(Not really an experience, per se. I don't have an interesting story or anything. The event just left me with some lingering questions.)

So I went to see Obama at a rally here in Austin on Friday night. I didn't even know he was still in Austin till Friday morning but decided I had to go.

I was shaking most of the night. Not because I was in awe or anything (though I was a little); it was just really really cold (and, yanno, us Texans don't know how to prepare for such things).

I guess I don't have any particular insight to share after seeing him live. I actually got a media pass from my work, so I got a pretty awesome view from the media risers (and got to look down on the lowly, lowly common folk). It was all pretty surreal - again, not because I was starstruck, but mainly because I'm a political junkie who spends all his time reading and talking about these guys but never sees them (for the record, he's the first major politician I think I've ever seen in person; I'm 20, gimme a break).

He gave pretty much the same speech he's given the last two or three times, which is fine. The crowd - thousands, packed into a couple blocks south of the Capitol - was crazy, and erupted at all the right moments. The diversity was pretty astounding. It was an experience.

I guess my question is, after having seen the mania firsthand...

Going on the assumption that March 4 swings his way and hands him the nomination, under what circumstances do you see him losing in November? It's certainly possible that the excitement will die down a bit and Republicans will attack hard and swift, but with Hillary's experience attacks not landing, will they be more effective coming from McCain? Will McCain really be able to swing any of the minority vote his way?

But mainly, will John McCain really be able to run against hope... and uplift?

I mean... the answers to all of these may be "yes." So I don't know. Discuss!

I guess if he turns out to really be the unpatriotic, communist, racist, extreme Christian yet extreme Muslim, terrorist sympathizer that the right is trying to claim that he is, he might lose.

Barring that, I think McCain will have his work cut out for him.

McCain, first of all, is mired in a FEC public-financing quagmire. Secondly, the Iseman affair and related stories are a smoldering heap of irrelevance, but have the potential of erupting into an inferno of trouble. Last of all, it is debatable how effective "No New Taxes" will be this year. Obama can, if done right, impugn that argument with a Reaganesque "are you better off than before" statement. The majority of the country is facing economic uncertainty.

35,000 people attended the Austin rally. That is frankly amazing. Maybe we should pull off an outdoor rally here in Houston.

I'm of the opinion that if he's getting 80% of votes from blacks against Hillary (sometimes up to 85-90% in some areas), then it will be an even stronger coalition against McCain. The Clintons have a great record with minorities and many minorities trust them. McCain, on the other hand, is just another old white Republican to them. Barack will get at least 90% of the black vote in November against him.

Sounds great...he's coming to OSU Wednesday and I got preferred viewing tickets today. Not sure how much closer I will be, but I'm excited either way!

That does not particularly mean anything, given Kerry received 88% of the black vote.

he needs some independent and unhappy conservatives you fools !!!

So I went to the Obama rally in Columbus, Ohio today and boy was it awesome. There were probably around 6000, but it was during the day. I expect had it been at night a lot more would have shown. The crowd was energized, cheered at all the right moments. Most of the speech was similar to all his other ones, although he did have some good new stuff, particularly his reaction to McCain's comments earlier this morning. The crowd went nuts when he blasted McCain, it was crazy.

I took my copy of Audacity of Hope and he signed it...overall a really awesome experience. I want to get started working for his campaign as soon as possible.

Will you show us pics of you fainting???

I would but there are none since all my friends had fainted as well.