Barack Obama

October 26, 2008 – Fort Collins, CO

P = N*R*T

This is simple algebra that I learned in sixth grade. The number of people who make it through security, P, is equal to the number of metal detectors, N, times the rate at which people can pass through the metal detectors, R, times the amount of time you allow for security screening, T. Now, if N = 15 metal detectors, R = 400 people per metal detector per hour, and T = 2 hours, then P = 12,000. Now, what happens when the actual value for P = 50,000?

I knew today was a hopeless cause when around 11:00 a.m. I checked the Fort Collins Coloradoan online and saw this headline, “Line for Obama Rally at CSU over 1 Mile Long”. Ouch. But how often does a presidential candidate come to your little town a week before they make history? So, Paula and I decided to be a part of history. Ours was a case of optimization: I figured that we had no chance to see Barack Obama, so how much time did we really want to waste on this endeavor? The math was simple; the speech was at 3:30 p.m., the gates opened at 1:30 p.m. We had no chance. So, I figured I could waste two hours of my life.

Being the good Democrat, as is Paula, and the good Green Party member, as am I, we rode our bikes to the Forest Service where we started walking. We were smart enough to call our friend Brianna to find out where the end of the line was; she and David had cued up about 45 minutes earlier. With good advice in hand we headed west to Pitkin Rd. where we found the mass of humanity and took our place at the end.

But we weren’t at the end for long. It was humorous to see an incredible line of supporters walking counter to the real line as they searched in frustration for the end. After half-and-hour I followed them about half-a-mile backward to the new end, which was ironically close to the Forestry building and the entrance to the rally at the CSU Oval.

Waiting wasn’t as bad as you might imagine. This was probably because I had written off our chances of seeing Obama. So we joked with our neighbors, called Brianna (at 3:00, “No, not moving yet.”), and set very manageable goals, like reaching the stop sign 100 feet ahead of us.

We joked about what awaited us at the end. I imagined something like my trip to the National Zoo in D.C. back in the 80’s when they had the baby panda and everyone shuffled in line for a 5 second glimpse at the cute fur-ball. In a similar manner, maybe we would parade by and get our snapshot of the Obama rally. My favorite one was that we’d get there just in time to hear, “Thank you Colorado. Good night.”

We slowly worked our way towards Shields St. Every once in a while a SUV would pass with windows down, jeering and waving a McCain-Palin sign. But in general everyone was civilized.

Sometime after 3 p.m. the line finally started moving. First up to Moby Arena, then across to the Union, and around to the Forestry Building. At first it was slow, but anything was better than our 2 hour standstill. Then it was brisk. People started cutting across to different parts of campus. We could hear cheers. Eventually we heard the ‘essence’ of Obama’s voice. Then we cut a path north to the historic Oval. The words were clearer. We passed through security (what security?). Then there were lots of people. I couldn’t make sense of which structure was the podium. We walked the Oval counterclockwise. The voice was getting more impassioned. The crowd was really excited. Paula and I stopped and listenen.

“… and God bless the United States of America!”


Urgh, so what do we do now?

We hung around a bit. I still couldn’t make out any people on the stage. Hell, I couldn’t make out the stage. So we proceeded around the Oval until we got to a barricade. I stood on my toes and noticed people we still pretty excited. Maybe Obama was still there. And then I saw a figure give a wave and turn around and walk into a building. Was that him? It could have been. He was wearing a white shirt, no tie, and a dark jacket. Then the guy beside me remarked, “Did you see him? He just waved and walked into that building.”

It lasted about one-half a second. It reminded me of a drive through Shenandoah National Park and I yelped to Paula, “Look, bear!” After we got home I checked out the Coloradoan. Paula and I watched the other 34 minutes of his 35 minute speech. And yes, he was wearing a white shirt, no tie, and dark jacket.

Just think, there were probably 10,000 people in line behind us who didn’t even see that much.