My Invitation

Last night, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton appeared at a rally in downtown Charlotte. I was unable to attend, but I had several friends and acquaintances who did go. Yesterday I sent an email asking them if they would be willing to give their impressions of the event and the candidate. Over the course of the next couple of days, I will share their impressions (in their own words) with you.

In order to be fair, if any of my readers have attended an event and heard Senator Obama or Senator McCain speak, leave me a message in the Guest Book (see sidebar link) if you want to contribute your thoughts on having seen either of those candidates, and I will make it happen.

Here is our first "sharing" from a long time reader:

Like all these events, last night's "Club 44" rally for Hillary Clinton was carefully choreographed - we passed through metal detectors, umbrellas were left at the door, cell phones were checked separately, lots of SS around.

The TV cameras were set up FACING the crowds (which if you watch these events on TV, you always see the candidate with her/his back to the crowd. ) Because we paid for "seats", we were allowed "on the floor" so we chose to stand at the base of the platform - an up close view!

An AA Rock Band, the Johnson C. Smith Choir (who sang several hymns), Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Terry McAulifee (who announced Mike Easley's endorsement [of Clinton] which was GREAT news to all of us) and a Hispanic Congresswoman from California, plus the young woman who used to portray Victoria on The Young and Restless, plus various other "somebodies" warmed up the crowd.

The Arena appeared about half full to me and the only crowd estimate I heard was from WBTV [the local CBS affiliate] at 4,000. I think it was more - probably more women than men. The six or so people we were standing behind were a woman probably in her sixties, a young woman in her late teens or early twenties, a couple in their thirties who were still paying off college loans at 28% interest, and several Hispanics - a very diverse crowd.

The enthusiasm level was very high: cheering, sign-waving, occasional shouts of "we love ya, Hillary". The crowd was asked to text message "NC" to a number, and the first four were taken back stage when Hillary arrived to have their picture made with her . Needless to say, I wasn't one of the 4, who hasn't mastered the art of texting with TWO thumbs instead of one! The winners were all women - young and less young!

A "rocker" (maybe local) named Ty Herndon, I think, prepared the crowd for her entrance which was comparable to a rock star or a WWE wrestler - lights dimmed, drumroll, noisy, raucous, and exhilarating! She and Chelsea entered together and mounted the stage at which time Chelsea introduced her Mother, then left the stage and stood at the base within my eyeshot. She cheered along with the rest of us at the appropriate times even though I'm sure she has the speeches memorized by now. The affection and strong bond between these two is obvious and as the Mother of a daughter, tear time!

As I have been from the beginning, I was amazed at how fresh and rested Hillary Clinton looked. I was struck by how young and beautiful her hands appeared - which she uses constantly to express herself - and which were adorned with what appeared to be a charm bracket on her left arm which sparkled and glittered in the spotlight. In her signature pants suit and a pair of pointy-toed shoes with small heels (which would have killed my feet), she moved effortlessly around the stage, turning to face the crowd and the cameras, she spent the next forty-five minutes or so in [delivering] a seamless flow of solutions to the myriad of problems facing this country - everything from the war in Iraq (which she says we should "END") and the war in Afghanistan (which she says we must WIN), to gas prices, colleges costs and a "service corps" to help pay for college, "green" jobs, UNIVERSAL health care, penalties for outsourcing, etc., etc., - concerns of her key constituents , but the kinds of solutions which truly can "transform" our country. She defended Bill Clinton's administration and the peace and prosperity which dominated his eight years in the White House.

Having traveled to Hickory earlier to see Bill Clinton outline her "solutions" and now having seen her in person, I am more convinced than ever that she IS the ONLY candidate running who is truly READY ON DAY ONE to sit down at that famous desk in the Oval Office and "git er done".

Her grasp of the issues, her depth of knowledge about those issues is stunning - and is a trait I want in my President. With either of her two opponents I would feel much less secure in their ability to understand the ramifications of their decisions.

For the first time in recent history, North Carolina will have a role in choosing the Democratic Party's Presidential Candidate. These rallies are truly Democracy in Action and I am honored to be a part of the process!

(the end)

V&V, on behalf of our readers, thanks this reader for sharing her thoughts with the rest of us. Stay tuned for more such sharings.
UPDATE: See also My Invitation, Part 2.