OK< i'm finally gonna tell you my Obama story from the night he clinched in St. Paul

[MnFats]

He spoke at Xcel, the very place the GOP will gather MOnday (some now say the action begins Sunday.)

maybe you heard about the joyful throng that made its way toward Xcel. It was huge, exhuberant, ecstatic.
the line, eight to 10 across and like sardines moving forward...I luckily found a half-hour limit parking spot and hoped the cops would leave me alone, as they had plenty of other things to do.
I joined the crowd heading for the Xcel doors. The St. Paul cops were being nice...not taht they'e perfect but I'd rather they set the tone than borrowed thumpers from Minneapolis.
a cop drove slowly by:
on his loudspeaker he nnounced: "People I don't mean to disappoint you but the arena is full. There's `18,000 people in there and probab;ly more outside the doors. You don't have to leave but you can't get into the arena.

Nobody left the line. little knots of people were siging.

the group in front of me said something to a young femaie cop who was diverting traffic. something like "thanks for helping us."
"Well, you ARE making history," she said.

all around me were an amazing numberof immigrants. at least they must have been, if their heavily acccented English was indication. I'm not so good at picking out accents but I know I heard people from east and west africa, Asia and eastern Europe.

And it seemed most of these people had dressed up for the occassion. Men in suits, women in dresses, kids in their nicest stuff, smiling ear to ear.
they had Obama's speech on the jumbotron outside the main entrance and people cheered as loudly as if they were inside. I felt a little silly wearinig my jeans and shredded tenies. They were showing their respect for democracy.

there's really no big ending to this story but I can's tell you the impression I was left with seeing all these new Americans.
They had gotten dressed up and gone to a rally in the arena FOR THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY!
Could they do something like that in their home countries? I twondered if many would be grabbed off the street, thrown in a cell taken to jail and beaten. Maybe killed, maybe disappear. But here they were in America.
They were basking in freedom on a hot summer night in the U.S. of A.
What great Americans these folks are going to make!

[madeline_con]

1. I love your story.

It's a straight from the DNC type inspirational piece. Thank you! :patriot:

Having the choice to wear your jeans and tennies tell you a lot, too. :hi:

[wellstone dem]

2. I love your story. I was inside

here's my post.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/wellstone%20dem/2

[NYC_SKP]

3. K&R Make it your journal...