Cleveland Rally: Barack and Bruce

On Sunday night, I had the honor of attending a rally in downtown Cleveland, Ohio with Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Bruce Springsteen. I thought I would share some pictures and thoughts with Demockracy readers.

First of all, here are some of the lines to get into the event. There were an estimate 80,000 people in attendance, and everyone had to go through a pretty tight security clearance:

There were tons of street vendors selling everything and anything Obama. You’ve got to love capitalism:

Next, here are my parents and I waiting in line for the rally:

The rally has now started, and Bruce takes the stage first. He sings a six song set, including Thunder Road and a local favorite, Youngstown. Bruce, who appeared with Kerry in Cleveland on Election Eve 2004, told everyone that he hoped that he wasn’t bad luck!

For the final song, Bruce’s wife, Patti Scialfa, joined in for a duet.

Since the Obama team was running late, Michelle Obama didn’t speak. Right after Bruce, Barack took the stage. The rain started to pour, but Obama kept his cool.

We’ll leave you with a touching video coupling a Bruce Springsteen song and images from Obama rallies throughout the campaign. If you’re looking for some last minute inspiration, you’ll definitely find it here. If you’re a U.S. citizen, remember to vote on Tuesday!