Agence France-Presse - 1/18/2009 12:21 AM GMT
A jubilant crowd greeted president-elect Barack Obama on Saturday for a pre-inaugural rally in Baltimore despite enduring hours of bone-chilling cold.
The throng of 40,000 roared its approval when Obama appeared in this mainly African-American city at dusk, some wiping away tears as they marked his historic ascent to the White House.
"He gave us an inspirational message," said Michael Williams, who had stood outside in below freezing temperatures for six hours before Obama spoke.
"People are looking for any kind of positive change. And in recent years we haven't gotten any," said Williams, a Baltimore city employee.
"We needed an uplift."
Williams said the rally, which resembled a campaign event, was a chance for Baltimore to celebrate Obama's victory in November. "And it was a chance for Obama to thank Baltimore," he said.
The bitter cold did not discourage a massive crowd that at one point stretched for 16 city blocks as it filed into War Memorial Plaza under elaborate security, ushered in by an army of police, military reservists and volunteers.
"What cold?" said Nicole Harris, 32, smiling under her winter hat.
The African-American flight attendant showed up at 7:30 am to make sure she got a front-row spot for Obama's late afternoon rally in Baltimore, where his train stopped on its symbolic ride to Washington.
"From the first time I heard him speak I was so deeply moved. I just thought he was the person to help us move in the right direction," Harris told AFP.
"I've been electrified since then."
The queue to enter the event began forming before dawn and by early afternoon a carnival atmosphere took hold, with street vendors hawking Obama buttons, t-shirts, posters and even watches -- "it's Obama time."
Chants for Obama broke out among the diverse crowd filling up the square, decorated with huge American flags and red, white and blue banners. The chants were often accompanied by spontaneous calisthenics and bopping to music to fend off the cold.
"I'm starving, cold and my feet are numb," said Dyone Watson, 20. "But it's definitely worth it."
Even along the train route from Philadelphia to the capital, thousands of exuberant supporters gathered to cheer the train on its journey, carrying Obama three days before he is sworn in as the first African-American president.
Walter Massey, 54, an elementary school teacher, was first in line for the Baltimore rally, having shown up at 4:30 am.
"I've got about 12 layers on," he joked, stamping his feet to keep warm.
Like others waiting in the cold, Massey said he had come to witness history.
"It's probably the most historic thing that will happen in my lifetime," Massey said.
Obama's victory in November had restored his faith in his compatriots, he said.
"I did not think America was mature enough to elect an African-American as president," said Massey, who is white.
While the train tour was meant to echo former president and Obama hero Abraham Lincoln's rail ride from the Civil War era, Obama's stop in Baltimore at a rally in daylight marks a break with Lincoln's experience in 1861.
The threat of assassination forced Lincoln to slip through Baltimore at nightfall on his way to Washington, and his train made no stop in a city that at the time had strong Southern sympathies.
For many attending Saturday's event, the rally was seen as a chance of a lifetime.
"I came to see history being made. I wanted to see our first African-American president, right here in Baltimore city," said Nicole Harris, 32, sitting on a portable chair with a blanket wrapped around her legs.
"It's just absolutely wonderful, really it is," Harris said.
With the economy in deep trouble, she said Obama had his work cut out for him.
"It's going to be extremely hard for him. But he's not a man who's going to leave a task undone. I do believe change is going to come," she said.
"We've got to be patient. We've been patient all these years so we can be patient a little bit longer."
http://news.my.msn.com/topstories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2137555
A jubilant crowd greeted president-elect Barack Obama on Saturday for a pre-inaugural rally in Baltimore despite enduring hours of bone-chilling cold.
The throng of 40,000 roared its approval when Obama appeared in this mainly African-American city at dusk, some wiping away tears as they marked his historic ascent to the White House.
"He gave us an inspirational message," said Michael Williams, who had stood outside in below freezing temperatures for six hours before Obama spoke.
"People are looking for any kind of positive change. And in recent years we haven't gotten any," said Williams, a Baltimore city employee.
"We needed an uplift."
Williams said the rally, which resembled a campaign event, was a chance for Baltimore to celebrate Obama's victory in November. "And it was a chance for Obama to thank Baltimore," he said.
The bitter cold did not discourage a massive crowd that at one point stretched for 16 city blocks as it filed into War Memorial Plaza under elaborate security, ushered in by an army of police, military reservists and volunteers.
"What cold?" said Nicole Harris, 32, smiling under her winter hat.
The African-American flight attendant showed up at 7:30 am to make sure she got a front-row spot for Obama's late afternoon rally in Baltimore, where his train stopped on its symbolic ride to Washington.
"From the first time I heard him speak I was so deeply moved. I just thought he was the person to help us move in the right direction," Harris told AFP.
"I've been electrified since then."
The queue to enter the event began forming before dawn and by early afternoon a carnival atmosphere took hold, with street vendors hawking Obama buttons, t-shirts, posters and even watches -- "it's Obama time."
Chants for Obama broke out among the diverse crowd filling up the square, decorated with huge American flags and red, white and blue banners. The chants were often accompanied by spontaneous calisthenics and bopping to music to fend off the cold.
"I'm starving, cold and my feet are numb," said Dyone Watson, 20. "But it's definitely worth it."
Even along the train route from Philadelphia to the capital, thousands of exuberant supporters gathered to cheer the train on its journey, carrying Obama three days before he is sworn in as the first African-American president.
Walter Massey, 54, an elementary school teacher, was first in line for the Baltimore rally, having shown up at 4:30 am.
"I've got about 12 layers on," he joked, stamping his feet to keep warm.
Like others waiting in the cold, Massey said he had come to witness history.
"It's probably the most historic thing that will happen in my lifetime," Massey said.
Obama's victory in November had restored his faith in his compatriots, he said.
"I did not think America was mature enough to elect an African-American as president," said Massey, who is white.
While the train tour was meant to echo former president and Obama hero Abraham Lincoln's rail ride from the Civil War era, Obama's stop in Baltimore at a rally in daylight marks a break with Lincoln's experience in 1861.
The threat of assassination forced Lincoln to slip through Baltimore at nightfall on his way to Washington, and his train made no stop in a city that at the time had strong Southern sympathies.
For many attending Saturday's event, the rally was seen as a chance of a lifetime.
"I came to see history being made. I wanted to see our first African-American president, right here in Baltimore city," said Nicole Harris, 32, sitting on a portable chair with a blanket wrapped around her legs.
"It's just absolutely wonderful, really it is," Harris said.
With the economy in deep trouble, she said Obama had his work cut out for him.
"It's going to be extremely hard for him. But he's not a man who's going to leave a task undone. I do believe change is going to come," she said.
"We've got to be patient. We've been patient all these years so we can be patient a little bit longer."
http://news.my.msn.com/topstories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2137555
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