This weekend was quite a big one for Austin...particularly if you are a democrat. Even if you aren't, you have to admit that something historic is about to happen to the political world that I have known all of my life. I remember the first political debate I had...it was in 1988, I was 10 at the time, and I had a very heated debate with a fellow 4th grader about gun control. Coming from a very small south Texas town, the people there love their guns, so debating with a kid whose dad hunted every winter in front of 20 other kids whose dad's were also hunters...i was the decided loser. My family were the democrats in a sea of republicans, and i wasn't going to be drowned out. I worked on young Democrat committees in college, but not to the extent I should have. I sent out information in 2004 to everyone in my e-mail list and my families e-mail lists to support John Kerry. It's always been in me...hearing my dad talk to me about what it was like when politicians actually stood for something and worked for something...I wanted to feel that way, too.
Now I have my shot. Thursday night, there was a democratic debate in Austin, on the UT campus. Tickets were nearly impossible to come by, so instead, I went to the Democratic watch party at the Hyatt. I was sure to get there very early in order to get a good spot. We started lining up around 5:45, and the line was already snaking around the corner of the lobby past the front door around to the elevators. We stood there, waiting for the doors to open so that the line would move. As we waited, I can feel the forming crowd behind me start to move and murmer a bit. There I see a few guys with the tell tale secret service ear piece walk by. Nothing suprising there...I knew they would be everywhere since it had been confirmed that both candidates were going to make an appearance. Then, I hear a very familiar voice say "How are you doin'" I turn, and facing me is a very tall man wearing slacks a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and sunglasses. I see the unmistakable smile....it's Barack Obama. He's walking by, maybe 3 feet away. I grab Taylor's arm (really hard) and basically yell "Oh my god, Taylor LOOK" He was a lot taller than I imagined, but otherwise looked just like you see on TV. He was getting on an elevator as people were getting off, and the family that ran into him upon their exit just looked at him in shock...mouths open. The crowd stays pretty calm, until the elevator doors close, and we all kind of shriek and gasp among LOTS of "OH MY GOD"'s It was exciting, and even the Hillary supporters standing around us in line were taken aback and awesruck. I almost didn't want the line to begin moving, because I knew what goes up, must come down, but it did, and we were finally in the ballroom with the big screens set up to watch the debate.
The show started at 7, and most of us were seated on the floor. That is, until we were asked to stand because the room was becoming too crowded. The debate was good enough for 2 candidates that don't really disagree on much. The cowd was split about 60/40 in favor of Obama, and we all cheered when our candidate said something smart. Once the debate was over, there was a slew of Texas democrat officials that spoke about the upcoming election, we were told to vote for who we believed in, and to vote early. Soon after, the leader of the Texas Democratic party came up and introduced Hillary Clinton. Hillary came out with Chelsea (no slick Willie as he was in San Antonio campainging). She was warmer in person that I was expecting. She was prettier, reminded me a little of my mom in the way her hair, makeup and clothes were. She gave the "vote for me" speech, and people in the room were pretty excited to be in her presence. I have to say that I was more impressed with her than I thought I would be, and she gave a good strong "vote democrat" speech before stepping down and shaking hands. There was a crowd...people wanted her picture and to shake her hand. She left fairly quickly to get to another speaking engagement. I was hoping that her exit would mean that the group of loud, pretty drunk women near us would leave. They didn't...because, according to them, they "wanted to see Barack" even with their Hillary buttons blazing. We stood and waited, and waited. We heard he was at the Austin Music Hall speaking to people who were part of a fundraiser. We waited longer. Mark Strama was sent up to kill time, music played, and of course a woman fainted. Then, it was finally time. When Barack Obama took the stage, the crowd reacted like a rock concert. We surged forward, women screamed, a man who could barely stand without a cane climbed up on a chair to see better...he, too, had his rainbow Hillary sticker. I was waiting for panties and bras to be thrown, but luckily people behaved themselves for the most part. The watch party quickly turned in to a mini rally, with people chanting "OBAMA" and "YES WE CAN", in tribute to the candidates soon to be iconic speech. He gave his "Vote for me, vote for change" speech, and then took the same route as Hillary to shake hands. The crowd reacted much differently, though. We surged closer, everyone reaching over each other. I saw people grabbing and tugging his hand, the guy in front of me was literally stampeding over an older gentleman, who was very upset the people were pushing. Seeing the rush of the crowd, Barack states "Ok, Ok, I can't reach you all, but thank you". He passes our crowd, so I rush around to the opposite site of the stage, and squeeze into a spot where I am able to reach forward and shake his hand before he exits. It was historical for me and every other democrat. We just saw...up close and personal...possibly and hopefully the next president of the United States. It was starting to mean something.
With all of that excitement, we decide that we would be attending the Obama rally that is open to the public, and closing downtown, on Friday night. I know there is going to be a crowd. I know that it's going to be crazy, but just how crazy, I wasn't prepared for. We walk down at six, and see an enormous stage set up, with trucks and barricades blocking the streets. There are secret service atop of all of the surrounding buildings and walking within the crowd. We walk up to a line wrapped around the street and we all file in to the event...literally thousands at a time. We have to go through security, and there are about 10 metal detectors set up to scan each person. It was as though we were entering the ACL festival, but minus the scortching heat. We settle in to a place about 50 feet from the stage. Not as up close and personal as the previous night, but still good. There are stands behind the stage full of pre-picked people holding signs and starting chants. Again, we stand, and wait until 9pm. After a short, and very amusing introduction of the candidate, he takes the stage. The crowd is echoing down the street, for blocks and blocks behind me and to the side. Senator Obama begins his speech with how much he likes Austin, and how there is something about the city that he relates to, and loves. He then takes a moment to mention the name of the officer her was killed earlier that day in the Clinton motorcaid in Dallas...there is a moment of silence. Pure, complete, silence, where over 30,000 people say nothing, and this won't be the only time that happens this evening. He tells us again how he will fight for fair healthcare, education, and care for our troops. Talks of ending the war, and starting healthy relations with our foreign advisaries. He makes jokes, and talks of how he was hoping when they did his geneology, he would be related to someone "cool"..he got Dick Chaney as an 8th cousin instead. He became a little tickled with himself when he recieved good hearted "boo's" after telling the Texas crowd that "George Bush is coming back to Texas" and again when he addressed the fact that people say he isn't "tough" enough to be President by saying "I'm a black guy named Barack Obama running for president...I think I'm pretty tough". He got laughs, and cheers and chants as always, but most impressive is how the crowd listened to him. A crowd that went for blocks and blocks, packed in thick...we all stood silent, fixed on this man who was telling us that what he want and what we hope for may be a reality. The speakers echoed down Congress avenue with the words that he was saying, and there we stood, hanging on every one of them. Silent. Listening. A crowd of cynics and doubters, sick of what we currently call a government. I am sure there were even some conservatives who think that because his middle name is Hussein, he is a terrorist. They listen too, when he says that he is a Christian, but that we shouldn't use religion against one another. It's captivating, and even more impressive when we find out the next morning that it was the largest rally held. I feel like now...either way...we will be making history. For once in my lifetime, the state I vote in may actually matter. That there is a movement towards something else in our world, and maybe eventually a place that isn't divided by faith and politics, and sexual orientation. Maybe we can work together, listen to one other, regardless of the crowd, and learn and teach. I think this is finally the time that I have been looking forward to since that day in the classroom arguing over gun control. This time, we matter, and we actually have a say in all of this. Regardless of how you vote in this election, we are making history, and we part of a political movement that matters. Four years ago, I thought there was no changing this nation, but now I feel there is...all because of my candidates 3 words...yes we can.
-Kelly
