Attending a Palin Party

This is my friend since 5th grade.. Lisa. She is a big time Republican party supporter and huge fan of Sarah Palin. So she calls me on Friday night and says she scored some tickets to her rally in Los Angeles the next day and wants me to come along. This could be a very amusing request considering that I am known to her family as their "token liberal friend".. but she knows that I am always up for a new adventure and that I am absolutely always open to hearing all sides of any issue before I form a decision. So off we went on our road trip yesterday. This is her holding the sign she made for the big event. This was just one of many interesting signs I was to encounter during the day.
This is us waiting in line with the over 20,000 other people that attended and had to wait several hours in some pretty tight security to get in. (notice our new friend behind us trying to get his face time in our shot)
Since I have never been to a rally, I guess I was suprised at the protesters present. As we waited to pull in to the stadium we had our windows rolled down and the several hundred protesters were booing us and throwing flyers in our window urging us to stop "voting with our vaginas"......There were even more protesters standing inside who were yelling back and forth at the rally attendees while we waiting in line. Planes were flying around with messages and the news media was everywhere trying to catch a good sound bite. I wouldn't say that anyone was particuraly hostile but there was some pretty bold language and some harsh comments passed on both sides of the party.
I was really impressed with the amount of people who came out to support the process and a leader they really believed in when there is so much negativity about politicians these days. It really is something to feel the energy of a group of people gathered together with a common cause and the feeling of empowerment that you get that you can make a change.

This the actor Jon Voight who gave one of several speechs to create energy in the crowd before the big rally speech. Here's the woman of the hour and yes, she is just as pretty in real life as she is on T.V.
I am really glad I got a chance to attend and have one of those important reminders about one of the privileges that I have living in America.. sorry to get all patriotic on you but just thought I would remind everyone to appreciate some of the gifts we have and urge everyone to make sure to vote next month. Have any of you ever attended a rally? Did you have a similar experience?