Back in 1988, I think it was, I finished working my night shift at Shands Teaching Hospital, went home, showered, grabbed a breakfast sandwich, and went back to the University of Florida campus to see a campaign appearance by Bill and Hilary Clinton and Al and Tipper Gore. The old rock played before the candidates appeared was soothing to me. I was delighted with the messages that were delivered by both Al Gore and Bill Clinton when they spoke. I was even more excited (more like P. O.'d, at that time) to be caught up in the Secret Service sweep as the Clintons and Gores were leaving - I'd taken a few shortcuts through the Student Union on my way home, and found myself plastered against the black suit of an agent. But - after very limited questioning, I got to stand and talk with both couples until their limo arrived, and I was allowed to go. All four were quite nice and seemed to be interested in my 'story.' (Of course, they are/were politicians...)
Today I got to see President Obama in person on Norlin Quad at the University of Colorado in Boulder. It's estimated that over 13,000 people were there to hear his address. (And I do not like crowds.) We were originally told that he would appear between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - I put it at the later time, just because of my age and experience. The President stopped off at The Golden Buff restaurant before coming on campus. He joked, during his speech, that after seeing all the Mimosas and Bloody Marys being served, he was afraid that Boulder was having too much fun to remember to vote on Election Day.
I missed the name of the female black pastor who led the invocation, but she really impressed me. A Hispanic student then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance; then we were spoken to by Joe Neguse, a member of CU's Board of Regents; Michael Bennet, our Colorado State Senator; and then Governor John Hinckenlooper. Sarah Andrews, an Obama organizer at CU spoke next, and then Ryan Case, a senior at CU, who has recently lost both parents to illnesses that insurance companies would not cover, as they were considered pre-existing conditions. He made me cry. Ryan introduced the President to the crowd.
President Obama started out slow, then built up speed and energy through his speech. He was wearing chino slacks and a light blue shirt, with the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows. He spoke eloquently. I did laugh when, during his comments about the Republican Convention, some students booed - and the President said, "Don't boo. Vote!" He called the repetition of the Republican standards the same old "snake oil" that the GOP has repeated for the last century. He said that, as a nation, "we're not looking back - we're going forward" and that America "leads" the world "with her strength of ideas and her power of example." Of course, he asked us to vote for him. I shall. (Romney and Ryan's plans about retirement, women's health care issues, Medicare, and Social Security frighten me.)
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