Obama in Baltimore - Afterthoughts

So, as you might already be able to tell from the pictures, The Black Salvage Editorial Staff was in attendance Monday when Barack Obama spoke at the 1st Mariner Arena here in Baltimore, MD. I would like to give my piece on the sights and sounds of Monday afternoon. I would like to leave you my impressions of my first major public political experience. . .

I arrived downtown at about 2:30 in the afternoon, and only 15 minutes before doors were supposed to open for the event. There were crowds posted outside the every entrance to the building and even more folks crossing the streets trying to get in. I was anxious to get inside as soon as possible- my friends at the University of Maryland College Park, where Obama spoke around midday, told me the lines were horrendous there. While there was a line wrapped around the building to get to the doors, there was a good number of people walking right up to the doors and going in. At this point, we had to do our hustle and bypass the lines. Was it rude. . . maybe, but we definitely got a perfect view of the event, as the pictures show.

Saying the thing started late is the purest of understatements. It was more than an hour and a half late, I believe. Their soundtrack of inspirational pop and rock and oldies cycled more 7 times and was increasingly annoying on each go-around. While waiting in our seats, we did seek out interviews. One of these was from Ned Harper of Baltimore. Like myself, this was his first political event. And like myself, he found out the event the day before. Harper is an independent who first heard about Obama at the Boston convention in 2004. I asked Harper what he thought of Obama. He said he felt he was the most honest and "real" candidate who understands people more when compared to the Republican candidates or Hillary Clinton. I asked if he had to vote for a Republican, who would he vote for. Another similarity- he said John McCain.

When Obama finally did arrive, there was surreal sensation that swept over me. I kept saying, "I'm really about to see him". It was worth it, everything I missed in being there was worth it. The applause for him as he approached was like that of a rock star. . . or like a war hero returning home in a movie. There was so much love in that room and once he started speaking, it mulitplied ten-fold.

Obama has to the most sincere and personable politician in recent memory. He responded to the crowd and even individuals who managed to scream out. He joked and the crowd laughed. It was like a conversation. It didn't feel like a politician preaching to me about why I should support them. It was merely like a conversation between two politically aware friends and that, I believe, is what moved the people in that room as much as his ideas.

And as for his ideas, they were many and great. Obama's segment on education hit home most with me. He also discussed his plans for a $4,000 scholarship for college students and the only requirement was community service. The highlight of his education segment has to be when he said "we have new prisons and old schools". The room erupted and I was one of the many that stood and applauded. Not to use a movie allusion again, but really, that's what it felt like. It was like that epic speech the war hero gives to his troops in the final scene before the charge and trust, we were all moved.

Afterward, we found a few folks for their thoughts on the speech and intend to have that video up within the next 24 hours. It's been Hell trying to post it, compliments of Morgan State University's terrible internet connection.

Well, that was my synopsis of it all, ProdigyMaestro out.

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