Yeah, I can just see me going over to a friend’s neighborhood in order to get a good view of the Preezy or whatever Baraka calls himself these days. So, I get there, am strip searched, and I get to listen to him behind a barrier and on a mic. I’d have a closer view on TV.
Years ago, I was front and center, 10 feet from a Presidential candidate. Just to listen. I also went and tried to listen to the Toon once, but I got tired of standing and waiting after almost 2 hours, even though I was about 25 feet, stage right. What a prima donna, that Toon.
This takes donna to a whole ‘nuther level.
In 2000, I saw George Bush speak from the back of a train. After the speech, I walked up the track a ways, figuring he’d be inside schmoozing with the bigwigs by then. The departing train pulled by, and W was standing on the little balcony at the rear of the last car, accompanied by one security guy. He made eye contact with everyone along the way, and acknowledged each of us. I got a thumbs up. Having worked for a Clintonista, I was struck by the difference between a politician who sees a crowd as a faceless group of adoring fans that he’s entitled to by right, and a politician who sees each one as an individual human being. The SS would still have wanded each of the Reno neighbors, but Bush probably would have shown up with a tub of beer and tailgated with them for an hour.