No Seat Left Behind

Rightnation.us ^ | September 13, 2009 | Walter Scott Hudson

[Walter Scott Hudson]

It occurred to me, as I waited longer inside the venue to get a seat than I had waited outside to get in, this entire experience stood as a perfect metaphor representing the very health care system Obama was there to promote. Here was an event open to the public, free of charge, which attracted enormous demand and provided seemingly inexplicable barriers to access which did not serve the interest of those attending. Presumably, during any other event, patrons of the Target Center would be free to roam the arena and corridors as they saw fit, take their seats at their leisure (albeit assigned by ticket), and be none the worse for lack of wear. Yet, in this case, we were barred from obtaining that which we sought for reasons that added no value to our experience and served only the interest of those in charge. Gee, what does that sound like? The irony was utterly lost on the overwhelmingly pro-Obama crowd.

[EmilyGeiger]

I thought that only the attendees were for healthcare reform. didn’t know there were those there against it. the media never said.

[Walter Scott Hudson]

There were a handful of protesters outside, Left and Right, all against Obama’s plan. The socialist protesters demand “single payer now,” apparently too dense to realize Obama’s plan will inevitably lead to that.

No signs were allowed in the venue, and there was no active protest inside that I could see. There was a single person who caused some kind of stir late in Obama’s speech. I was too far away to know exactly what happened; but he was quickly shouted down and headed to the door.