Election Night

Tuesday
November 4
Chicago

Grant Park in Chicago was the site for the huge election night rally for Barack Obama. I had been there with AFP technician Jerry since late Friday setting up our coverage and dealing with the Obama advance team. I had the head-on position at the main press area, so I had a clear view of the stage.

Giant tv screens were set up around the park and CNN was the network of choice.
It was an amazing sight to see the thousands of people cheering as a state would be declared for Obama. The electoral vote tally kept increasing for Obama and at one point it really seemed certain he would win. Then shortly after 10 pm central time, the giant tv screen announced:

“CNN Projects
Barack Obama
Elected President”

A huge roar from the crowd as people cheered and many cried. In the frenzy to take pictures to capture the moment, I kept thinking, wow, it really happened.

Compared to other election night celebrations I’ve been to where there is a band playing or music in a hotel ballroom for donors or the well connected, this really seemed like a gathering of just people. I think the excitement was almost unbearable for some as they then waited for Obama to come out. “The new First Family” as they were announced, came out, Barack, Michelle with the 2 most adorable daughters Malia and Sasha come walking out onto the stage to another huge roar from the crowd. Along with Joe Biden and his family it was quite a scene.

I talked Vincent, the boss in Washington, who was walking in the streets of D.C. and he described people celebrating spontaneously, something he’d never seen there.
It was a long day for us, and almost hard to believe Obama had won and that America had really voted him in. T-shirt sales were brisk and the cashier at the pizza place we ate at already had his “Commander-in-Chief, President Barack Obama” shirt.


In front of the Obama stage and the sign marking our spot on the main press area.