Obamaville Sets Up in Eden Park

You know I dearly love the fact that President Obama chose to spend time in my neighborhood on Monday. He chose Eden Park, an absolutely beautiful piece of green space in Cincinnati located between the two downtown neighborhoods of Walnut Hills and Mt. Adams.

Mittens Romney sent his campaign bus with Steve Chabot and a few other supporters to slam the Prez and his policies. Trouble was, they parked at Mirror Lake, right next to the public bathrooms and nobody but the geese and three mounted patrol were there to hear it.

I liked the shot of the Romney supporters grouped behind Steve “Mr. Comb-over Chabot.” They had five or six white people surrounding a tall Black youth in the middle. They also came with a fake reporter/videographer team, making it seem like they had traveling news coverage. The fake reporter was the other dark face visibly apparent for Romney and company.

Guess Mitt will now be able to say he comes to the ghetto too, considering he parked his bus on Nassau Street where it feeds down into the park. Not really ghetto, but more Black people living in proximity than he usually attracts. Maybe some of them stuck their heads out the window to see his very small commotion. Nah, probably went to work. Black people over there must have jobs to afford their homes.

Whoa! Working middle class black people. Now that is a concept that I will bet Mitt has never considered.

Back to Obamaville, that multicultural, multi-generational, multicolored traveling village that follows the President where ever he speaks. They are willing to show up at a moment's notice and wait, walk or ride however long is necessary to see him and to hear his voice, regardless of whether or not they'd heard it before.

And in full disclosure-this was not a new speech. It was pure stump, very little new meat added to it. The old applause lines twisted into new configurations, with the old message still intact.

But it doesn't matter, the hopeful just want to be there to bask in his history. It's always hurry up and wait, with the “wait” time spent meeting new friends, finding and reconnecting with old friends or just talking with strangers for how ever long you end up standing next to them in the long, long security lines.

I was truly amazed this time watching people leave-the number of physically challenged folk who came anyway given the very difficult terrain in order to see President Obama. The Seasongood Pavilion is a naturally occurring “bowl” that you must walk or roll down into, because there are no steps, just slanted ground. Conversely it is a steep climb to get out. It's not easy for the infirm, the elderly nor the handicapped.

But that didn't stop them. Nor did it deter the physically fit. They pushed, walked slow and even carried those who couldn't, up and down that hill, so that all could see Obama. Temperament was good. Nobody complained. Nobody got mad or impatient. Everybody did what they had to do, together with their neighbors.

These feelings and williness to make it happen is why Obama is going to win November.

You heard it here. Obamaville is happy, and that's a good thing.

Vote Responsibly in November.

Obamaville 2012

Ain't nothin' like a day in Obamaville. It is simply amazing how hanging out with people, happy, concerned, caring individuals of all shapes, sizes, ages and hues makes me feel.

It's like revisiting a Love-in from back in the 60's- “turn on, tune in,” but we're not dropping out. We're just getting started.

“FIRED UP! READY TO GO!”

Obamaville, that magical place, appearing out of nowhere like Brigadoon, following the President from city to city as he tries to save us from ourselves.

Suddenly, all those emotions from 2008 have come storming back, purging all the false and negative bullshit that we've been swimming through these past few years.

Romney, The Republicans, The teabaggers are forgotten. Hell, Romney is toast if today is any indication.

The numerous cries of “Fired Up” rang through the hood, startling the joggers and walkers returning from Eden Park. Motorists passing by honked their horns. After all, it was 9AM on a Saturday morning-a rainy one at that.

The only thing missing was someone handing out Mimosas and biscuit sandwiches.

“FIRED UP! READY TO GO!”

My people-watching was interrupted by a woman who professed the same sort of happiness that I was feeling, but she told me she is afraid.

Of what? I asked. Thinking she might have been nervous about the neighborhood or street where we stood talking.

No. She said it was the state of America and wondering whether or not the village would return to help Obama get re elected. She wants him back.

Well, if today is any indication, I said, Romney is in trouble.

Pay no attention to the pundits and their 24/7 doom-saying. Remember, they got it wrong in 2008, too, I reminded her.

Talked to a woman of color but not Black American, who asked me if you had to be registered to vote in order to get a ticket.

Hearing her accent, I didn't bother to harangue about voting. I simply told her all you gotta do is to get in line. She smiled as did her husband and two year old that they were towing along. Her hubby or significant other looked like any run of the mill white man, and he let her do the talking so I can only surmise if he could vote, wanted to vote or was in the same situation as his lady.

They all smiled. That is all that matters in Obamaville.

I arrived amidst a downpour two and a half hours before the tickets to the speech were due to be handed out. Still the line was halfway down the block, with people telling me they'd arrived around 8AM.

By the time the doors opened, the line stretched a full two blocks with more people arriving. The late comers telling me they'd heard about it on the news.

The President will speak on Monday at Music Hall in Downtown Cincinnati.

The newly renovated Washington Park will host Obamaville on that day. The Park just reopened this past week to much fanfare and the World Choir Games.

Gonna be a party. An Obama Party that started today and won't end until November 6^th.

FIRED UP! READY TO GO!

YES I AM!