Obama Rally in NYC

Helicopters whirling overhead, police heavy on every street within a 20 block radius. Barricades and officers directing cars in congested Village rush hour traffic. Secret service patrolling the perimeter with black suits, earpieces and concealed weapons. Yes, a presidential candidate is definitely in the building. Well, in the park. What started out as an unseasonably hot, humid day in New York City, turned into the perfect Fall evening; cool and breezy. I started to think, maybe even Mother Nature wanted him to win. I was surrounded by more than 24,000 people, all wanting to lay eyes on one man, waiting anxiously to hear what this Barack Obama had to say.

Senator Obama entered through the great white arches of Washington Square Park to the stylish tunes Kanye West's "Touch the Sky." The massive crowd erupted in cheers, screaming as he briefly shook hands with those smashed up against the blockades. While his presence was monumental, his speech was predictable. He's the most liked politician but is still just that, a politician. He appealed to the crowd saying he used to live in New York City. He boasted that although in secrecy, he does have support from some Republicans. Health care was among his key issues. Interesting how his speech eerily coincided with the day's episode of Oprah where she featured Michael Moore and his movie, Sicko, going toe to toe with current health care advocates. Coincidence? I think not. Obama addressed his anti-war position, excessive government spending and increasing public aid. He spoke about his education initiatives aimed at equalizing elementary school preparation and making college affordable. He denounced his critics that called his inexperience a weakness by saying that "longevity does not guarantee good judgement." He said that he's not a "hope monger" or "hope peddler" as his opponents would like to believe, and is confident his presidency will be a positive change. Listen, if you've ever heard the man speak before, then you know exactly what he said last night. I've heard quite a bit from Obama in the past few years, so while I kept my ears open, I decided to take a different look. A look at the crowd.

He's held rallies like this all over the country, and most turned out at least 20,000 people. This one at a park in The Village? 24,000 in attendance lookin somethin like a rainbow. There were infants, teens, college students, middle aged folks, and the elderly. Black, White, Asian, Hispanic. You name it, they were there. There were seats for people who were disabled, which was right near the Press section. I saw many with canes, motorized scooters, casts, and slings all trying their best to get a glimpse of the man they want to call Mr. President. I saw a little girl trying to climb underneath the barriers. Was she just a rambunctious toddler? Or was she trying to slip past Secret Service to get a hug from Obama himself? One of the best things I saw was a group of about 20 students, dressed in their school uniforms. Students from Frederick Douglas Academy II came to show their support, accompanied by a few of their teachers. While they're not yet old enough to vote, it's beautiful to see that our oft-maligned youth understand the importance of politics and the power they have. One young boy joked about sneaking into the polls wearing his mother's heels. Hmm, well that's a story for another time.

Not only were there underage children there, but there were people who weren't legally able to vote. 23 year-old Brooklynite Kinda Romero was in attendance, gimped out with her cane and all. The Trinidadian native is a permanent resident in the US but since she's not a citizen cannot vote. Romero missed most of the debates on television and was not certain of Obama's stand on many key issues. "I'm not a 100% supporter but I wanted to learn more about his platform. I can't personally vote but I can go back to my peers and relay the messages I learned here tonight." She held similar bones of contention that many of his critics have. She called Obama's speech "hopeful" and "dreamy" and not as realistic and plausible as it may seem. Romero, like many other black women share a similar dilemma, "Do I vote black? Or do I vote women? It's a hard decision." Though she won't be with us at the polls this time next year, she still recognizes the power of her voice, and plans to educate as many people as possible.

As I stood there spanning the enormous, boisterous crowd I couldn't help but think, Obama is somethin like a rock star. Never have I seen so many different ethnicities and age groups cheering so hard for a black man that wasn't a rapper. He had the attention of every single person there. While Obama doesn't really like to play the race card, it's evident he's a black man. While people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton somehow still represent the voice of all "the Blacks," it's becoming more evident to society that not all Blacks are the same. Obama is the voice of the people. All people. The crowd was enthralled, enraptured, enamored. Whether you support Obama or not, republican, democrat or independent, you have to accept his fame. This is history in the making and whether or not you'll vote for him, you have to recognize his swagger. We are living in progressive times with both a black man and white woman in contention for the presidency. Agree, disagree, who the hell cares. We are watching and living one of the greatest moments in history. You better get wit it.

All in all, the speech was great. No one can deny Obama's Martin Luther King, Jr.-esque style of speaking. The crowd was with him the whole way, "Fired up!" and "Ready to go!" While there was that proverbial guy who repeatedly screamed "After-party at my house!," there were actually official Obama-sponsored events after the rally, including one at Jay-Z's 40/40 club. I know, sounds crazy huh?! All I could picture was Barack on the dance floor, sandwiched between mad women wit a drink in both hands and his pinky fingers in the air. I'm not sure if he attended any of the after-rally events, but I'm almost positive it wouldn't have gone down like that. But it is fun to dream...