I can remember when I was little , very little, and the only reason I know the date is because I can refer to history itself. It was 1980, and Reagan had won the election - I was 4, I sat with my pop pop all day, as he had hoped Reagn would not win, and then he won. I remember how saddened he was by the nations decision, and his annoyance makes me giggle a little. I myself do not get all wrapped up into politics, but I know there are political issues that I do agree and disagree with, and so I think my pop pop disagreed with Ronald Reagan to say the least. Anyway after that, elections came and went, and even the first year I voted I knew I was voting for Clinton, I never knew the issues, but I knew my pop pop, allthough he wasn't here at that time, would have wanted me to vote for change, and so I did.
From that day when I was 4, til this day when I am 32, I don't think there has ever been a more life changing, and more exciting election and then innaugeration. Its funny the things you choose to pay attention to, and the things you don't.
I know the whole Bush/Gore fiasco was exciting and that year I convinced Billy to register to vote and he will tell you how it only proved his point that individual votes do not count,and I like to prove my point to, if your not voting then you have no place in political discussions with me, and thats how we roll!!!
Anyway this passed weekend I went scrapbooking in Delaware, and as soon as I got to the hotel - there were police, secret agents? and a lot of people in the lobby, in the bar lurking in the halls, all different kinds of people. I saw a guy with painters pants on - like the real ones, not the jeans, with paint splashed on them, a paint brand sweatshirt like M.A.B. and handcuffs attached to his belst a walkie talkie and a holster?
I was like what in the world is going on here, This is the third time I had been to this hotel for this event, and never have I seen such a stir, Actually I have never ever seen a sign of life in Wilmigton near this hotel accept for a few people out by the bus stop. I am not even kidding, I always thought this was the lifeless city.
So come to find out Joe Biden and his wife were staying in our hotel, and there was security all over the place. And Saturday he was being picked up by Obama on the train so they could get to their Innaugeration in Washington.
So Saturday morning Obama was suppossed to be arriving at the Wilmington train station at 12:30/1:00.
Early in the morning there are people walking down the street with lawn chairs, heading to the train station.
I put on MSNBC, so I could see and listen while I was getting ready.
I went outside around 11:30 to smoke, what else would I need to do outside in 20 degree weather, and there was this lady carrying on to what I was assuming her son, maybe grandson, she screams "I do all the things that are important to you now you have to come with me this will be important to you one day, and its important to me today, now lets go" He was stopped in his tracks, he was like 12 maybe, "I don't want to stand out in the cold, I don't want to goooo," he whined. I had to laugh inside because I knew where they were going, she just wanted him to go, she couldn't miss it, and she wanted him to be able to say he was there when he realized it was important. I felt like the lady all but grabbed him and drug him down the street, but he will be happy one day, I hope they saw something good.
Anyway, me Rachel, and Lori decided to walk to Dunkin around 12:15, I wanted to walk to that train station so badly, it was 2 blocks away. But when we looked down the street The road was filled with people, there was no chance. So on our way to Dunkin, we saw so many people, selling Obama buttons, and talking about the whole "whistle stop" in Wilmington. All of this was getting me all excited!
Anyway the city was all hustle and bustle and the best thing I could do was tune in from my laptop!
After we returned to the hotel, The lobby was full of police and press, One guy was in a chair on his laptop, his press badge backwards around his neck, and I was looking at his pics as he downloaded them onto his computer, They were great. I havn't seen them anywhere but they were really nice!
Later I found out on facebook (good old facebook) the train conductor who introduced Joe Biden and his wife, who has been driving Joe Biden on his train for the last 25 years into Washington, was a girl I went to school with dad. I watched the replay of it on CNN and all I could think was I went to sleep overs at that guys house. I found this pic on a UK news site(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1125126/Pictured-President-Obama-gets-business-Oval-Office--poll-shows-Republicans-feeling-good.html),and it happens to be that old school friends mom, the train conductors wife dancing with the President and his wife!
This was all so close to home, all these revelations in one day, all this exciting stuff, and then the innaugeration was finally here!
I couldn't watch as I would have liked too, but last night Billy and I watched the Innaugeration Ball, we watched the recaps from Washington, and we watched the concert on HBO. I LOVED IT ALL! I was wishing I was there because I like to always be "in the place to be", but ya know I can't be everywhere! I loved everything Michelle Obama wore, Loved the yellow dress, loved the white one. Loved how Tim Gunn fealt the need to explain that the dress was suppossed to strapless, and the one shoulder strap was placed there just in case there was a chance for any accidents! Thanks Timm Gunn! I also loved Joe Bidens wife, red coat and knee high boots, what a girl!!!
I also love what Obama and Michelle represent not only as the President and 1st lady, but what they represent as a couple. I mean seriously you can see the love and its nice to see that they are a real married couple. I always feel like the President and his wife, no matter who they are have always been standoffish in front of the camera, and seriously its the year 2009, be a real married couple and show the world who you are! I loved how Obama said his wife has been working just as hard as he has, she has been doing it with him only better because she does it backwards and in Heels!!!
Ok so I didn't just get out of it that the wives of our President and Vice President, are fashionistas, but I did happen to get a sense that I wasn't the only excited person, I think me and the whole world were on the same page.
This was a great day, a great decision our nation has made, and I have said this before - Good Job America, Good Job! (thats the quote I am going to make famous Michelle!!!!)
Anyway I feel like this is what this country needed, a little uniting, a little work together, and some patriotism, which is something I don't think I have ever experienced!!! So I hope we will finally be "one nation" and stand together and come out from under this rock we have all been hiding under and fight the fight and pick ourselves up and try again, pull ourselves together and make it work.
I can't help but think that my pop pop was looking for a change like this and I hope he knows we demanded change and we got it, and its a turning point for us as a whole nation and I can only hope that for as bright as the future does look, I hope it does shine!
4 comments:
Yeah I totally know Mrs. Weaver in that picture! That's so cool. lol
And there's still people at my work and stuff complaining that McCain was treated unfair and all this nonsense. I said, "First off, you need to get over it. Second off, we had to put up with your bullshit for the last 8 years. You trashed this country and now we have to go in and fix it. So shut up!" lolz I'm awesome. I wonder where I get that from! (Pop pop)
Dana, I loved this post. It made me cry a little.
Good job, Dana! Great post!
Dana, I am glad you learned so much from your Pop pop. I am with his political thinking all the way because my mom told me back in the 50's when Ike was running that I should never vote for a republican. I asked her why. She said because they are for the very, very wealthy. Like your pop pop, my mom was absolutely correct. I have NEVER voted for a republican president, but I did split my ticket locally and state as I thought it would balance power and maybe make those crooked politicians more honest. Reagan also had a recession that created high unemployment and he was against unions and succeeded in crushing the air traffic controllers unions and it has been downhill ever since. If we have to, we will MARCH ON WASHINGTON to demand better leadership from the republicans who robbed us of our jobs and paid no attention to America or Americans. They will be a dying breed. YAHOO! BLOG very entertaining. Love, Nonna
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