ObamaTime at the Apollo...a first-hand account

Just back from my evening with Barack Obama at the Apollo and I see some of the news reports already coming in. Here's how it went from a little ole spectator's point of view.

With the doors set to open at 7 the lines were already forming when I got to the theater around 5:15. Chatted with a Women for Obama volunteer who said her signature-gathering in her native Staten Island for getting Barack onto the NY ballot was a breeze with everyone except many older black and Hispanic women who are firmly for Hillary ("Guess some people just want to see a woman president," she said.) Before too long the well-organized Obama machine became visible. Separate groups showed up collecting signatures for the ballot, signing up volunteers, distributed after-event party tix and making sure everyone who was in line actually belonged there. Impressive.

The media crush was also impressive. All the local TV networks, of course, plus a few international journalists with cameramen; one from Korea and another from Spain, just in my part of the line. Later I would also see Maureen Dowd...we'll get to that below.

Lots of NY City atmosphere and attitude; nights like these leave you wondering how you could ever leave the city for good (I was born here, was part of the white flight migration to the suburbs in the 60's and have lived in the city for the last 25 years). In fact, for those of you who have read Dreams From My Father, I spent about a decade living one block north from where that book begins, at Barack's dingy apartment on 94th between 1st and 2nd. He makes a point of mentioning that the building had no intercom and that his friends had to alert him to their presence by calling from a payphone at a gas station around the corner; the exact phone that my friends had to use because my building had no intercom either. Clearly, I am fated to be in his corner.

On the way into the theater there was a small group chanting for an end to the American-funded drug war in Mexico. Their leader said at one point, "C'mon, Obama. Be a visionary. Be a leader. Be handsome. Be all the things that you are."

Once inside, about an hour of waiting before the program started. A noticeable anti-Hillary vibe with a group of people wearing yellow t-shirts that said, "Let the people decide" on the front and "Who decided Hillary is best for the black community?" on the back. Their leader seemed to be Lenora Fulani, a well-known activist and political gadfly. The crowd of 1,500 looked to be about three-quarters black and hispanic, 45 and older and many women (maybe there's hope after all...). A serious crowd.

An hour of music before the speeches, led by the amazing Harlem Gospel Choir. It was toward the end of their set, during a bluesy rendition of Amazing Grace that I would kill to hear again, that Maureen Dowd made her entrance, fashionably late, of course. She looks as unhappy in person as she sounds in print, attractive but pale and dour. She blocked my view of the choir for a few seconds before realizing she needed to find another place to sit. And sit she did for the rest of the evening, with an irritated and unimpressed look on her face on the few occasions that I looked over at her subsequently. We'll hear more about her evening in her next column, I'm sure.

Cornel West was up next, and the quote that the papers are picking up was, "How does it feel to be on the right side of history?" Not "part" of history. At any rate, that went over huge with the crowd. West was everything; brilliant, inspiring, funny, and religiously into this candidacy. Everyone thought he would be introducing Barack, but he said, "we have one more speaker to introduce." Massive groans, followed by, "Chris Rock." Explosion. Rock's buyer's remorse quote about Hillary has also been picked up by the press. "You'd be real embarassed if he won and you wasn't down with it...I had that white lady? What was I thinking?" Brought down the house.

Next up: Obama. Anyone who has seen the Jefferson-Jackson speech has also seen this speech. There were a few variations on the theme aimed at an urban audience, but the message was essentially the same. An attentive, captivated audience ate it all up. Having heard these riffs before, I focused more on the man. The star quality is evident from the time he sets foot on the stage; this an incredibly attractive human being. He stands military-straight, gracefully moves a few feet to the left, a few feet to the right, with all of this rhetorical brilliance and passion flowing through him. Obama thinks himself to be a vessel and moves like one, too. Stately and with power. It's pretty spellbinding. The other thing I noticed was the tone of urgency in his voice. He wants this thing real bad. And, with an opponent as determined as Hillary, not to mention the rest of the field, the intensity level of this campaign is going to be fierce to the end.

Those of you who have made it this far, thanks for your attention.

and would be suspect of anything she writes. Happy the folks enjoyed themselves.

Ben David

Why does she still have a job? Why is she still allowed to write, when all she writes is hatred? Since she hates so much, why doesn't she have a job in the Bush administration? Is Cheney afraid she'll get his job?

written about the Bush administration.

What, no partying at the Lenox Lounge? ;-)

or maybe just too wise. ;)

We New Yorkers are never too old but we're often too wise. :toast:

Oh, wait a minute. I wasn't anywhere near the place. You just described it so vividly that I FEEL like I was there.

What a wonderful recap. Thank you!

I just watched the reporter on CNN.

He was positive about the Apollo and was doing the usual quoting of poll numbers.

I am an African American woman and I understand why African American women are afraid to vote for Obama. It's not that they love HC more, it's that they are too protective of their young men.

We always want to protect our "baby boys." We never want anything to hurt them in anyway. We will stand up for our boys even when they do the wrong thing. There is nothing like the protective love of an African American woman for her boy child!

It is a strong thread that runs through the vains of African American women.

I have talked to many of my friends about my support of Obama and so many will say, " I am afraid for him so I'd rather vote for someone else."

But lately, they are coming around! I think when they listen to his wife speak that is a tremendous security blanket for them.

They were strong supporters of Jesse Jackson's but that was a different era and it was a known fact that Jesse did not have a chance of being President. I was a delegate for Jesse and it was one of the thrills of a lifetime.

OBAMA does have a chance, a real chance and when African American woman get over their fears, you will see a change. I am certain of it.

I'm originally from New York (I'm now living in L.A.) and most of my family is still there. My sister said she was going but I haven't heard from her yet. Your account of this event made me feel like I was there.

And I had a great time, too! :)

It's too Hillaryous for networks to pass up. Well, I can see how Keith "I'm for Hillary!" Olbermann might forget to put it on.

:yourock:

Thank you so much. Lenora Fulani's group is trying to get up a debate in Harlem between Obama and Hillary, I've read.

:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

;)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/politics/

Chris misspoke when he said Obama voted against the war, rather than spoke out against the Iraq war, but it's a great clip, vintage Chris Rock.

http://cameron.blogs.foxnews.com/2007/11/30/dont-be-embarrassed-dont-support-the-white-lady/

Great post!

K&R