Unity, NH

[artscallion]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 5:33pm

I just returned from a weeks vacation in New Hampshire. While we were there we decided to go to the rally where Barack and Hillary made their first appearance together, post primary, held in the tiny town of Unity.

It was a big ordeal because you weren't allowed to park there. The only way you could be admitted was to arrange for a ticket for a shuttle from Mt Sunapee resort. The shuttles were the only way you could get into the town. But we forged ahead anyway, through an hour ride from where we were to Mt Sunapee, an hour long line for the shuttle, an hour long line to get into the field the event was held in, and hour and a half wait standing in the hot sun (we weren't allowed to sit) until the local speakers came on, then a half hour of that until Barack and Hillary. After they spoke, we had a good hour and a half wait to get back on a shuttle and so forth.

We knew it would be like this. But having been so involved and having followed the primary so closely, we really wanted to witness this historic event.

Perusing the threads on my return, I see that unity may not really be as realistic a goal as some would hope it would be. At the least, it's more complicated. Despite this, I still wanted to share some photos of the event with everybody. I was only about five rows from the podium and got some great shots. Even if you don't like the concept, I hope you enjoy the pics.









And my favorite, Candy Crowley from CNN as she was giving her report, live, to Wolfe Blitzer

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 5:36pm

Updated On: 1/23/09 at 05:36 PM

[DG]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 5:49pm

"hour and a half wait standing in the hot sun (we weren't allowed to sit)"

I'm sure there was a reason for this; although, it doesn't spring immediately to mind - at least my mind.

Reading through some other posts elsewhere about this event, it seems there are many who weren't buying completely into the idea of them being 'unified'.

Understanding that it's simply a matter of individual perspective, what were your gut feelings on that issue?

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 5:53pm

Updated On: 1/23/09 at 05:53 PM

[artscallion]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 6:21pm

DG, we weren't allowed to sit because a sitting body takes up more room than a standing one in an enclosed field. And they had to cram a whole lot of people in there. Understandable, but uncomfortable.

Regarding my perception of the sincerity involved., their interactions seemed genuine. I could hear a lot of their banter that you couldn't hear on TV. They were joking together and I sensed that it was not just being put on for the cameras, particularly since the cameras couldn't hear what I heard them saying.

Hillary's speech was stirring and it seemed to me to be sincere. At the very least, they're both smart enough to know that dropping the ball on the unity game could only hurt their future. I also get the feeling that, above all, Hillary genuinely wants what's good for the party and the people of America. So while I felt she was being sincere, it may not have been so much out of love for Obama as much as it was out of love for service to the country.

I think the same was true for Obama. Like here on the board, and for the rest of the country, it's complicated. People had a lot of passion in this race, and none more than its main participants. So at any rate, I give them both good marks for working hard enough under such complex circumstances to make it feel as real as it did.

Updated On: 6/28/08 at 06:21 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 6:34pm

How is this too little too late? Its only June for crying outloud.

People are so cynical. Well, people like that can either sit and rot in their cynicism or they can make a difference by finding something to be positive about.

Do people want to lose? Do they want to let a man get elected who will continue Bush's madness for this country and put 4 conservative justices in place to take back a woman's right to choose and my right to make love to my bf?

Shoot your own foot, but dont shoot mine.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 6:38pm

gorgeous photos, artscallion. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 6:52pm

Updated On: 1/23/09 at 06:52 PM

[artscallion]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 6:54pm

Thanks, jrb. It really was a day I'll always remember. Listening to two of the most amazing people in the history of this country, not ten feet away. The energy was incredible. This country has so much possibility.

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 7:10pm

Thank You...Beautiful Pictures...They both look Great.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 7:15pm

Petite, only the first comment was aimed directly at you. The rest was meant to be general.

[Namaste]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:48am

I like how they match.



...


At least they matched.

[DG]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:50am

"I like how they match."

Yeah - that wasn't orchestrated at all.

[Namaste]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:51am

I guess Obama and Clinton are the new Posh and Becks or Brangelina.

[DG]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:53am

Nam - he's not THAT hot!

Although, he is . . . a little, at least.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:56am

I wish we'd seen more pictures of that like Hillary during the primary. She looks lovely. All the pictures are, artscallion.

I just kind of want it to be over. I'm glad there are some people who still feel passionate, but I'm feeling generally disappointed.

[Namaste]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:57am

If I had to pick, I'd totally do Hillary over Barack.

I'm not usually into blondes, but her brains do it for me.

Barack smokes, and I don't like tasting an ash tray each time I go in for one.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 2:58am

Do you think Obama's black gums are due to the smoking?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 3:00am

I don't really want to have relations with either, probably because I'm a misogynist and a racist.

[Namaste]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 3:02am

But, if you had to pick or else you'd be mutilated and tortured until death... who would it be?

[DG]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 3:05am

"I don't really want to have relations with either, probably because I'm a misogynist and a racist."

That ABSOLUTELY shouldn't have made me laugh as hard as it did!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 3:13am

Probably Hillary. I've never had sex with a woman (not because of any ick factor, simply because I figured it out EARLY), so why not have it be a woman who I admire and respect and has a lot of money?

[DG]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 3:22am

"so why not have it be a woman who I admire and respect and has a lot of money?"

That's how I felt about Liz, but then she didn't bounce back from that brain surgery.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 8:42am

I love how his tie matches her pantsuit.

That means they would work well together at POTUS and VP.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 8:49pm

Those are great pictures...