The Obama rally was very interesting. We arrived over two hours early and a long line had already formed to get into the convention center. There were cops from all the adjoining counties and city police from Hermiston and La Grande. You were advised that there would be no knives, purses, or bags allowed. At the door you gave them your ticket, went through a metal detector and had a wand was run over you before you had your belongings returned. The place was fairly packed by the time we found a seat that was in a pretty good location – in the balcony sort of looking down on the whole affair. Not much went on before the man showed - a few local politicians talked. Finally he came in surrounded by four secret service. He shook hands with all that could reach him. He was introduced by a lady who had lost a son in the war. She might have talked longer than what she had to say. Then he talked for about fifteen minutes on mainly about how he got from Chicago to the stage in Pendleton. Then he took questions from the audience. I was pretty well pleased with all he said. He was saying things that I had thought about for a long time. Such as for the government to keep repeating the same failed policies and expecting different outcomes was madness. He said he intended to negotiate his policies on C-Span in front of everyone in order for us all to see what he was saying and what other people were saying – no secret under the table deals. Mainly that the influence of big money was not going to be running things. He said he was going to make mistakes and we were not going to agree with him all the time but he would listen and get the best advice he could find. Mainly he said it was up to all of us – we needed to continue to be involved, to become active in making decisions and voicing our opinions, and that the government could not be the answer to all things – we needed to become personally accountable and responsible for the well being of our neighbors and ourselves. Overall I was pretty well energized by what I heard.