Will Hines Dot Net

My calves were killing me by the time Obama took the stage. After the hassles of the Pepsi Center I figured there was no way I’d get into to Mile High Stadium. But after a long shuttle bus ride (Ted Koppel was on my bus) and the usual security checks, my credentials got me right onto the field for one-hour visits (which I could renew without difficulty). I was excited! Even a political non-believer like me wanted to see the first time a black American accepted the presidential nomination. And more than that, I just wanted to see Obama do what he’s best at: deliver a great speech.

I actually think he was a little bit off his game in the crowd-rousing department. He was more focused on making specific suggestions, since that seems to be what the main criticisms of him are (i’m guessing). But he is a ridiculously likable man.  And he was raised by simple country folk in Kansas just like Superman. On some gut level, I liked him and wanted to see him be my president. I’m not politically versed enough to pretend there’s any greater reason than that.

Lotsa fun political celeb-seeing. John Kerry walked right behind me, and Jesse Jackson was there with John Oliver right in tow. I loved Al Gore’s speech. And timid, wooden Barney Smith had the best line of the whole night “It’s time the government put Barney Smith ahead of Smith Barney.” Even the two bitchy-looking reporters right in front of me who were texting on their iPhones looked up and mouthed “Good line” to each other.

I totally forgot I was going to get to see Stevie Wonder until he walked out there, and that was worth waiting 3 hours in the sun for all by itself.

I held my camera, headphones and microphone the whole time in case I got inspired for some quick funny video but I didn’t really feel like joking. I started interviewing delegates to ask them each their personal story, and that was okay, but it felt too much like I was being a company man (for the Democrats) and stopped. So my arms were really sore by the end of the night, though it was worth it to feel like I was at least ready to do my job if necessary.

Race didn’t actually enter my mind during most of Obama’s speech. I was thinking more of how young he was, and how little he’d done. If elected, could he pull it off? When Clinton took office he’d spent his whole life in the Democratic party getting to know people, building connections. But my colleagues pointed out that Obama has pretty much been working in politics his whole life as well. Who else writes a memoir after law school but someone wanting public office? It reassured me that he’s not a rookie.

Still, at the end of his speech, I saw next to me an older black man in a wheelchair bawling.  That a reporter was taking his picture did not ruin it for me. There’s no question: Barack running for president changes everything. Attention black children of America: in addition to rapper, basketball star, comedian or charismatic drug dealer — your television is now telling you that you can quite reasonably picture yourself as President of The United States. It’s so insanely huge I can’t believe we all don’t talk about it every day.

If the opening few days of lesser politicians applauding themselves was crap, then this day of the DNC was something I could get behind: a gifted man making a shamelessly populist plea to a cynical nation — and at the same time shattering a racial barrier as if it had just been thin glass this whole time. I was thrilled to be there.

| Tags: aol, barack obama, conventions, democratic convention, dnc, work