Today I went to Pauley Pavillion at UCLA with my Mother. We got there around 12 noon. There were plenty of seats. There was lots of media. We tried to sit where we wanted- a simple seat on the side, not on the floor level, but on the next level up. We were not allowed to sit just there, because they wanted to fill all the seats behind the podium. After a while of waiting, we finally got to sit where we wanted (we weren't trying to be on TV. We simply wanted easy access to the restroom).
The State Assembly Speaker spoke, the mayor of Pomona spoke, and another person who I don't remember her position spoke. A 94-year-old Korean-American lady who was a Navy veteran also spoke about the changes that have taken place in America also.
Finally, Caroline Kennedy came out and spoke. She was nice. Her speech was OK- she was nice and likeable, but there was no passion in her speech, I thought.
Then Oprah Winfrey came out and spoke. Boy, was she passionate. She said that a lot of her friends told her that she was betraying women by voting for Barack. Other people told her that she was voting for Obama because he is black. To both sets of people, she told them that she was insulted for them thinking that way. She said that she is independent minded, and can make her own decisions. She is now free to do that. She gave an impassioned speech about freedom to dream about change, and to actually make those changes. Next, she turned the floor over to Michelle Obama.
Michelle came onto the stage with Stevie Wonder, who was holding her hand. Michelle tripped a little climbing onto the stage, causing Stevie to actually fall over (and almost fall off) the stage! It was horrifying, but I think they were both OK. Oprah hugged Stevie as he came up to the stage. Michelle introduced Stevie and asked him to speak.
Stevie said that he came out to show support for Obama, and he gave the audience a little melody with lyrics, "Barack Obama" to remember. Stevie mentioned that he had rallied for years for Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday to be a holiday, and now it is. He also pointed out that he rallied for an end to apartheid in South Africa and the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, and it happened. Now Stevie wishes for Barack Obama to be our presidential candidate in November.
Next, Michelle Obama came out and gave an impassioned speech. She talked about growing up in the south side of Chicago. She said that her father was hard-working, living in a time where you could get a factory job, with decent pay and benefits, and as long as you worked hard, you could make a living. She also said that he parents stressed getting an education as a means to succeed. She and her sister got their college educations and succeeded. Michelle met Barack Obama in law school. She pointed out that she and Barack have both worked with real, average, poor people- men and women- in Chicago at first, and then all over the state. Barack Obama ran for public office and moved up slowly, now being a state senator in Illinois. Michelle says that Barack has been attacked by all kind of people who want to discredit him. She says that he is credible, he has solid integrity, he listens to all people, he respects all people and their feelings, he knows what it is like to struggle financially, and he knows what the average American's struggle is. Michelle was so effective and impassioned in her speech that I believe that she may have convinced me to vote for her husband. At the conclusion of her speech, Michelle introduced a final, surprise guest.
The surpise guest was Maria Shriver (a.k.a. Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger), who also fired up the audience. She said that "as California goes, so does the nation". She said that Barack Obama is a lot like the state of California: diverse, leader, dreamer, and a few other things that I don't remember.
As the rally adjourned, Pauley Pavillion was filled with excitement, and people were motivated. I was excited. A lady that I spoke to said that I have to read Chapter 5 of "The Audacity of Hope". I will go to the bookstore tomorrow and do that!
I'm now at a crossroads. I love Hillary Clinton, but Barack Obama and his beautiful wife Michelle have given me more hope that possibly I can help America get back on track to keeping jobs here, bringing back good benefits, and being able to make a living in America. I have some serious thinking to do before voting this time! One thing I do know: Obama is truly brilliant. I'd like to see a President who will be able to cut through the bullshit and tell it like it really is to Congress for average Americans.
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