Meeting the Former President For the First Time!

I have to admit it. I was jazzed over the prospect of seeing the Man himself, President William Jefferson Clinton, in the flesh. He was here in Corpus Christi to start off the early voting effort for the Clinton campaign. He was scheduled to come by the newly opened Hillary for President headquarters at 9:30pm for a "get out the vote" pep talk. He also talked about that uniquely Texan tasks of voting twice. They vote once in the primary and once at the caucus later that night. See, that saying of everything is bigger in Texas is true, even when it comes to voting.
So, the former president was supposed to be at the headquarters at 9:30pm that means to get a seat we would have to leave at 5:00pm. Unbelievable I was on time and ready to go with excitement. We arrived and the parking lot was already full. Chris let me out of the car to run in and get two seats and luckily she did. As I walked into the hall, there were only two seats to be had and I got them both.
It’s 5:30pm and we have our seats. What to do with the next 4 hours. How about finned for our lives. That would take up the time. Not yet as this is the calm before the storm. I ran around and took picture cause that’s just my thing and Chris visited with to folks around our seats. About 8:00pm everything changed. The crowd realized that Clinton we going to be speaking in the room next to the one we were waiting in. Slowly but surely, the crowd migrated toward the door. 10 different lines formed to get in. I, like all the other sheep, got in a line. They announced the move to the next room where there were a few chairs for the disabled and all at once the whole room pushed toward the door. My only concern we getting a chair for Chris.
They started letting folks into a room that was basically the same size as the one we were moving from. I let the flow take me to the door and as soon as I was in I headed toward the chairs.
They all seem to be taken except for one. While many people were standing around looking down at it no one was making a move for it. Maybe it is like that thing that makes us not want be the one to take the last piece of cake or french fry or whatever. Not me! I was all over it. And this seat was not in the back of the room. They were about ten feet from the place where Mr. Clinton would be speaking. God has once again looked out for me. (Just Kidding)
Chris takes the seat and I continue taking candid shots around the room. I found that as the minutes ticked off the clock, more and more people we entering the room and movement became almost impossible. I know I had to try and make my way back to Chris and our seat or I would be taking pictures of the back of peoples heads instead of the former president. Needless to say I didn’t make any friends in the process but I made it back. And luck beyond all luck, the lady next to Chris decides to leave. So there I was, in the third row from the platform, everyone sitting down in front of me and lastly my trusty camera. Plenty of room on the memory card and an extra battery. I was ready. All the time and effort paid off. All the pushing and shoving and the heat. The room was like one big exhale, no O2 and lots of heat
9:30 came and went and no Bill. He was running late, no surprise for a politician. Close to 10:00 o’clock is when it started happening. I feel faint and sick to my stomach. I tried to fight it off but by 10:30 I could not take it anymore.
So they took me out the same way the President was suppose to enter. That’s as close as I could come after waiting 5 hours. There must have been as many people or more outside waiting to catch a glimpse of the man. As I was escorted to the barrier tape, I thought maybe I would stand out there but no, not tonight. As I entered my car I heard a roar go up near the street. He was here.
Chris took lots of picture for me though.
My comments:
If you have already voted in your state or in early voting, you can still make a huge difference by making calls to people who have not voted yet. This is the great way to continue to help Hillary to the white house.
If you do not want to make calls you can always make a contribution. Go to HillaryClinton.com.