Outsize Obama "Video-Tagging" Confuses and Inspires Swing-State Voters

RENO, Nev. -- Last Friday I was on a date with a Republican girl when I met Jared Lovejoy and Lisa Chacon, who are running the grassroots "Obama-Rama Swing State '08 Tour."

As many people know by now, Reno and the surrounding county, Washoe, is the region that will decide who will receive Nevada's five electoral votes, and perhaps who will be the next president. Though different local and national media polls show slightly different results, the general consensus is that Sen. Obama holds a small lead in the state, while Washoe remains a toss up.

Before Obama began dominating the airwaves here, overpowering the McCain campaign with TV ads, he had already built up a strong grassroots presence. And with two weeks till the Big Day, the grassroots campaigns have not slowed down their efforts.

Lovejoy and Chacon, based out of California, have been running a unique last-minute and unaffiliated campaign on behalf of the Illinois senator. They drive around in a discreet van with a built-in projector that they use to display footage on the broad sides of buildings in swing-state cities.

I didn't know about the Obama-Rama Tour until I went to park my car last Friday night and saw a giant projection of hip-hop superstar Will.I.Am's music video "Yes We Can" playing on the side of a skyscraper downtown, speakers on the ground playing the soundtrack. The parking lot was full, so I put my car in neutral and stopped right there in the street, watching the video. There was a small crowd standing in the parking lot watching as well.

Inspired, I distractedly leaned over to my date and said "Obama will be remembered as one of the greatest Americans of all time," forgetting for a moment that she was a staunch Republican.

Sunday night, I went out "video-tagging" with Lovejoy and Chacon. The duo had spent the weekend going back and forth from Reno and the slightly more conservative capitol of the state, Carson City. There were not a lot of people out on Sunday but it was an interesting experience just the same, to be standing in a parking lot looking at a gigantic image of Obama projected onto a building and watching passersby stopping and watching the image, mesmerized -- some confused, others inspired.

"It's really fun," Lovejoy said, regarding the tour. "People have a great response to it. And we can show all the creative things other people are doing," like the various music and remix videos and collages made about Obama.

"I have a feeling Obama will win and it will be a crazy feeling and everybody will want to party for a couple days," he added.

It's important to note that their tour is not funded in any way by the Obama campaign. All expenses are either covered by their personal funds or by donations, either made in person or through Pay-Pal on the tour's website. The tour schedule is also available on the site and Lovejoy and Chacon encourage anyone in the cities they will be in to contact them if they are interested in having them at an event.

Back at the parking lot on Friday night, after the music video is done playing, a group of what appears to be almost exclusively Obama supports are standing around and taking photos of the whole spectacle. Across the street is a popular bar and people are pouring out of it to see what all the fuss is about. As for me, I was trying to learn what I could about the whole ordeal as fast as possible so I could continue with my date.

Speaking of which, though she would never admit it, I think my Republican date was just about as moved as I was by the whole thing.

Comments

[UNCLEJOE]

I'm 85 years old and when Kennedy was assassinated, I had a unique experience of teaching a gym class in a protestant parochial secondary level school with students ranging from ages 8 to i5 year olds. In the middle of my class the double doors to the gym flew wide open with a young man standing in the middle with the twin doors appearing like the wings of a dark angel yelling out in jubilation, "President Kennedy was just assassinated", and the group of some 75 student broke out cheering hilariously at the news of JFK's death.

Obama's election on November 4th will heal that deep wound I have carried with me since that day I received the news of Kennedy's assassination accompanied by a cheering group of Protestant Republican teenagers.

And this divisive hatred of Americans is still a core part of the psyche of the Republican's NeoCons; and it takes their standard bearers; Bush, Cheney, McCain to remind us who the real terrorists in this country are,

[Pavane]

Wow, UncleJoe. Your post was excellent. Thank you.

[pons1595]

This video made me stare at my 65 yr old face and realize Obama makes feel like the 20 yr. college student who knew the war is wrong, then and now, and, "Yes, we can," change the world. We must feel that way, we must think it possible. For to not to is to die inside and grow cynical and bitter. For to not to is to let your perception, which is your consciousness, cloud over and the world turn black and white. Obama brought to my old, failing eyes a "kodachrome" world. Say it with me, "Yes, we can."

[pons1595]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-arnon/john-c-reilly-flea-shepar_b_136750.html#postComment

Another inspiring video; scroll down to Miri Ben-Ari video [she one with violin in hand]; it's called Symphony of Brotherhood.

[pgoody]

This is truly awesome and truly inspiring.

[LemonMeringue]

I love this!

[ritenow]

When I think about how the Obama campaign has inspired so many people, I am full of appreciation.

Reading this article gave me goose bumps.

[KarlaElisa]

MAKE YOUR OWN AD! GO HERE:

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=ezGr3fFuKCJvPYQ8XzDtHjIyNTY3Mzc-&id=

MoveOn.org has this awesome vid you can personalize and send to your friends to underscore how important it is to vote.

Check it out...the world will turn against you if you don't vote!

[KarlaElisa]

Awesome.

[mocha59]

I have seen this video a million times and still, I cry. So filled with pride. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR HARD WORK, DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION.

WE ARE DOING THIS, YES WE ARE!

Thank you for sharing.....Thank you SOOOOOO much.

[rmp830]

On Nov. 5th we be saying: YES WE WILL!!

[MTOrtega]

Brilliant.

Vote!

[azcamp]

This is the October surprise! The grassroots ground game is on.

There are thousands of creative people volunteering for Obama in all 50 states and they are real Americans.

[desertbloom]

Wonder full creative efforts. In contrast with the vile, ugly, meanspiritedness of the McCain campaign.

Hope conquers fear.

[klo]

Good for you. And good for them. What a wonderful sentiment to be out there getting the word out for hope and change. Your parents should be very proud.

[CitizenoftheRepublic]

existence... my bad!

[CitizenoftheRepublic]

Twenty years ago in my youth I tried to inspire my friends and co-horts to become involved in the decisions that are affecting us now by voting and they didn't have the time or desire and that was when Reagan was supposedly the new visionary. I was afraid then, but I am so F&*KING EXCITED today! My 19 year old son and his friends are not going to wait and let the old power push us to the brink before the 30's, 40's & 50's wake up and find the courage to change the structure and dynamic which future human existance much less "American" existance will need to evolve into. Oh no, they aren't going to wait for us and I happily, respectfully and graciously stood in line with my son yesterday and voted early in TEXAS for OBAMA and Biden and Rick Noriega and Ceiro Rodriguez, etc.! I wanted the time for change when I was young but, I like sharing it with my wife and kids even better! Patience is a virtue and progressive governing is the savior of our planet... sorry religion you are not the answer, but teaching your kids compassion for sentient beings is and that is an AMERICAN!

[leshanne]

this is an awesome idea! and living in europe, this is the first time that i see this video, and it's really touching. it's great to know how inspiring this election can be, and believe me prior to know, i'm one of the biggest sceptics when it comes to politics and politician.

i used to think that election is choosing the less worse candidate.

i now believe that election can be about choosing the best candidate.