So my oft repeated line for today will be: "
I was turned away at the Obamarama like Joseph and Mary at the Inn."
It had been announced in the local paper on Sunday that the presumed democratic presidential nominee would be coming to Martinsville, Virginia today, the first time a presidential candidate had visited here since Dwight Eisenhower's train passed thru in the 1950s (no one can remember if he stopped). The article also said he would be meeting with invited guests, people who had lost their jobs due to the economic down turn, at an undisclosed location.
WTF? That was the strangest campaign appearance I ever heard.
Since then there has been this quest for tickets going on, and rumors of where this appearance is going to be. When I contacted his local campaign HQ I was told I could be put on a waiting list someone could not use their tickets. I didn't bother. A fellow agent in my office,
who holds down two jobs, had tickets but gave them away he told me yesterday. Two people I know who are die hard Republicans who are not about to vote for him have tickets and are over there right now.
The over there, rumor had it all over yesterday, was that he would appear at thelocal community college, which seemed to be reinforced by my friend who is a purchasing manager there sporting a ticket, but it turns out this morning the venue is Arrington Motorsports, a company that builds engines for racecars. (
http://www.arringtonengines.com/)
So off I head over there, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man, witness some history. The place is a zoo, police everywhere, traffic backed up, signs for Obama and McCain and Warner (who is running for Senate and should be appearing also, along with the Governor, Tim Kane who is supposed to be on the short list for VP) and I wait in line and I get up to the interrogator, a kid with acne in a blue shirt and tie who asks to see my ticket.
"I don't have a ticket."
"Then I'm sorry, Sir, I'll have to ask you to turn around here, they won't let you in with out a ticket."
"Well I don't want to get in I just want to gawk at him when he goes by."
"I'm sorry, Sir, due to security they are not allowing that."
"Well I am very disappointed."
Now, here is how I look at it:
1. If you are running for President, you should not pass up an opportunity to be seen. Maximize every effort to be seen by as many people as possible. If you want to meet with a specific group of people do so in private in conjunction with a public appearance.
2. If you are running for President, and you come to a little assed town like Martinsville, Virginia, where the only thing exciting that ever happens is a scandal, do not have a closed meeting. Make an appearance, have the audacity to
be seen Put up metal detectors, frisk people, they expect that. Don't tell people: you can't be admitted. You may have made 3000 people's day, but you have pissed off about 30,000 in the process.
The whole thing is bullshit, and as a result I am officially announcing my own write in campaign for President. My motto will be:
"I can screw things up as good as any of those guys."