With the election about a week away, the campaigns are in the final stages of visits to the swing states. Here in NC, we’ve had visits from the candidates since the spring when the Democratic nominee was still undecided. Yesterday, Sarah Palin made an appearance. While documenting the event I was struck with just how popular she is among her supporters. I’m sure she gets larger crowds than McCain. On these campaigns, there is almost the auro of rock star status, and Palin is McCain’s answer to Obama’s celebrity. It will be interesting to see if McCain loses the election what becomes of Palin. With her popularity, she will probably run in 2012. Populism can really only take you so far, as John Edward’s campaign illustrated.
I unfortunately missed Obama’s rally a couple weeks back when I was ill, but really would have loved to attend. I did make it to Hillary’s event a few months back. Hillary’s rally was also held in the civic center, like Sarah’s but in a different hall. The dichotomy between these women became even more so apparent to me yesterday. During Hillary’s rally she was dressed in her typical pants suit and looked the part. But Sarah, however was in a casual outfit, the first time I’ve seen her in such. She was wearing jeans and looked very different than her usual dresses. Maybe in light of the $150,000 shopping spree she’s going casual. That or she thinks NC is where the “folks” live and to play that angle.
Its interesting to see the different crowds that attend each party’s appearences and the strong belief each hold that their candidate and party is the “right” and sensible one. At yesterday’s event, it also became apparent to me how many children were there and really into the whole thing. Many of them had buttons and hats and even signs saying who they support, as if they could vote. Well they’ll be voting in a few years anyway.
It was also Sarah Palin’s mothers birthday. So she called her on the phone and had the crowd sing her happy birthday. Sarah seemed to be taking it all in too. From just a couple months ago when she was an unknown to now where she’s receiving crowds of thousands chanting her name and traveling the whole country must feel surreal at times.
Copyright Scott Lessing Hubener
