By LINDON DODD
Local Columnist
April 25, 2008 02:54 pm
—
I am usually prone to neither idol worship nor political idolatry, however, like most I am caught up in the excitement and interest in the current presidential race. Let’s face it, when someone of the caliber of a serious presidential contender bothers to come to Jeffersonville, that is newsworthy. It’s also refreshing to see downtown Jeffersonville roped off with police tape and it’s not a block fire or a street crime.
So I did find myself taking a late lunch hour with a smattering of locals who were awaiting the arrival of Barack Obama late Wednesday afternoon.
After all, the last time our Hoosier votes counted in a presidential election was 40 years ago.Bobby Kennedy found Jeffersonville without aid of the yet to be invented global positioning device. Usually someone of note must take the wrong exit off of I-65 to visit the sunnyside of Louisville (I wonder if Jim Keith owes me some kind of royalty fee for plugging that slogan).
I was standing alongside a makeshift railing with Becka Christensen and Tom Lindley when one of those Secret Service types, you know those well-toned gals and guys who blend into the crowd with their dark suits and lapel pins, pulled his vehicle in front of us to block our clear view of Spring Street. We were then directed to a public viewing area where we were led to believe Barack might work a small crowd after the political ad was shot. Like the good sheep I am I was led over the controlled area.
As I unknowingly walked right past a security guard while talking on my cell phone oblivious to a line being physically savaged at a security check point, I was immediately wrestled to the ground by one of the agents.
OK, that didn’t happen.
What actually occurred was that she informed me I had to wait in line like everyone else before being allowed to enter the public viewing area. It would have made for a better column had I actually been wrestled to the ground.
As I entered the secured area I found myself immersed in a crowd of political who’s who interspersed with a group of who’s who wannabes of local candidates running in May. There were enough office holders and potential office holders to have held a mock Democratic election. I am pretty sure I even saw a Republican or two kind of standing with their head bowed looking unobtrusive and trying to blend in with the Obama crowd.
The wife of one candidate reminded me of my erroneous 50-1 odds on her husband in a judge’s race and another female judge candidate made stern reference to my calling her a “filly.” I did defend my words and stated that I used filly as a race track term for young female thoroughbreds and resisted the term mare which is race track parlance for older females. Once again, I diffused a potentially hostile crowd of politicos by deflecting the subject with diversionary wit and humor! When in Rome, do as the Romans.
My wife Kim had joined me for the event and after a too long wait we were informed the Senator was running late and could only briefly address the crowd by one of his front men. Soon after, I heard a couple of females shriek out loud and Obama approached and jumped up on an elevated brick flowerbed. He was just a few feet away and told us he had to get to a place to cast a Senate vote that involved equal pay in the work place for females which led to more cheers (and perhaps a shriek from the Republican or two in the crowd). Hey, anyone can get caught up in the mob excitement of the moment.
Then, and I am not making this up, Barack reached down in the crowd lifting up a beautiful little African-American baby, held her up high, and twice kissed her on the check which for me muted any argument against his toughness. Here was a presidential candidate who is not afraid to confront a stereotypical political cliché such as kissing a baby during a campaign stop. He had played the crowd like Stravinsky at a barn dance.
I don’t know why I reached over top of the person in front of me (luckily it was diminutive Council Woman Barbara Wilson who was probably one of the few persons in the crowd shorter than myself) but my stubby arms could not reach out long enough to get a handshake. In a too brief moment, Obama had disappeared quicker than the 2000 budget surplus!
When I returned to Perkfection and the makeshift railing Becka approached me mockingly. Obama had come to where I had earlier been standing and shook every hand including hers. She will show you if you see her in the next few weeks. It will be the one that looks a bit on the gritty side, as from the look on her face and the excitement in her voice washing it won’t be an option until after the Primary. Yes, she got to meet Obama up close and all I got was this column!
Lindon Dodd is an Otisco resident who is a freelance writer, 4-H School Enrichment Program Assistant and Realtor who can be reached at lindon.dodd@hotmail.com.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
