Sunday, May 18, 2008
Obama and 70k Others at PDX Waterfront Park 5.18.08
Okay. I did it. Left the house at 1:30 for Oregon Primary Lovefest and Real time history. I parked near Produce Row, but probably would have parked closer to the Morrison or Hawthorne if I had known in advance they no longer have Sunday hours. The Shame! An hour after departure, after facing two detours and walking through two seas of bootleg Obama T Shirt guys that seemed a little too slick, I was standing in the front off of two sectored areas which I now know each carried an estimate of 30,000 people deep.
Only Portland. This picture doesn't do it justice. The rails along the Willammette were completely covered with bicycles. For Several blocks. In fact any kind of mountable like pole metal surface. Either fence or signpost, it didn't matter. There would be a cluster of bicycles.
I wanted to show up today because I'm impressed and supportive. I also was hoping it was going to provide insight to see his It factor. I hoped it was going to kind of be the difference between Magic Johnson or Jesse. I knew it was going to be stump speech with some topicality. But if nothing more the pacing, the intersecting of ideas and a man a work was going to be a strong and interesting experience. He ackowledged Hillary and how hard and historic it has been with her. He made Bush and McCain morph into one. I believe that image is a major key to Democratic success.
They had listed all of the members of the Decemberists as going to appear also.
I guess they came on before 2:15 or didn't play at all. They could have used something during the twenty minutes of canned music that came on after Earl Blumenhauer. But the exit music was pretty cool. Stevie Wonder's Signed Sealed and Delivered followed by Curtis Mayfield's Move on Up. After Obama, those tunes confirmed that I feel life is having some interesting possibilities lately and it is about time to let the good guys win so the good times can roll a little bit easier.
The motorcade passed me and a few bicyclists on the Morrison Bridge. Obama in a green van. That is so refreshing compared to black Lincolns. The Secret Service car I saw earlier was also green.
Seeing this was a profound way to end the day. This sticker was on a old Harvester International truck. Even the casual political historical junky's mind goes racing when considering the election of 48 years ago and what's happening with the man on the stage today.
posted by well-executed buffet at 8:51 PM
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