A few days prior to Sept. 13th, I came across an email that President Barack Obama would be coming to Philadelphia in just a few short days to speak on behalf of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
I expected this news to spread like wildfire. When Bernie Sanders had been rumored to be visiting Philadelphia, the entire campus was lit with excitement. I expected as much, if not more, for the President of the United States. To my surprise, the campus was relatively quiet except for a couple small mentions from political professors. I was honestly shocked, but in the end this only worked out better for me. I was able to obtain a press pass after making a few last minute phone calls and emails. The Clinton campaign was willing to help a young journalism student conquer her dream of seeing the POTUS speak in this beautiful city.
The roads leading to the Art Museum were blocked off and police surrounded the area. I was able to take an Uber to Sabrina’s Café and then opted to walk the remaining way. When attending the event, I expected to wait. Apparently I was the only one who did, because people were extremely eager and impatient when getting through lines and settling into their spots. I was able to access the spacious stage directly across from the podium. I heard from a campaign source that Obama wasn’t set to speak until 2p.m., but press had to arrive at the event by 11:30a.m. in order to get through the security sweep.
The event had a strong line-up for the president. There were a handful of speakers that opened for the president. Most notably were Governor Tom Wolff and Senate candidate Katie McGinty, all speaking about the importance of beating Donald Trump and Pat Toomey in the upcoming Pennsylvania election. Each speaker focused heavily on minority and education issues.
Not long after the last speaker, police cars were driving by escorting the president’s limo. The Crowd erupted in cheers. Seeing the president’s flags sent chills down my spine. When Obama walked onto the stage, the crowd went crazy. He walked to every edge waving and shaking hands with Philadelphians. The man was a rock star; I could hardly take it all in.
When he began to speak into the microphone, the crowd roared. One woman screamed, “I love you” and Obama smiled and replied, “I love you too.” Which only made the crowd go crazier.
Obama began his speech reflecting on his presidential career and what he believed this country needed for a prosperous future. He gave a passionate depiction of his experiences with Hillary Clinton and stated why he believed she was the best candidate for the position. Not long into his speech, Obama began to express his view of Republican candidate, Donald Trump. The crowd immediately began booing at the sound of his name.
“Don’t Boo. Vote. Booing is easy,” stated the President.
Obama changed his demeanor and began speaking in a more lighthearted tone, asking the crowd if he could “vent for a minute.” To which the crowd cheered and laughed in support of the President. Despite the jokes, Obama remained purposeful and direct about his opposition to the Trump campaign. He continuously spoke about his belief that Trump was not qualified for the job.
“He’s betting that if he can scare enough people then he might just scare up enough votes to win this election.” Stated Obama.
With each sentence, Obama intrigued me more. I was captivated and I knew I was in the presence of a brilliant speaker. I had chills running through my body and it was hard to believe I wasn’t just watching this on TV.
“I need you to work as hard for Hillary as you did for me.” He said looking directly across to the small press stage. I had this feeling like I was being molded into a special part of history. The realization hit that I was in the presence of our country’s first African American president as he spoke about electing the first woman president. I knew this was a day that I would be telling grandchildren about, as cliché as that sounds.
Obama made a powerful statement just before he left the podium: “We will continue on this journey to create a better America and a fairer America. A more just America, a more loving America, a brighter America. That’s what we are fighting for. That’s why I need you. Let’s get to work. Thank you Philadelphia; God Bless you.”