happydalek (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
happydalek) wrote2008-03-18 08:19 pm
happydalek) wrote2008-03-18 08:19 pm
I say "Madam" you say "President!" Madam!
President!
Madam!
Presi--oh, you get the picture.
Just got back from the "town hall" meeting on campus with Hillary Clinton.
Madam!
Presi--oh, you get the picture.
Just got back from the "town hall" meeting on campus with Hillary Clinton.
Of course, I can't prove it, because I didn't take my camera. And I had a really good seat, too! *facepalm* Of course, to get it required standing in a line for more than an hour and a half in the cold, blustery drizzle (that smelt faintly of manure, which it often does this time of year). But one of Sen. Clinton's ardent supporters sold me a nice, hot cup of coffee for $2 while I was there, so it was really not that bad, chit-chatting away with the three older ladies in front of me. Once inside the gymnasium (clearing the metal detectors and waiting patiently as my purse and coat pockets were emptied for inspection) I waited another hour and some odd minutes as the rest of the place filled up. There was a Hillary cheering section in the one tier, complete with clever homemade signs and dancing loony who was waaaaay too thrilled to be there. ;-) When at last things got underway, Sen. Clinton walked out flanked by the governor and some other politician friend from Texas whose name escapes me at the moment. They took turns praising Clinton to the high heavens (gobbling up almost half an hour in the process), then Hillary took center stage.
She looked good, in a red-maroon blazer and dark slacks (with pencil heels). She didn't look at all washed-out, and even her hair didn't suck. Much better in person than she does on TV, in my opinion. I was seated in the stands behind her and to the right, maybe 40, 50 feet away. She sounded relaxed and confident and friendly. I was listening, and I don't think she uttered a single "um" once in the 40 min. speech she gave. The content of her message wasn't anything unexpected. A lot of pretty words about bio-fuels, taxing big business, funding stem cell research, implementing universal health care and ending the war in Iraq. Then, because she knows her audience, she added some more nice words about making college more affordable, providing better job training for those who don't go to college, and deep-sixing the No Child Left Behind Act, which got a *MASSIVE* round of cheers from an audience made up of a lot of elementary education majors. ;-) She took a few stabs at Bush (she parodied his "Gee, it'd be nice if you lowered your prices, OPEC," quote, which earned warm laughs, and sharply criticized both his spending habits and his "fear of science," both to rousing cheers of agreement), and made only one reference to Barack Obama, criticizing nothing and calling him simply "my opponent."
She ended her speech with run of "Who do you want to hire to fix this country?" kind of remarks which elicited the expected tizzy of "ZOMG!! Hillary!!!" answers from the loving crowd. She took no questions (which I thought was a little odd, since "town hall meeting" usually implies a bit of Q & A, doesn't it?) and wrapped it up promptly by 8:00. The speakers switched on, filling the room with the booming voice of Elvis crooning "A Little Less Conversation," and immediately a third of the crowd rushed to the one side to inundate Hillary with posters to sign and hands to shake. I lingered for a few minutes, calculating my odds of being able to get within hand-shake distance of Senator Clinton. Judging them to be extremely slim, I instead threaded my way through the rest of the crowd (past a local news anchor interviewing a tall string bean of a guy), out the front doors and smack in front of a dedicated group of Ron Paul supporters who'd shown up outside the gym with the most optimistically huge "Ron Paul for President" poster I've ever seen. I'm still trying to decide if it was a joke or not.
So, all in all not a bad way to spend an evening. I must admit Sen. Clinton impressed me tonight. Not with her politics, understand, but with her affable, well-spoken presentation. She could be president. I don't think I'd vote for her, but if she happened to win her party's nomination and then the general election, I think I could live with that.
She looked good, in a red-maroon blazer and dark slacks (with pencil heels). She didn't look at all washed-out, and even her hair didn't suck. Much better in person than she does on TV, in my opinion. I was seated in the stands behind her and to the right, maybe 40, 50 feet away. She sounded relaxed and confident and friendly. I was listening, and I don't think she uttered a single "um" once in the 40 min. speech she gave. The content of her message wasn't anything unexpected. A lot of pretty words about bio-fuels, taxing big business, funding stem cell research, implementing universal health care and ending the war in Iraq. Then, because she knows her audience, she added some more nice words about making college more affordable, providing better job training for those who don't go to college, and deep-sixing the No Child Left Behind Act, which got a *MASSIVE* round of cheers from an audience made up of a lot of elementary education majors. ;-) She took a few stabs at Bush (she parodied his "Gee, it'd be nice if you lowered your prices, OPEC," quote, which earned warm laughs, and sharply criticized both his spending habits and his "fear of science," both to rousing cheers of agreement), and made only one reference to Barack Obama, criticizing nothing and calling him simply "my opponent."
She ended her speech with run of "Who do you want to hire to fix this country?" kind of remarks which elicited the expected tizzy of "ZOMG!! Hillary!!!" answers from the loving crowd. She took no questions (which I thought was a little odd, since "town hall meeting" usually implies a bit of Q & A, doesn't it?) and wrapped it up promptly by 8:00. The speakers switched on, filling the room with the booming voice of Elvis crooning "A Little Less Conversation," and immediately a third of the crowd rushed to the one side to inundate Hillary with posters to sign and hands to shake. I lingered for a few minutes, calculating my odds of being able to get within hand-shake distance of Senator Clinton. Judging them to be extremely slim, I instead threaded my way through the rest of the crowd (past a local news anchor interviewing a tall string bean of a guy), out the front doors and smack in front of a dedicated group of Ron Paul supporters who'd shown up outside the gym with the most optimistically huge "Ron Paul for President" poster I've ever seen. I'm still trying to decide if it was a joke or not.
So, all in all not a bad way to spend an evening. I must admit Sen. Clinton impressed me tonight. Not with her politics, understand, but with her affable, well-spoken presentation. She could be president. I don't think I'd vote for her, but if she happened to win her party's nomination and then the general election, I think I could live with that.
no subject
lol, those are my Ron Paul peeps! ;) I can assure you, it wasn't a joke. That has been a big part of our campaign, "spamming" other candidates' meetings and appearances with our signs and so forth.
It's cool you went to the town hall with Hillary. I'm glad to see you taking an interest! Even if Hillary is the last person I'd want as president. ;)
no subject
As for the rally itself, it honestly didn't matter to me who it was for. I mean, how often does a major presidential candidate just appear in one's backyard? I'm pretty dispassionate when it comes to politics in general, so I totally salute you guys willing to stand out in the rain with your giant posters and spread the word, often to no avail (unless something really shocking happens at the convention).