This morning we waited a couple of hours in rain, sleet, and nasty cold to enter the Obama rally at Mentor High School. When we arrived at the high school around 8:30 AM we were discouraged to find a line about a half mile long, wrapping all around the high school. But spirits were high, people in a fun mood, and after a couple of hours we went through the metal detectors and entered the school. As we got to the high school gym, the entry was closed off--the gym was full. They asked us to go down the hall to an overflow area and promised us a "special guest." Around 11:45 the special guest, President Barack Obama, arrived, came to our overflow area, and made a brief off-the-cuff speech. And then, before the featured speech in the gymnasium, President Obama shook hands with dozens of people in our area. At one point he was 5 feet away from Linda and me. He looked right at us, apparently noticing my Guinness cap and snow-white beard, and acknowledged us.
I felt like the little boy who stood with my Mom and Dad, brothers and sister along St.Clair Avenue near Euclid Beach in the summer of 1960 and saw John F. Kennedy drive by on his way to the Democratic Party steer roast at Euclid Beach Park.
My eyes welled up with tears and I felt so lucky to be at Mentor High School on this chilly November 3rd, 2012, to see President Barack Obama. I'm sure the little children who stood in front of me and shook the president's hand will never forget this moment in time.
Here are a few photos form this rally. These were taken this morning, at very close range.
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| President Obama greets people at Mentor High School, in the overflow area. |
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| President Obama was happy and relaxed at Mentor High School. |
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| Angie Weaver and John, outside in the cold before the rally. |
