On The Trail With Barack Obama
As Barack Obama carves a path through the state of South Carolina, he leaves behind thousands of college co-eds who are “fired up and ready to go!” Earlier this week, the Democratic candidate made a stop in Greenwood, South Carolina, the home of Lander University, where he was welcomed by frenzied supporters like the superstar he has become. After waiting over two hours for his delayed arrival, the crowd exploded with a roar as the Presidential hopeful took the stage amidst the blaring sounds of U2’s “City of Blinding Lights.” (Apparently, Barack Obama is trying to tap into the nauseating popularity and uber-stardom of “Bono the Magnificent”. One can always hold on to “the audacity of hope”.)
As usual, he spoke in his trademark tone, filled with sweeping images of grandeur and idealistic vision. Anyone hoping to hear him expound on his positions regarding line item vetoes, pork barrel spending and other thrilling legislative concerns, came to the wrong place. This was a rock show.
Standing before a large American flag and a sign reading “Change We Can Believe In”, Obama assured the raucous crowd that he is the only candidate on the bill that can bring a new brand of politics to America. The Junior Senator from Illinois marketed himself as a welcome alternative to the current political establishment in Washington, which he claimed is attempting to “boil the hope” out of him.
To Barack Obama, hope is the name of the game, the alpha and the omega. It is clearly one of the main pillars of his campaign platform, which is evident from his frequent evocations of late American luminaries, such as John F. Kennedy. “When JFK looked at the moon, he didn’t say, ‘that’s too far, we can’t go there’”. No he didn’t. But even though President Kennedy plopped a couple of men on the moon, one can only wonder if he could have defeated the political powerhouse of Hillary and Bill Clinton. That is the question; that is Barack Obama’s moon mission.
After Greenwood, the campaign headed to Lexington for a Town Hall Meeting, before making a stop in Orangeburg for a speech at South Carolina State University. The historically African American college was expected to give him a reception that would make Greenwood look like a funeral. They did give him an enviable welcome, but it was his superstar guests who stole the show.
The star of such esteemed cinematic achievements as Rush Hour and Friday, Chris Tucker, was the first to appear. The crowd shrieked and howled so loud that even the usually stoic members of the Secret Service were noticeably shaken. The actor, sharply dressed in a beige blazer, entertained the crowd with a few predictable banalities before introducing fellow Hollywood star Kerry Washington to the stage. The actress, whose film credits include Ray and The Fantastic Four spoke in a much sharper tone, telling the crowd that it was their time to make history. “Whose country is this?” she asked, to which the audience loudly responded “our country!” They were correct, it may have been their country, but it was soon evident that the night belonged to the final guest.
After wrapping up her speech, Washington introduced pop mogul Usher Raymond to the stage. He quickly proved to be the fan favorite, especially among the female contingency. Usher spoke with the poise and eloquence of a man with a future in the high-stakes arena of American politics. Like Obama, he made several references to Martin Luther King Jr., who he called a seed of hope in 20th century America. According to Usher, Dr. King was the man who planted it, but Obama “is the water that grows the seed.”
When Obama finally arrived onstage, he was met with a somewhat tepid response, in comparison to the abject adulation given to his predecessors. Following a pair of popular actors and a pop superstar proved to be an unenviable task. The speech was adequate and it even achieved a few highpoints, especially when he made his only reference to the current President, mentioning that “the name George W. Bush won’t be on the ballot” in the upcoming election. The statement elicited a sizeable roar from the audience, but it was only one of the few moments of his night that came close to reaching the dizzying heights of enthusiasm enjoyed by his A-list supporters.
Some may agree that Barack Obama is the water needed to grow the seed of the American dream, but unfortunately on this night he came across less like water for a parched earth and more like a cold bucket of it poured over a million dollar bash.
As Chris Tucker stated when he took the stage to face an adoring crowd, “I feel like Barack Obama!” He may have, but it’s a safe bet that Barack Obama won't feel like Chris Tucker in Orangeburg, until he takes the stage to accept the Democratic nomination in Denver, 2008.
barack obama, election 08, campaign trail, chris mccaa
