An account from events earlier today:
I can't believe I woke up at 7:30 in the morning on a holiday. I'm normally the type of guy who likes to get his sleep on the weekends, but when my alarm went off, I hopped out of bed like a kid on Christmas.
After picking up a cappuccino at the local gas station, I started the 45 minute drive from Sumter to Columbia. Driving along the 378, I notice a couple of things: one, how many mobile homes there were; two, how many churches there were, and three how many American flags were flying. It struck me that this is exactly the sort of place where Wesley Clark's message of patriotism, real family values, and support of the poor and working class would hit off big. I think that South Carolina is ripe for the taking.
I arrive in downtown Columbia around 9 am, and find parking immediately. The campaign HQ was only right around the corner and right across the street from where the General was going to speak. I'm warmly greeted by a few people when I enter, and then almost immediately drafted into making CLARK04 signs. After about 30 minutes of this, another volunteer and I make our way down the three or four blocks of the parade route to the MountZion</placename> <placetype>Church</placetype></place>, where the march was starting from.
Just as we arrive, the service is over and the congregation is coming out to join the rest of the NAACP sponsored march. I snap a couple of pictures, and then join the march with several thousand other people. I end up marching just off to the side and behind the Wesley Clark and some local leaders. I really think the march organizers were a little surprised by the amount of media that was there to take cover the <place>Clark</place> campaign. The parade came to a halt several times, while the marshals tried to clear away the news reporters.
At the South Carolina capital building the key speakers were taken up to the capital steps, for what turned out to be a long list of speakers. Most of the speakers were local leaders, except for the Reverend Al Sharpton. I might not personally agree with everything that he has said or done in the pass, but he gave an excellent and powerful speech or should I say sermon. Immediately after the speech though, Rev. Sharpton and his entourage left the rally. The speech was so good, and played so well to the overwhelmingly African-American crowd, I was actually worried about General Clark having to follow it, but thankfully there was a schedule change and he didn't go next. The next hour led to some confusion, Wesley Clark left the stage, and a rumor went around the Clark volunteers that he wasn't going to speak, but after a little bit, it was cleared up. He was pulled to the side to do some video spots, and returned to the stage a little later.
After about five or six speakers, including Mosley Braun, who spoke mostly about the inequities of education and the removal of the confederate flag from the grounds of the state court house, it was time for Wesley Clark. He was introduced by someone (I'm not quite sure by who) who stated that he was the only presidential candidate to attend a national convention by the NAACP, even though all were invited, and by saying that he was the only candidate who attended the church services earlier in the mourning and stayed through the whole event (obviously a did at Rev. Sharpton who had since left).
There was polite applause as the General started his speech, but boy did he surprise me and the crowd. I've never realized what a powerful speaker he was, and he quickly gained the respect of the crowd. I heard many "A, Men's", and affirmative responses from the crowd. His speech was along the lines of how MLK's dream had not yet been finished. He got huge responses from the crowd when he talked about how George Bush visited the grave of MLK and then turned around and appointed an anti-civil rights, anti-voting rights judge the next day. My favorite part of the speech was when he pointed to the American flag and said that that was the flag that he served and then pointed to the confederate flag and said it belonged in a museum.
After the rally I joined about 20 other Clark supporter, volunteers, and campaign workers handing out literature to the crowd as they left. I heard several times how people had heard of Wesley Clark, but after that speech they definitely wanted to know more about him. After about an hour of that, I grabbed a yard sign and several bumper stickers and headed home, definitely optimistic about our chances. <country-region><place>America</place></country-region> deserves Wesley Clark.
Other notes:
The few Kucinich supporters had set their up a small table right by the Dean table, and one of them went around us handing out a small card size pamphlet. One women responded to the guy "Thanks, when Wesley Clark gets elected, maybe they will find a position for him". It got a laugh from several people within ear shot.
Clark supporters had by far the best turn out. I saw a few Deaniacs, but they obviously weren't organized. There was some Kerry guys with a table, and three Kucinich supporters who looked like they were straight out of the 60's. There was no one from any other candidates that I saw.
Next, thanks for being patient with this long drawn out account, now go out and make some phone calls, write some letters, or donate some money.
He served America for 34 years, lets give him the chance to serve us for 4 more years.
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