As Thursday finally faded into dusk and everyone sat quiet and breathless anticipating Barack Obama's appearance, I must admit, the scene was inspiring. I must commend him for his speech, for even I was momentarily in awe by his presence on stage and the eloquence with which he delivered those powerful words.
Watching from a press box with a perfect view of the entire stadium, I could not help but look around me and take it all in. I think that at that moment, it hit me. I was really there. I was witnessing history, and had been all week as the events had unfolded, leading up to Thursday night's grand finale.
It was amazing to be surrounded by so many people who shared a passion for the same idea. Once Thursday hit, it didn't matter if they had previosuly supported Hillary Clinton or if that still carried bitter feelings about the primary season. All that mattered to them was Barack Obama-- the man who dazzled them with his words and bright smile, shining like a true star on that enchanted evening.
Now, next week it will happen all over again, but this time it will be the Republicans turn. What a day Friday was for John McCain and Sarah Palin! Not only was it McCain's 72nd birthday and Palin's 20th wedding anniversary, but it was the day that they made it known that they would be pairing up to face the Obama/Biden ticket. In my opinion, McCain's move to choose a woman as his vice president was a brilliant strategy. And of course, the timing was perfect as well. All eyes are now on Palin and Obama is old news.Without a doubt, the next 66 days will be hardfought and vitally important to the future of this country. I am looking forward to the debates, and am especially interested in the vice presidential one. In my opinion, it will be very interesting to watch as Biden and Palin go at it for the first time. Who will eventually come out on top to win the coveted spot as the nation's next Commander in Chief? I suppose from this point on, only time will tell.
In conclusion, I must once again stress the fact that this week has been a truly amazing one for me. This experience has helped to reassure me that without a doubt, this is what I want to do. I love reporting and I love politics, and together they are my dream. All I can say is that I'm hooked and I hope that this was the first of many more conventions to come.
