Barack Obama Backstage, 1-On 1 With Fans
By Art Harris, (c), www.artharris.com, all rights reserved
Moments before he took the stage in Denver to touch 84,000 people Thursday night, I stood just a few feet away, camera rolling, to capture Sen. Barack Obama, as he touched two dozen voters, picked at random to meet him, in a rare and personal way.
He’s an active listener, engaging, bantering, even comforting with one woman who was so overcome with emotion, she burst into tears.
“Why are you crying?” he asked, hugging her, telling her everything was going to be okay.
Like others, she was crying tears of hope, and looking into the eyes of fans who flocked to the stadium to see the political rock star, that’s what I saw in their eyes, too: hope for a better day, for the country, for their lives.
Barack Obama was passing out hope for life in an uncertain world, an economy gone south, jobs lost, homes in foreclosure, a questionable Iraq war that has buried over 3,000 men and women in uniform and injured thousands.
While he attacked the politics, he’s warmed to veterans, even paying homage to John McCain’s heroism, and I stood feet away as he held the hand of a white-haired Korean vet from Florida who stood in a semi-circle in the stadium hallway to meet him.
“I want to thank you for your stand on the war and for helping the active duty people, and for all you do for the veterans, that means alot,” said the retiree, staring up at a candidate he later observed seemed taller than he’d imagined, in real life and in stature.
They came bearing souvenirs and he accepted them graciously, thanking one woman for the hat. “We can always use another hat,” he laughed, and another from Alaska for her sculpture of an Eskimo and a whale.
Then Michele Obama appeared in the hall as they left, holding one daughter’s hand as she lead them down the tunnel to the stage, flanked by Secret Service, dressed up in Sunday go to meeting finery, even though it was Thursday night in Denver and what was about to happen, beneath fireworks and confetti, would be like no meeting anyone had ever gone to before, as Barack Obama accepted the Democratic party nomination for President, the first black nominee in history, and brought down the house.
Let the games begin.
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We’ll be posting along the trail as we can. Off to St. Paul see John McCain and his stunning choice for VP, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:10 am
Barack can “talk the talk” BUT I STILL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM nor WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO TO “CHANGE” AMERICA!!! {apart from FLIP-FLOPPING about his TAX INCREASE/DECREASE!!!}
Here in Western Australia we were informed about 4 weeks ago that we MUST go to the POLLS {compulsory voting – get fined if you don’t!} on Sat 6th September!
I have learn’t everything about the candidates in the last month, filled out my postal vote…will wait for the results on the TV next Saturday night.
COST TO AUSTRALIANS – very little!
COST TO “ME” – NOTHING!!
I think America could learn from our “voting system”…the 2 years of “poncifying around has been totally USELESS!!! THE COST TO AMERICA could support the homeless & several other countries!!”
MEANWHILE troops are dying in Afghanistan and Iraq & all I have to put up with is the disengenuous statements of Hillary supposedly supporting Obama – YUK!!!
AMERICA…get over Hill & Bill…they LOST!!!
I applaud John McCain for “suspending” his convention during the Hurricane…I support his wisdom and his choice for VP!
BUT of course I can not vote in America’s election!
September 1st, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Great catch Art your video came out just right and you captured a very emotional moment for a lot of people.I also watched as tears streamed dowm peoples faces when he accepted the nomination No matter who wins this election this was one of the truly great moments in history Yes we can ,Yes we will make a better country for ourselves and our children
September 1st, 2008 at 4:09 pm
DID YOU SAY ROCK STAR?
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
If Obama wants my vote he better tell me a good joke…and it would be nice if he could think for himself and tell me an ‘original.’
September 5th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I especially like my seventh comment….
Blood is black without oxygen…so really we’re all the same colour on the inside.
Tell me a joke, tell me John McCain didn’t earn the job?
Even if the election is rigged…I still have faith in our government and sure is nice that Obama is inspiring young people to learn more (sure hope he is).
Actions speak louder than words.
That reminds me, I’m sittin’ on my lazy butt typing this.
September 16th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
1,000 men kill? The last time I heard it was 4,000 poor guys kill in this war……
September 18th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Do you know that more of our people are killed in Chicago (Obama’s place) than soldiers in Iraq?
Not that we should compare. But I am tired of people politisizing the war.
What has Obama done to bring the murder and crime rate down in Chicago? And he wants to change America????
September 25th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Seems there’s somekind of vindacation…like hatred going on.
The ‘color’ of ‘minority’ is not black…it’s just not green.
I think they’ve got us all tuning in and watching commercials…and who are they?
Well, let’s just say they are not the majority.
September 28th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Sarafina, are you serious. It is the Governor that runs the state and the daily practices, not the Senator. As for the killings in Chicago, that is why he is against ASSAULT WEAPONS. Although he believes in the 2nd amendment, as do I , it is the criminals with all these weapons that are causing trouble.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Flander Annapolis says: “it is the criminals with all these weapons that are causing the trouble”. LOL, you must be talking about Obamas friends. LMAO!!
September 30th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Flander Annapolis
Blame it on the Governor! Once again we cannot hold Obama accountableLOL.
What business then does this junior Senator has running for president?
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:00 am
A candidate who is worthy of being president of the United States is one who considers himself or herself human and corrects anyone who refers to him or her by the skin pigmentation. The first reference to one’s skin color should be an immediate disqualification of the candidate for any office, especially the presidency.
October 7th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Isabel
Exactly!!
Did Art not tell us that Obama was the candidate that transcends race? Now we know he is the complete opposite. He uses race to get what he wants.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:08 am
So ‘the story’ goes…”The Media” really didn’t tell ‘US’ much about his history…except for the so-called ‘obvious’…so we were just left to judge like the blind leading the blind.
And now everyone’s all worked up about how much money he’s printing to give us some relief…good grief….or was this all really just something ‘cooked up’ called ‘gravy’ and ‘aftermath’ by no other than you and the media?
LOL
I sure do like to guess.
June 24th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Yep, “backstage”…exactly!!!
“Who is ‘that man’ behind ‘that curtain’….oh, pay never no mind.
Louis Kemp…made with real crab….(less than 2%)…fat freeeeeee…and loaded with SALT.
June 25th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Obama on ABC trying to sell me some ‘insurance.’
What a ‘plan.’
‘Health care’ ain’t got nothin’ to with ‘that business.’
Guess ‘his audience’ really doesn’t understand this.
I only watched ‘all that’ with big, old Charlie Gibson for less than 60 seconds.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:25 am
The meidcaid/medicare system is bankrupting our nation. Unless there is healthcare reform, it will be worse than it is now. Freida, instead of speaking in “broken English”, perhaps you could read the plans.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Oh, you mean ‘The Welfare System,’ right?
July 9th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
My “English” ain’t broke, it’s just not ‘Polish.’
Now, you can read ‘this’ several ways.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
OK, I admit I got a little defensive.
Have a heart…but just seems like Obama is forcing ‘that issue’ on some that don’t want to share. While he ‘and them’ are gonna’ have, or get, the best ‘welfare’ in the nation…just ‘case’ to doubt how much ‘our government/aka over-paid auto-marketing “Bankers” and “Hummer Makers” are possibly ‘hoodwinking’ US into believe ‘the bailouts’ and bankrupt…aren’t really just ’supporting’ a war effort…maybe?
Who’d be the wiser when they talk dollars and sense in the trillions no body knows what the heck they’re talkin’ ’bout.
So, what about perspective and percentages?
How many Hummers are being delivered to Afghanistan in October?
July 9th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
I guess I’m just ‘Palin’ stupid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummer
Who’s getting ‘bailed out?’
Who’s shipping HV’s across seas…
Hey, what about ’shipping and ‘handling’ fees?
I’m sure UPS must be involved.
Just getting complicated on purpose…called funny math.
Something tells me ‘it takes 2 to tango’ (possibly more)…
Dear Art,
How good are you at math? It’s a so-called fact that men are better calculators, right?
Or is that just something, some statistic, some ‘fabricated’ story I read…once upon a time.
I’m love to emote…you know, you knew it from the beginning almost…
Something ’bout poetry.
Wonder if you like some of the lyrics, or music ‘links’ I post…
Hope you liked “Classical Gas.”
July 12th, 2009 at 3:41 am
Dear Art,
I was really impressed with Obama’s ‘words’ in Africa.
He certainly, or surely, is a thoughtful man.
You can almost see the ‘wheels turning over’ in his brain when he pauses and searches for the most perfect ‘phrase.’
So, what about action? What’s next? Guess we’ll see if his ’stimulus’ works.
Sure hope so, yet I see small shops and restaurants going out of business right and left. Some, or most, seem to be doing their own ‘bailout.’
October 6th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
as the white grandmother of a very precious granddaughter. Obama is NOT BLACK,——-!!!!!!!!!!! HE IS MIXED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 17th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Dang, seems ‘AtoZ’ is getting, or got squeezed or condensed…
Reminds me of soup, or actually more than likely ‘just’ GRAVY!!!.
October 17th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
I ain’t seein’ no pennies fallin’ from heaven yet…so, where’s the relief?
October 17th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Just another man in charge and peddling now ‘what?’ in the Mid East?
Don’t matter what color ‘he’ is?
Things haven’t changed.
Reminds me of a movie line.
February 25th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
This ‘healthcare summit’ (debate) reminds me of “Tax the ‘young’ to eventually pay for the cost ‘of new hips’ for the old.”
March 1st, 2010 at 8:11 am
And my typos and misspellings.
When someone would let someone that didn’t get themselves no good education, yet give them a title like proofreader.
Well, at least in that pre-occupation did some mighty good deeds and made master pieces of others’ resumes.
Usually the ones that needed the most help were the ones that had the most experience, and the rest of the people I worked with would laugh when they, those that wrote their original ‘history’ tried to give ‘every word’ a note, so sparingly.