Obama in '08

Todd and I went to an Obama event this morning. The Obama peeps tried to get people across the country to get together, and nationwide there was something like 4,000 events taking place. We picked the one we attended, Three Parks Democrats, based on location (around the corner from my apartment was pretty convenient) and the short description they put on the Obama website.

After a short intro video, everyone there talked about why they wanted to be involved in the campaign. I mentioned how unhappy I've been with the current administration and the direction of the country, and also talked a bit about how in 2004 I had planned to do something for Kerry's campaign. I never did a single thing, though, and when he lost I felt frustrated that I hadn't put myself out there. For me, voting isn't enough; I really care about politics and think that it's important to do whatever I can to move us past the politics of fear, the erosion of our civil liberties, the Iraq War, the healthcare and energy crises, and so much else that we're mired down in right now. I'm not really excited about tabling or knocking on doors and bugging people during their dinners, but I do think I need to do something. I hope the campaign has other needs, but I have to commit to doing something.

One really interesting thing to note, though, is the demographics of the meeting we attended. It was hosted by a gray-haired old Jewish woman, and with the exception of only one other guy there, I think Todd and I may have been the only people not yet members of AARP. Given all the press Obama has gotten for being able to rally the youth vote, I thought it was interesting that geriatrics were the primary people in attendance. Maybe Three Parks just happens to skew old, but it definitely caught my attention.