Obama rally in Asheville, NC

Hi all! Just got back a few hours ago from an Obama rally in Asheville NC. We showed up about 6 am, and were 60-ish in line. Got into the stadium about noon, the place filled up, then overflowed. The stadium held about 10,000 max. Local police estimate about 28,000 showed up for this event!!! I was on the rail in the front row with my daughter and friends. Obama gave a great speech, full of policy details but also entertaining and engaging. At the end of the speech, he made the rounds of the front row, and my daughter, myself and my friends all got to shake hands with him and look him in the eye. It was a brilliant moment for my daughter and me, that will stand out as a highlight of our lives (we have discussed this already!).

There was a counter-rally by the republicans in town at the same time. They had a whopping crowd of, umm, about 100 according to local news! I've got some killer pics of the event I'll post soon, probably set up a flickr account to host them tomorrow or soon thereafter. Let me just say, if you have not seen Obama in person, 30 feet away from yo speaking, or shaken his hand, you will probably think I've "drunk the Kool-aide". Whatever...Good for you. I'm registered independant, but damn! Andy