Up-Close with the candidates.

[asdjrocky]

Have you seen live, or met any of the candidates? If so did it strengthen or change your opinion? If so how, and why.

[saltpoint]

1. I love the accounts on DU of people who've had encounters with candidates.

It elevates the whole set of circumstances.

I love the reports many DUers have filed on their campaign activities and goings-on.

[illinoisprogressive]

2. I was at Obama's announcement rally but, was in the crowd away from the stage

What I can say is that it was one of the most blue and beautiful morning skies I've seen. It was so cold. 10 degrees.
We got up at 4 am. and left the house at 6. Drove 3 hours to springfield. one of the draft Obama groups provided free donuts and people were really excited. it was like a carnival atmosphere. All ages and races were there from babies to old ladies in walkers.
Chris Matthews was there.
We were off the main area and by the platform with all the cameras and press. there was 17,000 of us there and even though it was so cold, we were pumped. As we waited my husband and I spotted 3 sharp shooters on a roof about a block down. and we saw people hanging out the windows of their offices.
When Obama came on and spoke, we could not see him but, the loud speakers were great and it was powerful. I remember parts were the whole crowd grew quiet listening to him. of course we all cheered alot.
After the speech was over and the crowd broke up I could see through the railing to Obama on the stage waving. I tried to get my husband to take a pic but, he blurred it! I could kill him.
My husband was so walking on air the rest of the day. He was like a kid afterwards.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. I do have to say that even back in the crowd we were all moved by the speech.

[Dr.Phool]

4. I spent a day with most of them in Orlando a couple of months ago.

It was a NALEO presidential forum. We had green room passes. No media, just the candidates, a few aides, security and us.

We didn't see Hillary. She never came back there. Obama just breezed in and out. But, we got to spend a lot of quality time one on one, with Biden, Kucinich, Edwards, and Dodd. And Richardson never came back either.

We spent most of the day with Dennis an his wife. I'd met Kucinich several times before, and he was just like he always was. The most passionate and sincere of the group. And Elizabeth is wonderful. Very charming and friendly. Would make a great first lady.

I met Edwards several times in 2004, and I got to talk with him a while again. He seems better prepared now than he did back then. He's genuine.

Joe Biden is a very friendly guy. I wanted to grab him by the arm and say "Come on, me and you are going up to the bar". But, he's a bullshit artist of the first degree.

Dodd, I couldn't really get a good handle on. He seems serious, but I think he's so wrapped up in a beltway mindset, and doesn't really understand what's going on in the rest of the country. I think he means well, but, he's not gonna ruffle a lot of feathers.

[Inspired]

5. Yes, I've seen most of them and I've talked to a few one on one.

It's a luxury of being an Iowan.

The first time I saw Edwards I was still shopping around for a candidate to support in 2004. I heard the best speech of my lifetime. It was the famous two Americas speech. I really didn't think I was going to walk away from that speech knowing who I was going to support. Hearing it and seeing the passion in how he delivered it, sealed the deal for me and changed my life. It was inspiring.

I've seen him dozens of times since then. Last week I saw him deliver a speech that was just as good as the first one I heard and my support was strengthened.

[asdjrocky]

6. k