So Barack Obama visited the White House for the first time since winning the presidency. I have to say judging by everything I’ve read and seen, it looks like Bush welcomed him with open arms. You know I’m as big a Bush basher as they come but have to give credit where credit is due. And I do think Bush deserves credit on being gracious towards Obama. I mean, after all, I’m sure its not everyday that Bush lets a black man come into his home. Hell, usually Bush’s actions result in black people losing their homes. But, I have to give him his due props on this one. I think it also shows how bad things are going for Bush that he probably can’t wait to be done with his presidency. Well, if that is the case, I can assure you he is not the only person who wants his presidency to be over.

You have to check this out, its Keith Olbermann talking rather passionately about gay marriage. I know many of you have probably already seen this but its worth another look or a first look if you have not seen it yet. Although I agree with him politically, I’ve always found Olbermann to be a bit obnoxious and pompous going back to his Sportscenter days but this video makes me grateful that we have people like him on our side.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#27652443

Overshadowed by the historic Barack Obama victory was the banning of gay marriage by three more states, California, Florida and Arizona. I’m not sure how many states have banned same sex marriage but I believe it is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20ish, which for those of you are not mathemagicians like our current president, that’s nearly half of the states. A lot of people are surprised that California voted to ban gay marriage as it has the reputation of being the most liberal state in the union. I think on the issue of gay marriage though, I think Illinois might be more liberal. A couple of years ago a bunch of right wing Jesus freaks tried to get enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot but they failed miserably to get the required number of signatures. That being said, there are still quite a few states that refuse to allow gay marriage. And although i firmly believe that it is only a matter of time before gays are granted to right to be as miserable as everybody else, in the meantime I think we gays should demand a few things until we are given equal rights. After all, if you treat us as lesser citizens, we should be given a different set of rights in order to keep consistency with the rest of the law. Until we are given equal rights, here is what I think we should get:

I stepped away to go to the bathroom, does anybody know if McCain held on to that early lead he had?

YES WE CAN………..YES WE DID!!!!

I arrived in Chicago last night along with a co-worker and his wife about 6:20ish in the pm. This was the first political rally of any kind I had attended, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. Come to think of it, did anybody really know what to expect? As we walked out of the parking lot and made our quarter of a mile (I’m guessing at the distance) walk to Grant Park, there was a definite buzz and excitement in the air. Just about everybody on the busy streets of downtown Chicago were wearing some with Barack Obama’s name, face, slogan or words on it. And those who weren’t wearing something had more than enough chances to purchase something we could not walk more than a few feet without seeing another person selling Obama related merchandise. It was just like walking outside a baseball stadium.

I should explain the rally was to be held in Grant Park. There were two sections of Grant Park that you could be in. One was the section in which Obama was going to be speaking. You had to be lucky enough to be one of the few (and by few I mean about 60,000 people) who managed to get a ticket. Each ticketholder was allowed to bring one guest.  The guy I was with was fortunate enough to get tickets via email and I am now eternally grateful to him for inviting me as his guest. Tickets were not required in the other section of Grant Park, however they would be not in the same section as Obama but be able to see it on huge tvs.

As we made our way towards Grant Park, we saw more and more signs and support for Obama. There was an excitement unlike anything I have ever seen. We found our way to a massive line waiting to pass through security to get into Grant Park. Many people, including the guy I was with, were checking election results on their phone and blackberries. After the first 2 states had been called, Kentucky and Vermont, McCain had an early 8-3 lead. At that point, it wasn’t even 7pm, although I imagined McCain was probably getting ready for bed that point.

There were people from all walks of life at this rally. Whites, blacks, hispanics, Asians, gays, heterosexuals, old, young, half human half car, fat people, thin people, really really fat people, tall people, poor people, and even fatter people. And literally people from all over the place. One guy was visiting a friend from Ohio over the weekend and was talked into going to the rally by said friend. Another couple of people from Ohio as well. Shit, I hope they all remembered to vote before coming here, after all we needed Ohio. Or so we thought. There were people from Minnesota. I heard there were other people from Sweden. But the biggest shock was a guy wearing this:

That’s right people, its a bumper sticker that reads TEXANS FOR OBAMA! I wasn’t even through the door yet and already I was shocked and amazed. The guy and his daughter had came from Texas to see history. It was still early though, but we were still confident that we would see history.

While in line, we saw a story online about kids who went trick or treating on Halloween and were given meth in their bags. No word yet on if the town they were in was Wasilla, Alaska, the meth capital of Alaska.

As we inched our way closer to the inside, we could hear CNN on one of the massive tvs in Grant Park. We also learned that Obama had won a few states and could hear the crowd cheering inside. There was now an added excitement to those of us waiting to get inside.

Once inside we headed over to a place that would allow us the chance to get as close as possible to the stage, yet still be able to see a tv. Considering the number of people and the size of Grant Park, we wound up being kinda close, we were able to see the top of the stage and flags set up at the back of the stage. We even were able to catch a glimpse of the podium. Not being the tallest guy around, I kept asking people if I could borrow their shoulders. I even made a deal with one lady, telling her that I would let her be on my shoulders now if she would let me get on her shoulders when Obama spoke. I added that I was only 130 pounds so it wouldn’t be that bad for her. For whatever reason, she said no. I don’t know, maybe she was worried that it was because I might fart on her. Maybe she didn’t think she would be comfortable upon my bony shoulders. Or maybe she thought the cane she was leaning on would not be strong enough to hold me and herr frail 86 year old body. Either way, I was getting up there without force.

We happened to be right next to the camera guy who was controlling a robotic camera which was on a 30 foot arm. The camera was constantly passing by us. Hell, we could have been on camera 20 times and never knew it. After all, I think it was one camera that was set up in Grant Park that was being used by all of the networks. For a brief moment I suggested us flipping off the camera. Or maybe mooning it. Or ignoring it. Nobody agreed, they just all kept going crazy every time the camera came by us. One thing that was very odd was that this camera was there the whole time and not once did Jesse Jackson come up to it. He must have been in a state of shock at the day’s events.

Each state that was called for Obama brought a loud, thunderous cheer from the crowd. As the night wore on it was starting to become apparent that an Obama victory was going to be a reality.

While we were waiting in line there were rumors that Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and Kanye West were going to perform at the rally. Those rumors were killed when I found out that the mayor had not granted a permit for music to be played. It didn’t matter, we had CNN, which had unveiled a new, creepy, cool, stupid and pointless piece of technology all rolled into one: the hologram. I missed them having their reporter on hologram but did catch the Black Eyed Peas’s Will.I.AM being interviewed live in studio on hologram by Wolf Blitzer. Let me explain he wasn’t actually in studio but instead somewhere else (I think Chicago. Or maybe it was Los Angeles. Who knows, all I know is that he wasn’t physically in the CNN studio) but his image appeared in the CNN studio. It was kinda creepy, kinda like how Joe Lieberman kept appearing behind John McCain everywhere he went the past 3 weeks. Maybe McCain should have used the hologram instead of the real Lieberman.

By 9:30pm Obama had racked up 220 electoral votes and it was obvious he would win soon, as polls closed in California at 10pm central time. Cali is worth 55 electoral votes so it would put him over the 270 needed to win. At 9:58 I said that we would know in about 15 minutes. I was wrong.

At 10:00pm central standard time, CNN had breaking news. I thought at first they were just going to call another state. Instead the words came on the screen:
BREAKING NEWS: BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT

With those four words going up on the screen, the crowd erupted with jubilation and joy. I started jumping up and down and screaming. We had just seen history. We were there for the most important and historic moment in the history of black America. We were there for the beginning of the end of Republican rule in America. It was a new time, a new age, a time when hope burns through the soul of every like minded American. It was, one of the highlights of my life.

Shortly after 10 in the pm, John McCain gave his concession speech. It really was a beautiful speech, he could not have been anymore gracious, especially for a guy who was up well past his bedtime. Oh, and the bobbing head of Joe Lieberman was nowhere to be found.

Now we wait for Obama to arrive. First there was a pastor who came out and said a prayer. Then there was the Pledge of Allegiance which gave me chills as I stared at a blowing American flag. Next was the Star Spangled Banner. Even though the lady singing messed up the words several times, I still had a stupendous feeling listening to it. I had chills and a tear in my eye and a sense of overwhelming pride at my country for doing the right thing and for coming as far as we have come.

Right around 11pm, President Elect Barack Obama came out on the stage to a roaring and thunderous applause and cheer. He then started to speak and proceeded to give the speech of his life. He talked about a lady in Atlanta who was 106 years old and who voted today. Wow, 106 years old, she was almost as old as McCain. Think of all she has seen in her life. Hell, she was even around the last time the Cubs won the World Series.

As Obama spoke he mentioned all of the people around the world watching or listening to him speak. It really put it into perspective the significance of where we were and what we had just witnessed. I turned to the lady next to me and said that this was not the place to be in the country tonight but instead the place to be in the world. Its quite possible that hundreds of millions of people were watching where we were wishing they were with us. Later I found out that people were celebrating not only in America, but in many countries around the world. As if to underscore how important it was, as Obama spoke in the dark distant night I could see  a building under construction that was probably about 40 stories high. At the top were a couple of dark figures all in black. I could barely them but did see them move. It was the secret service, there to protect our next president.

Today when I got back to work, it was like i was a celebrity in a way because so many people were coming up to me to ask about the rally. All I can say is that its hard to comprehend or (in spite of this rather long post) put into words what I witnessed. All I can say is that I’m grateful and lucky to be a part of it and even more grateful to live in a country that allowed for such an amazing story to take place.

One last picture of part of the crowd leaving

Finally, its here. Tomorrow is the big day: the election. Today a guy at work told me that he and his wife have two extra tickets to Barack Obama’s rally (and hopefully victory celebration) tomorrow in Chicago’s Grant Park. He asked me if I wanted to go and I just couldn’t turn the chance to see history unfold. Even if he doesn’t win, it will still be historic. That being said, nearly all signs are pointing to an Obama victory, in spite of John McCain insisting that he is going to win and that it will be a late night; he is going to have to stay up really late, at least 8pm!

I couldn’t be anymore excited to be going tomorrow. There is such an excitement in the air not only across the country but especially here in Illinois. What a historic time to be alive and living in Illinois. Although I consider myself to be fairly political, I’ve never been to a campaign rally and certainly not to a victory speech or rally. Then on top of that, one that is so historic. I’m thinking I will remember tomorrow for the rest of my life.

Of course, none of it will be important unless people get out and vote. And not just vote, but vote in the best interest of not only the country but also the world by voting for Obama. When I add it all up, voting for another Republican presidency doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. With the way George W Bush has so thoroughly fucked up this country, electing another Republican would almost be treasonous. Look, I can sit here and make argument after argument and plead Obama’s case until I’m blue in the face but by now not only have you probably already made up your mind, but you also probably have read or seen so much about him that its pointless for me to go on. Just get your ass out there and vote!

Just a brief summary of the past few days before we get to the real issues at hand. Thursday night I was out at my local bar that my friends and I go to. We were outside smoking (no, I don’t smoke but was standing outside with my friend while she smoked) when this lady walked up. Now I should mention that there is no smoking in public buildings in Illinois, so with everybody being outside bars have put buckets full of sand outside for people to put their cigarette butts in. Anywho, this lady walked up and bent over and started sifting through the butts taking some of them and putting them in a Ziplock bag as she muttered to herself. Besides this being disgusting, I could not understand why she was doing this. People at work said she was probably a smoker who could not afford cigarettes and this how she was getting her fix. Now, if you are that desperate for a drag that you have to resort to sucking the nicotine off of cigarettes of strangers, I’m thinking its probably about damn time you might want to at least consider quitting smoking. Just a thought.

Yesterday we had our annual Halloween party at Rene’s. We did not have a whole heck of a lot of people and some of us didn’t even dress up. As usual, John had the best costume, as he went as “a party in my pants”. Ok, well not in my pants but you get what I mean. He took a pair rather large sweat pants and put a hula hoop in them so that they would be wide open around his waist. He also had something inside that allowed him to put things inside the sweats; things like balloons, a cd player playing party music, alcohol and invitations to a party in his pants. He also was wearing streamers. It was thoroughly a great costume and its too bad he wasn’t able to make it to a bar so that he could be in a contest.

As for myself, I rented a costume from the place I normally rent from, Illusions Costume Company in Bolingbrook, IL. The lady who owns the shop makes all of her own costumes, however what I got this year she did not make. I went as a United States Marine wearing a real Marine dress uniform complete with metals. How did she get it you ask? Well she bought it from a guy who came back from Iraq and did not want anything to do with the military anymore so he sold it to her. I think it speaks volumes about how bad things are going that he would want to get rid of it all. When I heard the story about the uniform, it made me want to wear it even more. But the main reason why I went with it was because it is the only way i will ever be able to wear that uniform. If I had gone out to a bar, I would have worn it with a sash reading “GAY”. I thought about how many Marines would be very pissed that not only a Marine uniform would be available to rent to anybody, but also that a gay person would be, in their eyes, disgracing a Marine uniform. Even though I was wearing it for a party with a small number of people, I still felt like it was a big fuck you to the bigots out there who believe that gays should not be allowed to serve openly in the United States military.

After a long race, we are finally only two short days away from the election. I have to say, when he first announced that he was running, I thought Barack Obama had a great chance of winning. As it got closer (and by closer I mean after he beat out Hillary Clinton) I thought that the Republicans would somehow find a way to steal this election many ways, among them with a barrage of vile, nasty smear tactics to destroy him. I’m happy to say that he is not only standing, but also more than likely going to win. That being said, the stuff they have said about him is disgusting. They have called him a socialist. They have tried to compare him to Hitler. People at John McCain and Sarah Palin rallies have shouted out things like “TRAITOR”, “TERRORIST” or “KILL HIM” when his name has been mentioned. Other Republicans are trying to say he is ineligible to be president by claiming that he was not born in the United States. Republicans in South Carolina are telling people that if they are voting Republican they can vote on Tuesday but if they are voting Democrat to vote on Wednesday. I can go on and on with example after example of shady things they are doing or despicable things they are saying about Obama but honestly, I have to end this post at some point. The point is, all of this just reminds us of just how truly evil Republicans are and how they flat out do not deserve to win. Its not only because of their policies and ideas; we all know those policies, ideas and beliefs are enough reasons not to vote for them, but as if we needed another reason, their methods and the lengths they go to try to win an election are just another reminder that they should never win, although sadly these methods to bring them victory a good portion of the time.