That is the stupidest question!
By Warner M. Montgomery
Warner@TheColumbiaStar.com

Linda Sosbee (hand on left) reaches for Obama.

Linda and I were in line at the Convention Center at 4 o'clock to attend the Barack Obama rally last Friday. A local TV reporter stopped a distinguished elderly black man and positioned him before the camera. "Do you think Obama is black enough?" she asked.

That was the stupidest question I had ever heard and was tempted to say so. The man, however, was very polite to the young blond reporter and ignored her absurd question. Her attempt to excite her volatile audience surely fell flat on the Six O'clock News.

The doors opened at 4:30 pm and the orderly line of students, professionals, blacks, whites, children, and old folks filed into the well- organized event. Obama 08 buttons, bumper stickers, and placards were snatched up by the crowd of about 3,000.

The senator from Illinois was scheduled to speak at 5:30 pm. As we stood around the raised state, cheers of O…BAMA rose and fell spontaneously. Every now and then, someone gasped, "There he is!" and heads turned to the entranceway. And the music played on.

Security guards in black suits stood silently in darkened corners of the large room. TV cameramen on a platform in the rear tested their gear.

At 5:45 pm, a young man in a tan jacket, no tie, took the stage, tested the PA system, and said Obama was on the way. The audience went crazy with more O…BAMAs. Photographers with scores of Press tags hanging around their necks took position around the stage.

Finally, at 6 pm, the president of the USC Law School student body announced, simply, "Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Barack Obama." Presidential candidate Barack Obama appeared on the runway. Flags waved, music blared, cheers rocked the room. The new American Idol was dressed in a dark gray suit, nondescript gray and purple tie, scuffed black leather shoes. Thin, taller than average, confident, smiling, almost cat- like in movements.

Obama took the stage and wooed his fans for 45 minutes. He played to every "Amen, brother!" "Yes, yes!" and "You are right!" He had the mixed group totally in his hands.

Contrary to reports in The Other Paper , he spoke perfect English. He berated no one. He spoke from the center to all directions. He called for unity, sharing of America's prosperity, and an end to the Iraq war. He was positive and assuring, "We can change America!"

It was important what was not done, not said, and who was not there. There were no long, dramatic introductions by Democratic Party officials. Obama did not mention race or class. The only politicians I saw in the hall were Inez Tenenbaum (former S.C. Superintendent of Education), Bacari Sellers (State Representative from Orangeburg), and Sam Davis (Columbia City Councilman).

This man, Barack Obama, is a different kind of politician. This was the first political rally Linda and I have attended since the days of Pug Ravenel, so we are necessarily cautious, especially since we are Libertarians at heart. Pug rallied the public, lost the election, then fell into a dismal scandal. He was a hero with clay feet. Hopefully, Obama has a more substantial foundation.