Obama fans pack Grand Rapids arena

Thu, May 15, 2008    to del.icio.us

At 8 a.m. Wednesday, a few hardy supporters were already in line, despite the rainy weather.

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But by 4 p.m., when the doors to the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids opened, the line to see Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama had snaked around the building and down side streets. The city sidewalks were filled with enthusiastic supporters — and a few detractors — eager to see the candidate, who had not previously campaigned in Michigan.

"This is a historic moment," said Holland resident and local children's television personality Joel Schoon Tanis, 41. "Regardless of where I am politically, this is history, and I can be a part of it.

"Also, I finally have a candidate who I feel I can vote for — who I want to vote for, instead of just picking the lesser of two evils on the ballot," Tanis added. "He's a man who, I believe, listens. Name a topic and I feel he's worked that out."

News of Obama's visit first hit Michigan on Monday, and the West Michigan Democratic Party members quickly rallied together to spread the word. No one knew exactly how many people to expect, although the arena capacity for the political rally was just over 12,000.

The venue hit that capacity around 6:15 p.m., when the fire marshal ordered the doors shut — stranding about 2,000 people outside, according to state House Speaker Pro Tempore Michael Sak, D-Grand Rapids.

From my vantage point, there was plenty more room on the floor in front of the stage, but Sak said the fire marshal would not budge on his decision.

Those who did make it inside, however, found themselves in the middle of an arena buzzing with excitement and thumping bass beats. Organizers kept the crowd energized with an eclectic mix of songs, ranging from U2's "City of Blinding Lights" to "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder.

Although Obama wasn't scheduled to begin speaking until 7 p.m., the media pit began buzzing around 5 p.m. when news started coming in that former presidential candidate John Edwards would be joining Obama on the stage. The information was being reported on local television newscasts, but the audience inside the arena had no clue.

So when Obama hit the stage 20 minutes early, saying he was going to do "something special" for the crowd, most people still didn't know what to expect. But they went wild when John Edwards' name was announced.

The news that Edwards was giving his endorsement to Obama quickly became the story of the night. As one CNN camera man said to me, "That was worth the drive."

But it was clear that the audience's focus was on Obama — and the candidate remained focused on the crowd during his speech as well. He was so in tune with the audience that when a person standing in front of the stage fainted, Obama halted his speech, alerted emergency personnel and even tossed the person his own water bottle.

"(Republican presidential candidate) John McCain is eight more years of the same thing," Obama told the crowd. "Eight more years of a cramped vision of what's possible in America. McCain is the politics of the past and we are the politics of the future. I am convinced that the American public is looking for something different this time."

And the crowd went wild.

Tiffany Graham of Holland eagerly lined up for a chance to meet the candidate after his speech. She was one of the lucky few who got to shake Obama's hand.

"I'm shaking," she told me after the encounter. "He just inspires me so much. I wasn't registered to vote before, and I'm 29 years old — but his words and the way he brings people together, it's just inspiring. I really believe he can bring people together."

As the crowd scattered for the evening, state Rep. Sak said he was thrilled with how the evening had gone — especially with such short notice.

"This was absolutely spectacular," he said. "We were extremely fortunate not only to have Sen. Obama in town, but Sen. Edwards — that doesn't happen too often. ... I think (Obama) focused on issues that are extremely important to this city, and to Michigan. He put the people first and that's what is important."

Sak said he has not yet made a public endorsement of either Obama or his competitor, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton — but the state representative said he is working to bring the Democratic Party together.

"I want us to be unified," he said. "I want to make sure we put a Democrat in the White House — that is the most important thing."