This story from today's rally, posted by Kelly of PA on DailyKos, really moved me, as I hope it will you, too:
This picture is of my Pop-Pop. He was born in raised in the segregated south, and served in a segregated Army. Pop is a veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam, in which he lost a leg and suffered near-fatal injuries. In the past few years, Pop has suffered heart attacks and a stroke, fell down a flight of steps and broke his neck, and has lost his remaining slivers of eyesight. Life has become quite difficult for Pop-Pop, and following the campaign of Barack Obama provides him with much needed hope and joy.
Today, we took Pop-pop to Senator Obama’s rally. We wheeled him to the front of the section designated for handicapped individuals, and he patiently waited for two hours in his wheelchair to hear Barack Obama speak. After his speech, Senator Obama came down the steps and walked over to Pop-pop. He gestured towards the Purple Heart and Silver Stars that were pinned to his cap, and thanked Pop for his service and for taking the time to come to the event. I could see the tears welling up in Pop’s eyes as Barack spoke. Obama spent a few moments with my Pop-Pop, shook his hand, hugged him, and then moved along to greet other supporters.
As we made our way towards the parking lot, tears continuously slid down Pop-Pop’s face. He was very emotional. He could barely speak. "I just touched the next President of the United States" was all he could say; he repeated that phrase over and over again. The entire encounter between the two of them lasted no more than thirty seconds, but to a man who’s lived through segregation and racism, being able to meet the first viable African American candidate for POTUS was the experience of a lifetime. The joy that Pop felt meant more to my family and I than words can explain.
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