Shopping for a Candidate

Every so often I feel the need to prove I am not a completely shallow shopper. At times I shop for worthwhile endeavors - no, not "green" items - presidential candidates, people!

I'm hearing from my pals in NYC that their local media is making our beloved state look pretty scary, with peeps speculating on the Obama-Muslim connection and the like, so I think it's time this intrepid reporter send a little progressive news back to the homeland.

According to The State, "thousands" of people gathered for the annual King Day rally at the State House on Monday for MLK Day. The NAACP invited all the presidential candidates to the event, but the democrat candidates were the only ones to accept the invitation. I was one of those thousands there on Monday (in fact, I'm convinced The State captured me in a photo of the crowd, but that's not the point here) and I can tell you first hand that people were engaged with the various NAACP speakers, and thrilled to be there to hear the three candidates speak (each had 10 minutes).

Here's a photo of the crowd from my perspective:



Around me, kids were being hoisted onto shoulders to get a better look at the candidates and campaign volunteers were exchanging cellphone numbers to meet later that week to go door-to-door in Orangeburg.

Ok, ok...it wasn't a total utopia. There were some protestors:



That one was for my Yankee pals!