At An Obama Rally In Austin, What I Found When I Got OffTheBus
The following piece was produced by HuffPost's OffTheBus.
The first time I was asked to leave an area forbidden to press during a recent Obama rally in Austin, Texas, I felt kinda proud, like this was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. The second time I got roped, dragged off, and corralled with the press in a little set-aside area, I understood in the clearest sense what sets OffTheBus apart from standard presidential campaign press coverage, and why this exciting new grassroots means of bringing political campaigns--warts and all--to the voters is not only cutting-edge, but necessary to present unvarnished information that has not been manipulated for their consumption that they can then use to make informed decisions.
Understand that I'm not knocking the Obama people--I had a ball at the rally and found the speech to be inspiring and the volunteers incredibly motivated. I completely understand the desire of a top-tier presidential campaign to attempt to control message to some extent. It's entirely believable that some members of the fourth estate might attempt to take a careless remark by an innocent, inexperienced volunteer, twist it around, and turn it into a major news-breaking headline quote by "a source close to the campaign who is not authorized to speak."
They had no way of knowing that I was not asking volunteers for the candidate's policy analysis--I was asking questions like, What brought you here? What is it about Obama's message that appealed to you, personally? Do you think that Democrats are, generally speaking, too angry after roughly fourteen years of conservative Republican rule, to respond to Obama's message of unity? Do you see a trend toward the purpling of Texas? And if Obama should not get the nomination, who would be your second choice?
Had the campaign organizers realized what I was up to, they might have been more willing to see such quotes in print as the one by a young Hispanic man working as a volunteer in the campaign merchandise tent, Rod Espinosa, who said about Obama, "It's easy to spot the hero in movies, but we have a hard time spotting the real thing in real life."
Or the African-American volunteer, Jacqueline Hill, who said that she'd been so inspired by Obama's speech at the Democratic convention in 2004--"I was watching alone but cheering aloud"--that she watched it repeatedly over the following months, "when things got bad," and said she'd never given so much time, energy, and money to any candidate in her life. When I asked her friend and fellow volunteer, Dee Robertson, who she would vote for if Obama did not win the nomination, she claimed that she would write his name on the ballot.
There's a certain cool in being part of the press corps at such an event. You get preferential treatment--we were allowed to bring in bags and water bottles that, for security reasons, regular attendees couldn't. This was an outdoor concert venue where the attendees stood for hours in the rain, but we had chairs and a table. Our press credential badges enabled us to cross ropes--but at the same time, in the hours preceding the senator's arrival, we were expected to stay in the press area and not speak to the volunteers. Some of the reporters were only too happy to do so, lounging in their chairs and clacking away at their laptops from a safe distance. And as the senator worked the rope line, the press corps was led up to the stage in groups of five to take photographs.
But I didn't see how anybody could get a true feel for the pulse of the crowd without being part of it, so I left my seat two hours before the senator arrived, snagged a place by the rope line, and talked to the people around me about why they were there. In that place, I could hear the shouts and comments from the crowd as he spoke, catch the rhythm of the cheers, notice that nobody seemed to mind the rain, and when he started down the rope line to shake hands, I could feel first-hand the crush of the crowd as it pressed forward for a touch of him.
This is why OffTheBus exists, because this is the story--the good, bad, and ugly of a presidential campaign. We get off the press bus; we blend with the crowd; we go places the press can't; we talk to the people; we feel the hopes of the volunteers and the energy and heartbeat of the crowd.
And then, we bring it all to you.
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Thanks for the post.
You do seem to underestimate our tolerance for content though.
More quotes would be welcome.
Endless editorial, or using 1000 words to say something that could be said in 100 is tiring... it's not long posts but the quality that matters.
Please feel free to elaborate next time.
To the respondent who asked about the kind of treatment Katie Couric would get at one of these candidate appearances, I would hope the same as any other journalists. But what do I know? The last time I watched her newcast was right at the beginning...when she said that freedom of speech was a privilege. That was it for me.
Oops--my tattered math gene rears its ugly head again. When I mentioned "12 years of conservative Republican rule," I was counting from 1994...yeah, not 12 years...but I was thinking of that whole Tom DeLay/Newt Gingrich Contract With America era, the Republican takeover of Congress which led to the Clinton impeachment, the controversial 2000 vote, the so-called "mandate" of the 50+one 2004 vote, and six years where Bush never used his veto once, etc., etc. The war. And so on.
My question had to do with whether Dems are angry enough by now not to want to unifiy with ANYBODY; I was curious what rally-attenders thought.
One said that she thought he gave voters something to vote FOR as opposed to something to vote AGAINST.
Again, space considerations kept that quote out, but my math is, well, not my strong suit to say the least.
One detail, the article mentions 12 years of conservative Republican rule. So far Geoorge Bush has been in office 7 years, my seven year old son was born two days after we voted in 2000. So that is 7 years of conservative Republican rule. Before George Bush was 8 years of Bill Clinton. No matter what one thinks of Bill Clinton, I do not see how his leadership can be considered conservative Republican rule.
Now 1980 to 1992 was twelve years of Conservative Republican rule but that is the current situation.
I appreciate differing view points. I need differing view points. I do not handle misstatement of facts in published material well. Is there a fact checker or editor anywhere?
What if Katie Couric popped up? Would she have access to all areas, or be roped off in a 'press area?'
How much of that confinement is for security purposes, and how much for spin control?
I'll bet it's not 50/50.
I'm unconvinced that anyone who uses one of the richest people in the world to help their campaign is going to help the average working stiffs of America. Having no idea what middle class life is like is not a platform i want to vote for. Am I the only person in the US who has lost a job to a company moving to a foreign country? Has a strike ever cost anyone else a job? Has anyone else changed their vacation plans because it cost more for gas to get there, than the room? Has you health care insurance company raised the price and, now your medication is a luxury item? Is your AMERICAN car made in Mexico too?
In answer to your query, PeacePole1, the audience was comprised of--this is purely an estimate, not actual numbers--but looking around, they appeard to be about two-thirds white, and the rest mixed ethnicity.
I quoted those two particular people because what they had to say stood out from the dozens of other quotes I got. I did not include a large amount of quotes in this piece because of space considerations. For a more thorough rendering of the event, including photographs, check out "Obama Rocks Austin" on the front page of Off the Bus.
you draw the reader into the event and make them feel like they are there, spot on. It sounds like the event went well despite the less than welcoming arms you received as a blogger, well then what can the campaign expect? The truth doesn't hurt and sometimes it is overkill to attempt and control every article written about them. I have signed up to attend the Obama/Oprah event in Columbia SC on Dec 9 shouldbe interesting to say the least
I am trying to find a candidate that i feel comfortable giving my vote to. Hillary wants to have all the Women vote for her. and, many will just because shes a woman. Sadly, but, i don't see the election of our next president as a black/white or men/woman thing. we are going to elect the person to the highest,most powerful office in the world, and, we can't take this so lightly, An Asbestos,jumpsuit is not going to help if there is no oil to keep the fires going. And,FREE elections who thought this up? Every candidates web site is asking for money! We All know who gets how much from who so don't ask for $20. from me and take 800,000$ from big drug/insurance and, have me think for a nano second that you are going to vote the way i want you to. I'm not black,but, to vote for anyone i need to see a new direction. no more business as usual.!
How are Obama's Staffers going to manage Oprah. I don't think they will - she is her own person - Oprah probably has more star power than any of the current crop of candidates.
Ohg
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/11/26/oprah-and-barack-transcending-race/
Usually a semi "fence=sitter", kinda "see/comprehend the various "sides"...but for the PUBLIC's good, those reporting do need to mingle with the massess to be able to more factually "report" !!! Something that is all too often missing in much the "public" reporting that comes off as manufactured/standard PR crap slanted one way or another and always looking for THE "gem" that will rocket the "reporter" to the front of their respective pack-stackers from whence one hopes to have evolve into a long gig in one media outlet or another who will PAY $$$ and beenies and fame and fortune surely awaits as one snuggles up to thinking/consiering that they may become an iconic arbiter of public sentiments that others will heed/etc....Sitting in the roped off areas will but give "collegues" gristed gistings that they can share in some sort of insider grouping , each can trade off war stories and see who can one up and etc....all seeking to clasp that brass ring as the carosel goes round and round and round....many a "career has been built off less,some proved to be quite lucrative....!!!
I almost like the idea of "offthebus" -
"Almost" because I am not sure how I can better understand what a poltico stands for by hearing quotes by volunteers / people in the crowds. But who knows? So I am a little open.
The other thing I would like to see is 5 or six quotes from a mix of people - it seems a no-brainer - in fact it's almost expected I would think, that the majority of supporters for an African-American would be African-American and/or Hispanic.
The real news would be the thoughts and feelings of the Non-African-American and Hispanic people who are in support or against and who showed up.
However it would be nice and refreshing to just not know what race or gender they are - but for tose that might have credibility thoughts names are kept on file.
Also your article suggests: At An Obama Rally In Austin, What I Found When I Got OffTheBus: African-American and Hispanic people.
You will have to know the staffers are not Obama or the people who support him. I too have had issues with them. They seem to be toooo professional and steril at times. However, that doesn't take Obama down in any way. They have guidelines they have, which many times are created by themselves.
You got the real picture. You heard Barack and you heard the people and that is what counts. Young staffers give themselves such high feelings of importance. I had one in phila pa who took over all my grassroots work back in march and then again in may. He has since disappeared. Its us the grassroots who are what Obama is!!!
Just chalk up this experience to the ignorance of some young staffers who think they know it all.
NOTE: I am not saying all are like this. I do know that their are a few though in many offices back here on the east coast. However, many many others are very respectful of grassroots workers and the press.
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