board, he just looked so presidential.  No, looks aren’t everything, but goodness it’s refreshing after 8 years of a guy who always looks a little like Alfred E. Neuman.  (“What?  Me, worry?”)

Actually, those who watched the event on TV probably heard more of it than I did.  Obama was often drowned out by a chanting, cheering, hollering crowd.  I admit, I did my share of all that.  Like DH said, it was like an old-time church revival.  My God, how could you not feel inspired?  How could you not feel anything is possible?  Forty-five years after MLK’s dream, we have a viable black candidate.  An outstanding candidate, regardless of color.

Parallels were drawn between Obama’s experience and Abraham Lincoln’s, which made a nice point.  Goodness knows, we’ve had a number of very good presidents with little of the experience that has suddenly become so “necessary.” Obama hit hard on McCain’s failure to understand what Americans are going through right now, and it was clear that people responded to that.  Talk of getting out of Iraq was also enthusiastically received.

The fireworks at the end were a great touch.  (That was the second time I cried, after the Pledge of Allegiance.  The Pledge?  I mean, I often cry during the National Anthem, but the Pledge?  It was just so cool to be there, and I was overtaken by it, for a moment.)

The bus going home was packed.  I was quite gratified to see a number of “Hillary supporters for Obama” buttons.  I think a lot of people have come to their senses and now realize that undermining everything Hillary has worked for is no way to honor her.  There was an unquestionable sense of solidarity.  Folks were happy, uplifted, cautiously optimistic.  Over us all, of course, hung the fact that Americans proved themselves to be stunningly stupid in 2004, and we’re all still trying to figure out how the polls can be so close this time.  

Why?  Why would anyone vote for McCain?  As two speakers (one of which was Obama) pointed out, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.  We tried trickle-down economics for twelve years, then again another eight.  Every time, it results in a recession.  Duh!  So we’ll do it some more and see if we can’t get a full-scale depression out of it?  Not to mention the whole, “support our troops, blow them up indefinitely” thing.

Yes, the conversations were animated.  In the end, it came down to this:  we are all praying that Americans snap out of their selfish, shallow phase.  We hope they stop buying lies and ridiculous syllogisms. At the same time, the statistics don’t look good right now.  I think a lot of people walked out of Mile High committed to keeping this country from making a terrible mistake, and they know it’s going to take more than hope and prayer to accomplish that.  It’s going to take feet on pavement, hands on phones, real action.  That’s why I’m signed up to go knocking on doors a week from tomorrow to do just that in my community.  

tags: barack obama  democratic nomination  obamas acceptance of nomination