Looking back at Obama's visit to Butler

A year ago today, I shook the President’s hand.

Sure, he wasn’t the president at the time. He hadn’t even secured the Democratic nomination at that point. In fact – non-politico that I am – until that day, I’d only heard his name in passing.

On January 29, 2008, Barack Obama took the stage in Butler Community College’s gymnasium and coaxed a couple thousand locals out of their toasty homes and into an eye-blistering blizzard to hear him speak. I was among those area residents who later chipped flakes of ice from under my fingernails while I waited to hear the man speak.

My attention had been anywhere but the Presidential race before he came to El Dorado and I was only vaguely rooting for Hillary based on my inexplicable affection for her husband’s tenure in office. I attended the speech and admittedly grew a man-crush on Mr. Obama. I’m a sucker for his brand of chatter. I dig on hope; whether he’ll deliver remains to be seen, but he secured my vote that day.

It wasn’t at the actual event in which I interacted with him. Despite my immediate attraction to his ideals, I was willing to let slip what I figured would be my only opportunity to meet the man. I’m not a big fan of crowds and I wasn’t about to battle with them for a fleeting touch at the hem of his robe. I left the event buoyed by his thoughts but disappointed that I couldn’t get even closer to him.

At the time, I was scrawling stories in newsprint for the local newspaper, The El Dorado Times. I was lounging in the newsroom after the event, still a bit high from the hope-filled Kool-Aid and trying to wrap my head around what words I’d use to describe the event. A call came to tell us that Obama was preparing to get his grub on at Susie’s Chili Parlor downtown. Initially, my instincts told me to leave the man alone. Who wants to be hounded while they chow? When my face is stuffed, it’s best to recognize that I probably don’t want to interact with anything but my chilidog.

I can’t imagine being a public figure, let alone the icon that Barack Obama has become. His image has been captured from every conceivable angle during even the most mundane of human activities. The man yawns and 5,000 flashbulbs erupt; he picks his nose and the footage is undoubtedly on YouTube within the hour. His every word and movement is scrutinized. Old Abe Lincoln never had it so rough.

Nevertheless, I felt drawn to him. I left the camera behind, but made the trek to his location. I still felt the niggling urge to leave him alone, but I finally seized my chance and approached him. In the moment that I shared with him, the rest of the world melted away. His gentle hand shook mine and I told him that I appreciated his thoughts and ideas and was glad I’d been able to hear them for the first time. I wished him luck and he was nothing short of gracious. Then he sat to eat his onion rings.

This was truly an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and though it was fleeting, it was also meaningful. Some say Obama only came to El Dorado to exploit tenuous-at-best family ties, but every candidate made grassroots stops in small towns and attempted to preach their brand of gospel to whoever might listen. Whatever his reasons for passing through, I think it was a remarkable moment for Butler Community College and this region. We were one of many stops for Obama on his road to presidency and it may be hazy to him, but it will last with me forever.

~ by Jon Pic.