Thank you so much

The first day in Washington the group was presented with a choice about exactly what the day’s activities should involve. We had been informed that there was going to be an Obama rally about two and a half hours out of DC in a small college town called Harrisonburg, Virginia. However he was speaking in the university’s basketball stadium which only held 7,000 people so we were very unlikely to be able to get in. Apparently lines for Obama rallys are notoriously huge.

The question facing the Road Trip was should we drive for over two hours in what was very likely to become a fruitless endeavour or stick around in the Capital and enjoy the experiences that Washington has to offer.

One of the five decided to stay - the idea of going all that way only to be disappointed was too much. Scuzzlefark put on the back pack and headed off to see the great monuments that line the National Mall.

The rest of the group decided that Lincoln and Jefferson were not going anywhere and this was the only chance we would ever have to experience what has been the feature of this campaign, the fabulously attended and electric Democrat campaign rallies.

We boarded the Truck of Justice and dared to dream.

There are four lane highways littered across the US, and we have seen a fair bit of them over the course of this trip. The one to Harrisonburg is a standout running through the Shennondoah Valley which provided the drive with a stunning backdrop. As we surfed the local airways we stumbled upon a talkback show discussing foreign affairs with one Gareth Evans as the talent. Readers will be pleased to know that Biggles’ communication style has not changed.

As we drove into Harrisonburg and past the University Campus our hearts sank. There would have been well over 7,000 people already in line despite the doors not opening for another hour and a half.

But the boys were not for turning. As JT walked down the line in the forlorn hope that a friend or acquaintance volunteering in the area might be there The Rabbit, the Don and the Doctor standing towards the front of the line were, out of the blue, offered a muesli bar by a young college student in line. It was the break the group had been looking for. By the time the muesli bar had been consumed we were ensconced in the line. Being in this country with an Australian accent is brilliant.

We were in the line but we were still nervous. The security for the event was unbelievable. There were Secret Service and State Police everywhere, to actually get into the building was like going through an airport. So it was not until we were actually in the building that we relaxed.

As we filed through the metal detectors we, like everyone else, were filled with anticipation and disbelief that we had made it in. We found plum seats directly in front of the stage in a raised section behind were the network cameras were setting up.

We sat down and began to appreciate what was happening. We had made it, we were in.

There is only one way to describe the whole event. It was like being at a rock concert. The hall slowly filled up with people, mainly university students. U2, The Who, the Rolling Stones and of special significance for our group, Midnight Oil, were being played to keep everyone feeling good. They really didn’t need to. When a campaign worker just came up the microphone to encourage everyone to volunteer the place went wild.

After the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer, for which everybody present stood, a uniquely American experience, the Doctor and JT went for a walk to take it all in.

As they wandered through the crowd a Democrat staffer pulled them aside and asked them if they would like seats on the stage behind the candidate. This is the section you always see in the TV coverage, the people over the shoulder in shot. After it became clear the opportunity was open to all four Road Trippers in the stadium the two collected the others and proceeded to take places on the stage.

We couldn’t believe what was happening. It would have been harder to plan out a series of events better than the reality of what was happening. We had flown halfway across the world, driven for over 2,000 kilometres all because of one man. And there we were, holding our “Change” signs about to be less than five meters away from the next President of the United States.

The warmup speakers, the Gubernatorial and Senate candidates, will never have a better crowd. They could have declared that they thought it was a joke that only American Baseball teams could play in the “World Series” and they still would have been rewarded with wild cheering.

And then the moment arrived. Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States of America, Barrack Obama, entered the stadium about 10 meters to our left and the place erupted. 6,996 Americans and four Australians went absolutely berserk.

As he began to speak, from our vantage-point behind him, it became clear exactly how this has happened and what it meant. As he delivered his message of change, hope and opportunity we could see the faces looking up at him with expressions that showed what it meant to each of them.

This country is doing it tough and this is not just in the obvious ways. The current Administration, it’s Party’s current candidates, and all their proxies and supporters are now only about division. They are angry voices. They seem only interested in, or capable of, scaring and dividing people.

Barrack Obama is about bringing them together. His story is not about why we should fear our neighbour but why, if he helps me and I help him, we will all be better for it. He is the man for these times. The Kennedy of our generation.

“There is no red America, there is no blue America, just the United States of America.”

“It does It does not matter if you are white, or black, or latino, asian American, or native American, gay or straight.

“In one week we can choose to invest in health care and education for our families. In one week we can choose hope over fear and division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.”

It was a good speech.

As we stood behind him, conscious of keeping our facial expressions matched to the words being delivered, we each did our best to take it all in.

As he finished his speech to the applause of a crowd who had been as equally inspired by his message as we were, he began to walk off stage….. and towards us.

He had decided that he would not walk directly out of the arena, instead around the stage area shaking the hands of those at the edges. By the time he had finished shaking hands each one of us had had the experience of putting our hand in his and locking eyes for a period of time that each of us will not forget.

It was an amazing way to finish the event. You could not help but get caught up with it all. There are a lot of things about American politics that leave a lot to be desired. This was not one of them.

American politics still has the ability to inspire and motivate. To get people interested and involved. I don’t think any of us would want a system like this back home but we would like to be able to attend rallies like this with Australians as excited about their political candidates as JMU stadium was.

As we drove back to Washington we reflected on what had been an experience that politics will probably not ever deliver to any of us again.

And Scuzzlefark said the monuments were good.

WATCH THE VIDEO