Luke and Kieron
After the fanfare of the McCain rally in Columbus the other day, we were told to expect a slightly more conservative (small 'c'!) affair this time round
8.15: People have been calling Obama an Arab and a socialist like they are bad things. We've got loads of both in the UK and we get on fine!
As we approach the stadium one man approached us asking for tickets, we're press/media types now, we don't need tickets. But out of the shadows we hear a gallant 'I've got a spare' and with that the ticketless man's evening was made. Talk about redistribution of tickets. If only Kings of Leon gigs were like this.
8.45: So much for more conservative affair; the venue is of a different scale to the Republican rally. We're at the football stadium of the Cincinnati university football team. It's starting to fill, looks like around 15,000 at the moment and the big guy isn't on for an hour.
8.50: Well there's no doubt the Donkeys love their leader as much as the Elephants but there is something slightly more....well... English about the whole affair. Cheers, delight and chanting, but not as much blatant (and slightly obscene) patriotism as at the Republican rally. We are just 100 miles further south, but not a cowboy hat in sight.
9.00: We got chatting to Floyd, a local film maker who has turned up, and got into the press area without a battery for his camera! We've both been there so we promise to send him our rushes... and I think we will, as well.
9.10: The big man is due on stage now but the travelling media have not arrived yet, so we're waiting around. Good thing for global warming and the unseasonal warm temperatures. We could be in T-shirts tonight.
9.15: It seems the Mexican wave moves up and down the political spectrum with it's peristaltic action. The crowd has managed to 'smuggle in' a massive message. Spelled out in 10 feet-high letters; 'OHIO 4 OBAMA'. I would
have included '4 EVA' at the end... but that's just me.
9.25: Just chatting to Scott (an ABC camera man) about the state of American media at the moment and the move towards online journalism. 'We need more multi media journalists here' he says. I wish media in the UK were this desperate. It's nearly full now, the Cincinnati Fire Department estimate there are 27,000 people in here.
9.45. Some bloke is up on stage, the crowd have gone wild. I think it's the man they all came to see, and Arnie was right, he is skinny.
'Hello Cincinnati', I think they're pleased to see him. After waiting for the masses to calm he starts with...
'I've got two words for you.... two days'. It kind of sums up the mood of the place (and the last eight years) for the Democrats; anticipation, at the Republican rally, it was fear.
The crowd are rapturous: "YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN!" Apparently, they can.
9.47: Obama tries to begin his speech "After 8 years of Bush" the crowd begin to boo. Obama: "You don't need to boo, you need to vote." Now that's how you channel negative energy!
9.40: Obama has promised "Common sense over ideology," hardly the words of a socialist!
9.46: "No one knows what McCain's economic policy is. He's been running a lot of ads recently but all he's been talking about is me!"
9.50: "Yesterday, Dick Cheney came out of his 'undisclosed location' and went on the campaign trail" to laughter in the stands.
9.52: Obama does look tired though, on a few occasions, he has mixed his words and stumbled. Still a great speaker, but he looks jaded.
If you can come through two years of political campaigning and perform as well as either of the candidates; you've got to have something about you.
9.55: Obama asks for a show of hands, "Who here earns less than $250,000 a year?" Everyone kind of puts their hand up and half-heartedly shouted "yeah!" I don't think they're proud of that fact though! He explains that 98.5% of small business will not have their taxes raised under his plan... along with 99% of plumbers!
10.00: A final crowdpleaser: "If I am President, I will end the war in Iraq."
10.02: Obama ends the speech on a familiar theme of 'hope' for the future. He defines the word for the audience; it has been the message of the whole campaign.
There is a real feeling that they are going to win the election. It's like the Democrats are floating downstream and watching the Republicans trying desperately to swim against the current; those who are sinking swim the hardest, after all. We've seen that from the McCain and Palin camp, the last polls before the election came out today, and they are still behind...but fighting for their political lives.
After the fanfare of the McCain rally in Columbus the other day, we were told to expect a slightly more conservative (small 'c'!) affair this time round
8.15: People have been calling Obama an Arab and a socialist like they are bad things. We've got loads of both in the UK and we get on fine!
As we approach the stadium one man approached us asking for tickets, we're press/media types now, we don't need tickets. But out of the shadows we hear a gallant 'I've got a spare' and with that the ticketless man's evening was made. Talk about redistribution of tickets. If only Kings of Leon gigs were like this.
8.45: So much for more conservative affair; the venue is of a different scale to the Republican rally. We're at the football stadium of the Cincinnati university football team. It's starting to fill, looks like around 15,000 at the moment and the big guy isn't on for an hour.
8.50: Well there's no doubt the Donkeys love their leader as much as the Elephants but there is something slightly more....well... English about the whole affair. Cheers, delight and chanting, but not as much blatant (and slightly obscene) patriotism as at the Republican rally. We are just 100 miles further south, but not a cowboy hat in sight.
9.00: We got chatting to Floyd, a local film maker who has turned up, and got into the press area without a battery for his camera! We've both been there so we promise to send him our rushes... and I think we will, as well.
9.10: The big man is due on stage now but the travelling media have not arrived yet, so we're waiting around. Good thing for global warming and the unseasonal warm temperatures. We could be in T-shirts tonight.
9.15: It seems the Mexican wave moves up and down the political spectrum with it's peristaltic action. The crowd has managed to 'smuggle in' a massive message. Spelled out in 10 feet-high letters; 'OHIO 4 OBAMA'. I would
have included '4 EVA' at the end... but that's just me.
9.25: Just chatting to Scott (an ABC camera man) about the state of American media at the moment and the move towards online journalism. 'We need more multi media journalists here' he says. I wish media in the UK were this desperate. It's nearly full now, the Cincinnati Fire Department estimate there are 27,000 people in here.
9.45. Some bloke is up on stage, the crowd have gone wild. I think it's the man they all came to see, and Arnie was right, he is skinny.
'Hello Cincinnati', I think they're pleased to see him. After waiting for the masses to calm he starts with...
'I've got two words for you.... two days'. It kind of sums up the mood of the place (and the last eight years) for the Democrats; anticipation, at the Republican rally, it was fear.
The crowd are rapturous: "YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN!" Apparently, they can.
9.47: Obama tries to begin his speech "After 8 years of Bush" the crowd begin to boo. Obama: "You don't need to boo, you need to vote." Now that's how you channel negative energy!
9.40: Obama has promised "Common sense over ideology," hardly the words of a socialist!
9.46: "No one knows what McCain's economic policy is. He's been running a lot of ads recently but all he's been talking about is me!"
9.50: "Yesterday, Dick Cheney came out of his 'undisclosed location' and went on the campaign trail" to laughter in the stands.
9.52: Obama does look tired though, on a few occasions, he has mixed his words and stumbled. Still a great speaker, but he looks jaded.
If you can come through two years of political campaigning and perform as well as either of the candidates; you've got to have something about you.
9.55: Obama asks for a show of hands, "Who here earns less than $250,000 a year?" Everyone kind of puts their hand up and half-heartedly shouted "yeah!" I don't think they're proud of that fact though! He explains that 98.5% of small business will not have their taxes raised under his plan... along with 99% of plumbers!
10.00: A final crowdpleaser: "If I am President, I will end the war in Iraq."
10.02: Obama ends the speech on a familiar theme of 'hope' for the future. He defines the word for the audience; it has been the message of the whole campaign.
There is a real feeling that they are going to win the election. It's like the Democrats are floating downstream and watching the Republicans trying desperately to swim against the current; those who are sinking swim the hardest, after all. We've seen that from the McCain and Palin camp, the last polls before the election came out today, and they are still behind...but fighting for their political lives.
3 comments:
ey, it was fantastic meeting you two the other night at ray and leah's place. i hope the states have treated you well and that you get in touch with my brother while you're in new york the second time around. :]
Kieron, I am worried. What are people who have to go back to work doing if they are having to wait hours to vote??? Could you be back to cover a possible rerun of the election???
Hi Kieron and Luke,
The videos are fantastic! I also much enjoy your running-blog commentaries.
I hope the train ride to Chicago went well and your day at the polls in Chicago and fruitful. Leah and I were delighted to have you as our guests in Cincinnati and especially happy to have been able to help you get to the McSame rally in Columbus and the Obama rally in Cincinnati.
Come back soon!
RantinRay
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