Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Time for a Change to Obamalac Operations

A year ago I took my 1963 Cadillac convertible to a graphics shop in Rock Island,IL with an idea. I wanted to make a statement of support, of pride in Barack Obama and his effort to become our next president. I despised the fact that so many "fortunate sons" just waited their turn at this role and I knew he was not one of those. When Obama started running for the US Senate he came to the IL Quad Cities many times and I found he was an easy guy to know and like. And he still is.

The graphics people asked how big to make "OBAMA 08". After indicating the size, they measured, came up with proposals, made the decals, and placed them on the car just in time for my trip to Springfield Illinois for Senator Obama's official announcement for President 10 Feb 2007. It was such a hit I added it to the other side and to make it fit it became "08 OBAMA," next came "The Time Is Now" across the trunk.

Since then I've been in many parades in both Iowa and Illinois and at many of his appearances and Michelle's too. Horns beeped and people smiled and waved everywhere we went. It's unbelievable how many people pulled alongside of the car on the interstate and highways and took cellphone pictures.

Magazines and newspapers had pictures of the Obamalac. The best was the US News and World Reports July 16, 2007 issue. The first page, the index, had a picture of the Obamalac taken at Fairfield Iowa and again on the two-page title page of the cover story, "An Election Like No Other," (with pics of Rudy, Hillary, Mitt, and the Obamalac). It serves as a great non-competing stand-in!

Filling my 26 gallon tank in order to drive all over Iowa on my own and at the request of Obama's staffers was very expensive. I enjoyed it all, especially the JJ Dinner. And I paid for it all. But I can't afford these non-local trips. My meager retirement pension just isn't enough. Bush gas is very expensive, doubling in price since he took over. My wife has been very understanding of me as she has always been. Since 1959! The Obamalac will rest in the garage until this spring. Thanks, Rich Miller Sr

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