McCain, Palin, and Me

This morning we decided to ditch school and see the next president of the United States.  Well, actually, I gave our two older daughters the opportunity to do their schoolwork ahead of time so they could have an excused absence to witness history.  The older daughter agreed, but Daughter #2 was dissecting flowers in science today and did NOT want to miss it because she was dissecting the roses Owen gave me for our anniversary last week.  My mom also made the trip, so there were three of us.

As soon as the kids got on the bus this morning, Mom, Daughter #1, and I got in the car and made the half hour trek to Cedarburg.  We found what we thought was a great parking place, parked and got out.  A lady came trotting toward us and told us we had to pay $10 to park there.  There were free spots on the street, but we paid the stupid $10 because we really just wanted to get in line.  Capitalism at work, I guess.

The line was already pretty long when we got there at 8:00, and we got to know the people around us quite well while we waited two hours to get going.  They didn’t let people in at 8:00 like they said they would.  From what I understand, after about half an hour, the line extended 7-8 blocks behind us.  Later, I heard that the line extended nearly a mile.  I’m not sure, though.  There were two lines entering at two different streets, and there were a LOT of people.  While we were waiting, we saw some protesters, whose song and dance (really, there was music) did little to change the minds of the people waiting in line.  One McCain supporter shouted, “Get a job!” and the protester lifted his McCain mask off his face and said, “Believe it or not, I get paid for this.”  Nice.  I’m sure his mom is proud.  Another McCain supporter began shouting “Obama sucks!” over and over.  At that point, I turned to my daughter to explain to her that neither person did anything to advance his cause by yelling stupid stuff.  Their energy could be better spent in productive ways of getting their points across.  Jim Burkee’s family also came by handing out stuff and talking to the crowd, which was indeed a much more productive way to try to change things, even if I like things the way they are.

We finally got in right at 10:00.  I say “in,” but really we were out because there was no in, we were out.  At one point, Representative Pridemore was standing in front of me.  Representative Mark Gottlieb seemed to be the MC, and the mayor of Cedarburg, Jim Sensenbrenner, and JB Van Hollen all spoke.  Bonus points to JB for being upright, since I know Owen saw him in Minneapolis last night.  I’d post pictures of them, but I think we’ve seen them enough to know what they look like, no?  Someone from Concordia did the invocation, and he said he was going to present Governor Palin with a Concordia hockey jersey (do they call them jerseys?  Sweaters?  Whatever), which read “Palin” on the back with the number 2.  He also talked about a colleague whose father wanted him to give his Medal of Honor to John McCain.  This really touched people, who murmured among themselves how special that was.  Then we waited something like 20 minutes with nothing but music playing until the bus arrived.

This was all very much like the Bush visit awhile back, blue bus and all.  The candidates came out of the bus, kissed hands and shook babies and got on stage.  It appeared to me that there were a lot more handmade Palin signs than McCain signs.  One of them seemed to have a manifesto on it, however, upon closer inspection it read, “Gloria Steinem says, ‘Sarah Palin shares nothing but a chromosome with Hillary Clinton.’  Wisconsin says: ‘Thank God!’” 

Governor Palin spoke first and disappointingly just paraphrased, and often just simply quoted, her convention speech.  That would be fine if we hadn’t just watched the same lines from the comfort of our own living room couches just two days ago.  Then McCain spoke, and he was really in his element.  This is really where he shines.  He was behind a podium, but it was like he had a list of things in his head he wanted to tell us, and he used his own words to get it done.  Sure, some were talking points, but it was so much more natural and funny than his speech last night.  If he could have given that type of speech last night, it would have been great.  Americans would have seen a different John McCain from the forced, nervous presentation he gave then.  Cindy McCain stood by the whole time, and I felt badly for her that she was wearing her cast again.  I had noticed last night on TV that she was shaking hands with her left hand, but there was no denying the hot pink cast she wore today.

And then it was done.  McCain and Palin shook a lot of hands on the way out, so many, in fact, that we left before they did.  We took some pictures in front of the “Straight Talk Express,” then we left.  Daugther #1 had to go back to school, and Mom and I had to eat lunch.  When we took Daughter #1 to school, we found someone there who had gone, but the line was too long so he left.  He heard that an estimated 30,000 people showed up, though it appears not everyone was able to make it in to hear the speeches.  It was fun, and I’m glad we went.  Except for the business that owns the parking lot, I’d be glad to stop in Cedarburg again sometime.  Maybe.

UPDATE:  Mary-Eileen was in Cedarburg today, too.  We might have been at the same parking lot.

1. Good report - I really wanted to drive over to Cedarburg and observe from a distance, but I had an appointment to get to.

   Nice that that Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had to add this to the “color” of the story:

   FRIDAY, Sept. 5, 2008, 2:03 p.m.
   By Tom Kertscher

   Rally update: Obama backers meet
   At a gathering at a Barack Obama campaign office in Mequon, Dale Lehrer, a self-described lifelong Republican, said she wanted to tell Ozaukee County residents that “it’s OK to live here and vote for a Democrat.”

   Lehrer, 55, a physical therapist from Grafton, said she is voting for Obama because unemployment and access to health care and college financial aid have worsened under George W. Bush.

   I’m not so sure I look forward to “breaking news” stories about what the Republicans are during any future Obama &/or Biden appearances in metro Milwaukee area.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1556 hrs




2. Hey Wendy, thanks for the report! I was there, too, sort of.  The line really did extend over half a mile, minimum, and since we never did see the end of it (even after walking for blocks and blocks) we gave up and just stood near an intersection in hopes of seeing the motorcade. Which we did, so that was cool. 

   Then we and hundreds of others left without actually getting “in” to the rally.  I have a couple of posts about it, and hope to put up some pics shortly (if I can get the camera to talk to the computer; it’s giving me a little trouble right now).

   Posted by M.E. on September 05, 2008 at 1602 hrs




3. I’m not so sure I look forward to “breaking news” stories about what the Republicans are doing during any future Obama &/or Biden appearances in metro Milwaukee area.

   I hope that makes more sense with the missing word included.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1618 hrs




4. Totally cool.  I’m hoping for an opportunity to take some of my own kids to an Obama event.  I saw Howard Dean and a few other local Dem officials the other day here at work, but it wasn’t too big a deal.  I stood in the back and ate a sandwich. 

   “Gloria Steinem says, ‘Sarah Palin shares nothing but a chromosome with Hillary Clinton.’ Wisconsin says: ‘Thank God!’”

   Heh.  I think what Wisconsin is really going to say is “thanks but no thanks!”

   Posted by scott on September 05, 2008 at 1635 hrs




5. Outstanding day…...I was one of the lucky 12,500 who got in. That number is official, but the unofficial estimates on who couldn’t get in range from 20 to 30 thousand.  For an event with 2-3 days notice, that’s not bad.  Good to see McCain can now match the Obama energy level.  My observation is that the soccer moms of suburbia are coming out in force to check out Palin. 

   Wendy has a nice summary.  McCain was far better today in this setting than last night.  I didn’t expect any new lines though, as I’ve been to these in the past for candidates with both parties, and you usually get the same sound bite lines.  No difference from rock musicians who do the same crowd banter in each city.

   I’d say the line to get in at the east gate entrance may have run 1.5 to 2 miles long.  If you didn’t get in line before 8:30ish, I’m guessing you didn’t get in.

   Good to see Carl Cameron from Fox News among with the usual crew that was there including Kelly O’Donnell and Chip Reed from NBC.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1652 hrs




6. Palin spoke first and disappointingly just paraphrased, and often just simply quoted, her convention speech. 

   Thanks for the honesty Wendy.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1653 hrs




7. Scott,

   Gloria Steiem is a dried up old hag, that will be dead within a year or so..  And do be so sure about Wisconsin, because the Dem’s wont have all the illegal votes this time.

   Sarah would eat her and you for lunch, and then crap out what should be your candidate.

   Maybe you could take the kids to see him part lake Michigan, or maybe he performs some miracle, like maybe stopping all the murders in Chicago.  By the way they had 3 times more murders in Chicago last month then they did in all of IRAQ..

   But Harry Reid said the war is lost. 

   What a joke..

   Did you see my post on protecting the pictures you posted on the net.  Wouldn’t want your girl friend head to end up on someone else’s body…  Or visa versa

   I see the site’s getting closer to being up.

   Nice blank white page you got there.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1701 hrs




8. Hey, 3rd way, how about my honesty about how well McCain did? 

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1727 hrs




9. I had a great time at the rally, but was even more excited about what happened on the way home. I stopped for a cup of coffee in Menomonee Falls and the 20 year old women working behind the counter asked if I was at the rally since I still had my McCain sticker on my shirt.  I said I had and she explained how she really wanted to go but had to work.  She was so excited to explain to me that she had not been a McCain supporter until he picked Sarah Palin for VP.  She said her and her friends had never been into politics but Sarah has them all really excited.  She told me that they all felt that Sarah Palin was going to be their generation’s Princess Diana.  I don’t know if I get the Palin-Princess Diana thing, but the excitement of a young women at a coffee shop was even better than the excitement at the rally.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1728 hrs




10. Careful, Overtaxed, you could be construed as being “sarcastic”

    This according to Michelle Malkin:

    Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin cracked: “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.”

    Team Obama was not amused. (Neither were the snarky left-wingers on cable TV who are now allergic to sarcasm.)

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1803 hrs




11. mht,

    Aint the 1st amendment great..  Bring it on.. Or do I really mean that, it could be sarcasm..

    I wouldn’t bet on it though…

    I was at the rally, and an idiot anti war person, was getting into the face of a veteran, he just stood there and took it like the professional he was.

    I ripped the sign out of her hand and ripped it up.  When she came back with a cop, she had no witnesses, when the cop asked the vet if he saw anything he said “Nope”, she stamped off screaming at the cop, and swearing..

    I quietly thanked the vet for his service, and he thanked me for mine.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 1822 hrs




12. Nice report Wendy.  Can we send you to the next convention instead of your guy?

    My wife & I didn’t get close to making it in.  I posted some fashion pictures outside the perimeter at my blog.

    Posted by Headless Blogger on September 05, 2008 at 1945 hrs




13. I just looked at the map with the two entrances highlighted.  I stood in line on Hanover Avenue with everyone else waiting to enter on Columbia Road.  We watched as some groups of people cut across the line towards Washington Avenue.  I now know that they were walking to the Turner Street entrance.

    That being the case, the organizers need a good kick for letting that line extend for 6/10ths of a mile without diverting the tailend of it to this entrance.

    Posted by Headless Blogger on September 05, 2008 at 2040 hrs




14. Wendy:

    Nice pics and good rundown on the rally. I especially was intrigued about the 20 year-old waitress’ reaction to Palin.

    I bet both parties are already looking for the next Sarah Palins! That is a good sign- out with the old Congress deadwood.

    Posted by AJ Lynch on September 05, 2008 at 2104 hrs




15. Thanks Wendy, glad you all made it out there.  I took a bus from Chicago to STL on Sunday for a rally with 17,000 of my closest friends.  We had about a dozen Hillary supporters on the bus who wore their Hillary shirts but waved McCain signs.  Never thought I’d be on a bus with Hillary Freaking Clinton supporters, but isn’t there something about politics and strange bedfellows?

    We’re going to win this thing!

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 05, 2008 at 2210 hrs




16. The paid protester stuff is pretty common but, doesn’t get enough attention.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 06, 2008 at 1338 hrs