At an Obama Rally

I knew I arrived at the location when I encountered a young African-American man selling Obama t-shirts, buttons, hats. He was standing in front of a line that stretched for what it seemed like several miles. The line waiting to get into the Observatory Field in Cincinnati's Old Park mirrored the diversity of America: white, black, brown, Asian, young, old, middle-aged. An African-American boy was sitting on the grass near the line with his laptop doing what it seemed was his math homework. A woman in front of me was reading "A Brave New World." What was fascinating about the gathering was the energy: everyone was laughing, talking lively, cars passing by were honking their horns, and several middle-aged women broke out in a dance.

My brother and I arrived about two hours before the door opened and we were still way behind. When the door finally opened, people rushed, some running, to take the front seats. The day was absolutely beautiful. We waited in the huge field for what it seemed like an eternity, but was about 2 more hours before Barack Obama took the stage.

The noise of the crowd was deafening and a woman next to me kept shouting: "Oh my God, there he is." I realize that this man has almost a cult-like following. This is a movement. Not a political party. And it is this energy that made me convinced that he would be elected.

He seems much smaller in size than he appears on TV. He is tall, but his small shoulders and thin physique give him a non-intimidating posture. When he speaks he always looks around the whole circumference of the stadium making you think he always is looking your way. The aura of self-confidence and intense determination are almost visible around him as he speaks. He is aware of the power of his words: he waits for the words to reach you before moving on. His posture "as if always posing for a coin" (to quote Jon Stewart) reflects his intense concentration, but also the fiery ambition.

I think what is really inspiring about this man is not only his rhetoric, but his steely self-discipline, unwavering determination, and his seeming ability at social perception. While he speaks you feel like he is talking directly to you. While watching him speak I felt the power of mass politics to mobilize your emotions and make you personally invested in the political fate of the candidate.