At 6 a.m. this morning, I was in line with over 8,000 people waiting anxiously to listen to the President of the United States speak in Centennial Park in Ybor City. After waiting in a line that stretched down Historic 7th Avenue and getting through security, I made my way through the park trying to find a spot where I could at least get one glimpse of President Obama. Political party affiliations aside, seeing your country’s president speak is history and I was ready to be part of it.
In the midst of my search for a good viewing spot, I found the press section that had been barricaded off for the media. I couldn’t help myself. I put on my biggest “I belong here” smile and walked up to the Obama campaign staff member that was guarding the gate. I had no press badge, no credentials. But like my Dad always says, “You can ask, just be ready for the answer to be no.”
I explained who I was, the publication I was from and if I could possibly get in to take some pictures. At first, I didn’t think I would be successful, but after a bit of pestering and handing over my UT student ID, I was in. I threw my bags to the ground and began taking pictures of former Florida Governor, Charlie Crist.
However, my moment of journalism bliss abruptly ended when a Secret Service agent grabbed my arm and asked to see my press badge. When I couldn’t provided it, he escorted me out told the woman at the gate to turn me away if I tried to come back. So close.
After a bit of aimless wandering I found myself stomping over bushes and pushing past people until I was stuck behind a giant oak tree. I tried to climb it to get a better view, but a Secret Service officer yelled at me to get down. I’m starting to think they really don’t like me.
I began to believe this tree would be the only view I would have until a woman who remembered me from the line we waited in recognized me and invited me to cram into the area where she and her family were standing.
Once I finally got settled in, the man of the hour was introduced. The crowd went crazy, chanting “four more years!”
President Obama spent the majority of his speech explaining that the Republican party was advocating for policies that were used in the past.
“We can’t go back to what got us into this mess,” Obama said. “We’ve got to stick with the policies that will get us out of this mess.”
He went on to talk about health care decisions for woman and that he believes “…women should be making their own decisions.”
As the speech came to a close President Obama gave his final words to pull in as many votes from Florida as he can.
“I believe in you. I’m asking you to keep believing in me. … we will win Hillsborough County again. We’ll win Florida again. We’ll win this election.”
And just as fast as he arrived, he left, shaking as many hands as he could before leaving the park to continue his campaign journey across the country.
The 2012 election process has been quite memorable for me. From being able to cover the Republican National Convention to today’s event in Ybor City, I feel like I have witnessed a major part of American History, and I am honored to have been able to experience and learn so much. Let’s just hope I don’t have to have a run-in with Secret Service anytime again soon.
If Obama loses the election, you can blame/thank Wall Street for bamboozling him. How is it right that an entire news network questions the President’s citizenship for four years to create doubt in voters while a fringe element of the far right demonizes and degrades him? Most of this is financed by the rich who want to keep their stranglehold on the flow of wealth in our country. Watch the white hands apply the Blackface to our first African-American President at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2012/10/bamboozling-obama.html