Tuesday, November 04, 2008

show a little humanity. oh and VOTE.

So (unlike two years ago) the people in my elementary-school gym were able to locate my name and I voted. At 6:00 a.m. The line was out the door and people weren't bothering to wait for a booth. Instead we lined up and colored in our circles on the stage where I reprised the role of Calamity Jane and sang festive holiday songs on risers more than 20 years ago. Ah, the memories.

Jazz came to town from New York this weekend to help out with Obama's campaign, and she's going to crash at our place tonight after the huge outdoor rally at Grant Park. Thanks to her I was able to sign up for a ticket in time, and H will be my +1 guest. Jazz didn't want her +1 to go to waste, so she put it up on craigslist to see what people would offer.

My invite, which I couldn't get to print out without getting cut up onto two pages. Stupid yahoo mail.

A lot of them offered cash, but Jazz didn't want money, she wanted a reason why the person deserved the chance to go. The one who made the best case is a poor grad student wanting entry for her best friend, a guy who has volunteered extensively for the campaign and actually made and hands out little "Vote for Obama" cards. Jazz was touched by the girl's offers of baked goods and/or a kidney, and the grad student's faith in the goodness of people was restored when she found out Jazz wasn't accepting money. What sealed the deal, however, was their offer to go to the park this afternoon and hold our place in line, even though the girl doesn't have a +1 for herself.* For an event like this, when the news is reporting that people have been standing around out there since SUNRISE, it's certainly a priceless offer.

So we're going to grab some food tonight after work, leave all our bags at the condo and walk down sometime this evening to meet up with this sweet grad student and her enthusiastic friend. I'm sure I'll be twittering about it, so let me apologize in advance for the barrage of updates later tonight.

Personally, I am not sure which way the night is going to go. As Chicago Public Radio put it this morning: Either way this race ends, we'll have the first African-American, first 72-year-old, first woman and/or the first Biden. I'm pretty pumped about just being at the rally because a) It's one of the few perks about living downtown for me right now b) I've never been to a political rally** c) It's something I'll be proud to tell my kids I experienced years from now, regardless of the outcome.

I just hope nobody (attendees AND security) does anything stupid.




*Anyone have an extra +1 or know someone who does? Email me. cadiztwelve[at]gmail[dot]com. **UPDATE** through the kindness of a coworker of my former former former former coworker whom I bumped into on the train last night, the grad student now has a ticket, too!

**I did see Obama up-close at a professional conference I attended this summer, but he was mostly answering questions and not flexing too many of his oratorical muscles.

12 comments:

  1. Oh, Cadiz. CADIZ. You lucky girl. Snap photos!

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  2. Exciting...

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  3. i'll be with you guys in spirit. and if you shout something like "Texas loves you!" for me, i'll send you some of my delicious chocolate chip cookies. sadly, i have no +1 to offer.

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  4. Wow, how cool. Have fun tonight.

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  5. i'd have shouted that for you even without the tempting offer of cookies, becky! but now that you mention them, my stomach IS a little rumbly right now...

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  6. I really wish I was in Chicago now. If things go the right way, I may think about traveling to DC for the inauguration.

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  7. I am so BEYOND JEALOUS of you. SEETHING WITH JEALOUSY!

    It's going to be a great night for you. Have a grand time.

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  8. You lucky lucky young lady. I have been purchasing papers to frame and post in my bathroom (the reading room). I feel like this is a very special HOLIDAY yet it is more than that. Can you imagine the thoughts and words that will follow in 20,30,40 years from now, amazing. And you get to attend the event and feel the energy from the victory. Chicago has a special energy all it's own but to be present to welcome in the new PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, well I don't think we have words that can equal that. Hope you can sleep when you get home.

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  9. So jealous! If you can take pictures of the rally please please put them up.

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  10. Wow, you were at one of the most historic events in our country's history. (Ok, maybe that is overdramatizing a bit, but not much!) I hope you had a blast. I cried when I watched his speech. He's so inspiring, amazing, brilliant. AND you were there!!!

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  11. did you take pictures????? I was hanging out in the 'thrill as I am registered to vote there. I was driving back just after they announced it and happy that there was no traffic. :)

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  12. Thanks, guys! I WAS very lucky to have been there.

    I took a bunch of pictures, but most came out blurry (H and Jazz took much better photos and I'll post/link to those after they've had time to upload). My post will be up soon.

    eb, I stayed in suburbia monday night so I could vote before coming back to the city for work. (i haven't changed precincts yet b/c i don't know what's going to happen with the condo, plus i know the suburban local candidates and their issues better).

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