PHOTO CREDIT: MATTHEW JOHNSTON
BY RACHEL SHARPE
When I heard that President Barack Obama was going to be speaking only 20 minutes away from my house less than 48 hours before Election Day, I was so excited. As an eighteen year old voting in my first presidential election, witnessing the President speak was certainly an opportunity that I could not pass up. I immediately procured my ticket to the event.
When I arrived at MacArthur High School at 9 a.m., there were already thousands of supporters lined up on the streets changing and yelling. Volunteers tried their best to keep everything organized, although it was tough because there were so many people. My parents and I made our way to the back of the line and prepared ourselves for a long wait. Fortunately, the weather that day was beautiful and the time passed quickly as everyone around us seemed to have something to say about the upcoming election.
After standing in line for more then three hours, the gates finally opened at 12:30. We followed the crowd through security and made our way on to the football field. We decided to sit on the bleachers directly facing where the President was going to speak. For the next several hours, I patiently waited as thousands of people filed into the stadium. Music was playing and the excitement was building, especially when the crowd caught sight of Air Force One.
Finally, around 3 p.m., congresswomen Frederica Wilson, in her signature cowboy hat, pumped up the crowd with a spirited welcome address, followed by speeches from other Obama supporters including Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz and recording artist Pitbull. Former governor, Charlie Christ also took the stage and voiced his support to President Obama, yelling, “I love Barack Obama.”
When President Obama appeared, the crowd erupted into cheers. The President spoke with determination and with purpose reiterating many of the themes I had heard so often throughout his campaign. He talked about healthcare, education, the auto industry and Bin Laden. He told us how important it was for every person to vote and he urged us to encourage as many people as we could to visit the polls on Election Day. His enthusiasm was contagious and I left feeling energized and hopeful.
Although I had already cast by ballot during early voting, I did my part and tweeted throughout the day on Tuesday, encouraging my peers to do their civic duty, reminding them that each vote really does count (although sadly it seems that may not have been true of this election for those of us who live in Florida).
Nevertheless, on Tuesday night, I sat glued in front of the television watching states go either red of blue. I didn’t want to go to sleep until I knew who would lead our nation for the next four years. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so connected to my country as I did on November 6th this year. I know it was partly because it was my first time voting in a Presidential election, but it was also because I had witnessed history. At eighteen years old, I felt so lucky to have the opportunity to see the President of the United States. It was an incredible experience and a moment that I will certainly never forget.
