Hot, Sweaty democracy

Over the past week I've done a lot of sweating for Barack Obama.

Get your mind out of the gutter.

There was no volunteering involved, no phone calls or putting up street signs. Just plain perspiration to see the next (hopefully) POTUS.

The Obama/Clinton race is THE story of the 2008 election. It doesn't matter if you are Democrat or Republican you can't deny the power and closeness of this race.

Last Saturday my friends and I went to see Barack Obama give his stump speech at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.

We got there at 1, doors opened at 1:30, we sweated it out in the skyways until we got in the Arena at 3, Mr. Obama took the stage at 4.

In front of 20,000 partisan fans Obama whipped everyone up. It's amazing to see that many stoic, Nordic Minnesotans get excited for anything. Young, old, black, white whatever everyone was cheering and popping up and down from their seats.

Surprisingly his largest applause lines were education and restoring habeas corpus.
People are obviously much smarter than I am. This is the closest thing I'll ever come to a national convention nominating speech.

My reasons for going were purely historic. How often do you get to see a presidential candidate, even from a perch high atop section 219? After the event though he had won me over. He said all the right things.

Think about this, who else in the world could drag thousands of people out on a cold Minnesota winter afternoon to sit around to listen to a speech? No lights (except for the flash bulbs), not a firework, no touchdowns or slam dunks just talk. The pope? Dali Lama? Madonna?

After being sold on Hope, Tuesday was caucus day. I showed up at my local High School to support Obama.

There was a line to park, a line to find out where your precinct caucused then you entered the true caucus chaos. Hundreds of folks, old people, teens, moms with kids were crammed into a high school hall way. Democracy at its sweatiest. When I finally made it to my precinct, I realized I was at the wrong room. No matter, I was just there to vote for president.

This still astounds me. In this day of dimpled chads, compromised voting machines, and provisional ballots I wrote my candidate of choice on a scrap of paper and stuffed it in a shoe box. No joke. Just like the 6th grade election.

While I'm the first to admit I'm a little biased towards Obama, it great record numbers on both sides are showing up to the polls.

Makes you think EVERYONE wants a little change.