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 uttons, bumper stickers, and signs were visible
everywhere. Complete strangers chatted with each other and
embraced spontaneously. A man wearing a brown suit told
everyone within ear shot about his donkey shaped cuff links,
which he claimed were a souvenir from the 1954 Democratic
National Convention. There was no convention that year.
Middle-aged women danced in the aisles. Small children jumped
and shouted. All this before anyone took the stage.
The crowd unified in chorus. A single refrain was raised,
"Obama! Obama! Obama!" The cheers immediately stopped as the
Illinois Senator's deep baritone filled the arena. Booming down
from the Jumbotron was a music video written and produced by
celebrated hip hop artist
will.i.am.
Yes We Can, was written as a tribute to the likely Democratic
Presidential nominee. All eyes were locked on the giant
screens above.
Candidates don’t have music videos. Rock stars do.
The opening act was
Congressman Earl Blumenauer. His introduction was
respectable, but forgettable. No one was there to see him and he
knew it. Using Blumenauer to warm up the crowd was an odd
choice. Perhaps, it's a commentary on the lack of star
power in Oregon politics. The phenomenon of celebrity political
candidates clearly hasn't reached Oregon. Still, wearing
his signature
bow tie and bicycle button, the author of the
National Bike Bill received a warm welcome from an unusually
large contingent of men and women in padded bike shorts.
Once the Congressman left the stage, the audience took a
collective deep breath. The proverbial calm before the storm
settled over the crowd. The main event had arrived. Obama
worked his way to the stage alongside
New Mexico Governor Bill
Richardson. This was not your ordinary introduction. Portland
witnessed the only Latino Governor in the United States —
previously a Presidential candidate and a cabinet member in the
Clinton Administration — publicly endorse Obama. The crowd went
wild.
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Obama took the energy in the arena and fed it,
sustained it. He built it to a crescendo of energy and enthusiasm.
His final statements
were more sermon than stump speech. |
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Governor Richardson is an appealing speaker. He
has a light and conversational tone with a touch of
self-deprecating humor. He connected with the crowd, sharing a
story about the recent Democratic debates. “You all watched
those long tedious Democratic debates, right? I could barely
get recognized in any of them. The one time when I was
recognized, I was sitting next to Senator Obama and I said
‘Finally I've been recognized!’ I turned to him and we started
chatting a little bit. Then all of a sudden the moderator,
instead of going after other candidates who hadn't been
recognized, came back and asked me to answer the question.
Well, needless to say I wasn't listening. I turned to Senator
Obama in horror, about to ask ‘Could you repeat the question?’
and Senator Obama whispered ‘Katrina, Katrina’ so I gave my
answer on Katrina. He could have thrown me under the bus but he
stood behind me.”
The story, though written in advance, seemed genuine and
heartfelt. At one point, as the crowd began chanting “Yes we
can! Yes we can!” Richardson deftly changed the chant to,”Si se
puede! Si se puede!” and focused everyone on Obama’s goals for
immigration reform. Despite his bilingual charm, when Obama
took the microphone it was clear why Richardson is no longer a
candidate in the presidential race; Obama outshined and
outperformed him in every way.
A live performance by Barack Obama is an experience to remember.
He came on softly at first, with thanks and humility,
encouraging the crowd to relax and sit down. As the speech
continued, his volume increased, his pace quickened and his
gestures become more dynamic. His timing was excellent. He knew
when to stop and accept applause and when to continue and build
it. Obama took the energy in the arena and fed it, sustained
it. He built it to a crescendo of energy and enthusiasm. His
final statements were more sermon than stump speech. With a
raised voice he told the rapt crowd, “If we don’t have the
discipline, if we don’t have the courage, if we don’t have the
heart to say ‘Not this time, we won’t be distracted this time,
we won’t be waylaid this time, we won’t give up this time, we
won’t be divided this time, we won’t let the politics of
division overcome the politics of unity this time.’ If we
don’t do that, we won’t change. But if we do stand together, if
we lock arm in arm, if we seize this moment and say we are all
Americans and we all believe in a better future and we are all
willing to fight for it, if we say that, than I promise you we
will not just win Oregon. We will not just win the nomination.
We will not just win the general election, but you and I
together, we will change this country
and we will change the
world!”
The crowd was on its feet, hands red from clapping. Hundreds
cried as Obama left the stage.
Stevie Wonder rang through the
speakers singing “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m yours!”
Elvis had left the building. |
Barack
Obama
Hillary
Clinton
Bill
Richardson
