My daughter and I went to the Hillary Clinton rally at Harrison High School tonight. We waited in line for 2 hours and 15 minutes before we got in. It was just in time, too. It was getting pretty cold outside. Inside the gym, it had to be 80+ degrees, so we warmed up quickly, then nearly wilted from the heat. There were about 4,000-6,000 people there. They couldn’t fit everyone in the gym, so the people behind us went to an overflow area and watched it on closed circuit TV.
My daughter is a freshman at Harrison, so I really felt it was worth it for her to skip gymnastics practice tonight to attend the rally. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event. I thought it was important that she see a woman presidential candidate up close, even though she can’t vote for another three years.
Before we even got inside the school, we saw a religious nut and his kids holding a sign and screaming about the Bible. I told my daughter people like him and his kids make our country an interesting place to which to live. He probably thinks he changed 4,000 minds tonight; I think those who saw him just got a good laugh. I know the people around us thought he was nuts.
Overall, the rally was pretty cool and certainly worth the wait to get in, whether or not Hillary becomes ‘Madame President.’ I think my daughter was more interested in it than she originally thought she’d be. Hillary got the crowd fired up over the crappy economy, high gas prices, No Child Left Behind standardized testing, high college & health-care costs, tax cuts for the rich, and the endless Iraq War.
I took way too many pictures, but my stupid camera has about 20 different settings and most of them produced blurry, fuzzy pictures. I will post a handful of the best ones here so you don’t think I took them all in vain.
Media frenzy outside the school End of the line- brrr, it’s getting cold!
Evan Bayh (for VP??) & Hillary Bashing Bush (oh so easy to do)
Crowd cheering for Hillary Hillary posing for pictures, surrounded by Secret Service
Hillary signing stuff Crowd pawing at her- could you do this?
Greeting everyone as she leaves Last glimpse before she’s gone
Hillary did a good job of working the crowd after her speech. She greeted people in the wheelchair section, then moved on to everyone who was crowding the area around where she spoke. People were shoving stuff like signs, shirts, and pieces of paper at her to sign and getting her to pose for a picture with them. Her security guys and gal kept a tight huddle around her and didn’t let her sign everything. After the rally, she did media interviews and visited with the people in the overflow room, so they got a real close-up visit with her.
She’s got to be exhausted at the end of every day. She started to lose her voice towards the end of her nearly one-hour talk. Even a drink of water didn’t help. I don’t know how she does it.
Okay, Barack– you’re next. I can’t wait!
It was great that you took your daughter to see her. What a moment! I admire how Clinton has persevered. I notice how her voice goes weak and she’s lost weight. Campaigning is hard business but she’s enthusiastic.
I do not doubt Mrs. Clinton’s charisma or intelligence – I do doubt her sincerity and honesty. Her husband’s administration was a low-point for the office of the president. She must bear some of that burden of shame. Many believed then and now that she stayed with Bill only to get her turn at being president. What deals were crafted by the Democratic Party then?
I am amazed that her previous background is being ignored and that Mr. Obama has to ’stand trial’ for what his minister said. Had Mr. Obama been a Catholic and the pope or a local bishop had said something controversial would he have been as pilloried as he has been? Does Mrs. Clinton go to church? If not, then the contest on this issue seems to be skewed.
I find Mrs. Clinton a smart and smarmy politician who would not be able to change anything in the USA were she to be elected to the highest office in the land. Mainly due to her personality and the fact that no candidate can promise anything as Congress can stop any positive initiative, and regardless of her clout she will never have more power than the lobbyists inside the Beltway. As to effectiveness no candidate can pledge with assurity that they can change anything – only that they can try. A truer standard of politicking should be required of all politicians. Are we ready for a lady president – YES! Is Mrs. Clinton proper for this high calling – NO!
I regret Mrs. Clinton’s choice to have Chelsea stump for her. As a campaigner she should have been prepared for the hard and uncomfortable questions. If not then her efforts are sub-par and lack probity. As a mother she should have put Chelsea’s interests above her own, regardless of Chelsea’s desire to help.
If Mrs. Clinton does not care about bringing down her Party how can anyone expect any loyalty or dedication to any real purpose other than her agenda that she has forged for her own selfish interests?
Heaven help us – what would she do with Bill all day long were she to the the chief executive? You’d have to cancel the female intern programs and ask foreign ambassadors to leave their wives at home.