Dubya Visits Latrobe
I first got the word about George coming to Latrobe on Sunday evening, when I first got an e-mail from the Victory Center. I was told to be prepared for a big visit on Wednesday... and so I sprung into action, e-mailing my college republican cohorts, calling my dad, and trying not to have a heart attack all at the same time. This was my chance to see the President, something I haven't gotten to do since the 2000 campaign. I spent many hours down at the Victory Center, lots of time spreading the word to members of the club, and alot of time coordinating the day in question... but it was more satisfying than you can ever imagine.
Wednesday came and Josh, Paul, and myself managed to get our paws on blue VIP tickets thanks to our involvement down at the VC. Plenty of SHU kids got them for volunteering down there-- a nice way to pay people back for helping out. We drove to the Arnold Palmer airport (yes, THE Arnold Palmer) around 2pm and prepared to spend a long day in the sun waiting for the president. How Arnie managed to get an airport still alludes me, but if you are one of the best American golfers of all time, I guess you can do what you want.
To tide us over while we waited, country music star John Michael Montgomery (I think that's who it was... he played alot of songs that were covered by the boy band All4One back in the 90s) played an entire 50 minute set! It was nuts. And of course he ended, for some reason, with "Sweet Home, Alabama." He was introduced by the master of ceremonies, and former Pittsburgh Steeler, Lynn Swan. Lynn is an excellent public speaker, and one of the few African American Republicans that I can I say I know of (next to Alan Keyes of course). He's a cool dude. And once the country music stopped, he introduced Arnold Palmer himself.
Arnie was an alright guy... didn't say too much, aside from how much he liked the President. I was totally expecting him to just talk about how cool it is to have an airport named after you... but he didn't. How nice of him!
When Arnold was finished, Lynn's job was to just kill time while we waited for GW to arrive. Earlier in the day, George was in Millvale visiting flood victim homes. And after about twenty minutes of waiting... we saw and heard the thunder of the Marine choppers. Over the horizon appeared a group of four camouflaged helicopters flying in formation (like the Mighty Ducks do when they are about to score). It was like a scene out of Apocalypse Now. And behind these choppers was the Marine One, the President's white, yellow, and blue chopper. It was amazing. They began playing this fitting ballad as his helicopter flew in and landed behind the stage. The crowd was going insane.
He emerged from behind the stands, waving to the elated crowd. He stood there on stage as Arnold Palmer welcomed him to the airport... his airport... and then he stepped up to the podium. I have never been so glued to a public speaker like I was when George W Bush gave this speech. Sure it was filled with many of the slogans and political plans that I had heard before, but he made this one different. He filled it with colloquial references to Rolling Rock (and how he gave up drinking years ago) and to Pittsburgh. I won't get into all of the issues he spoke of, but I will say that it was a truly excellent speech. He wasn't shy, he wasn't unsure of himself... it was the confidence that I remember most about him. That Texas swagger that he called "walking;" that smile that peaks out only when he knows he's right. The smile that everyone there dawns because they know he's right too. It was a good speech.
Melissa Hart and Rick Santorum... the best Republicans in PA!
And so after 45 minutes of him reminding us why we are all voting for him, he said goodbye. Bush shook hands with everyone on the stage, and then moved down into the crowd. Josh and I tried our best to push forward, to try and shake this great man's hand... but we could only get within 10 ft before we hit a wall of sweaty people. That's ok... we will get him next time. Because we are certain there will be a next time.
We left the rally, and got back to SHU after sitting in traffic for almost an hour and a half, and we were more excited than ever to be working for this man. I was so proud to have worked so hard this summer to get the College Republicans organized on the Hill. It was events like this, when you are surrounded by so many people who support what you stand for, that you realize that your hard work really is worth it. And while I'm not about to make this a politically-charged rant on right-winged politics... I have to sit and wonder what it feels like to be a Democrat. Someone who is voting for their candidate only because they don't like mine. How it feels to know nothing but "reaction" to what Bush does, but not know why they are supporting a Massachusetts man that no one can really understand. It's events like this that make me want to work harder to inform these folks. I think I will, W.
