Hillary Comes to Town

A few hundred San Diegans will long remember Friday, January 11^th, 2008 – the day that Hillary Clinton made an altogether amazing surprise visit …

The first that most heard anything about it was only the day before, allowing time for little more than split-second decisions on availability and rush-rush e-mailed or phoned rsvp’s, with the big catch that specific location and exact time for the Bring Your Own Phone event were not yet known.

At last sometime after noon on Friday came the word: “Be at (address of a private residence) in Bonita (off I-805 S) ready to make calls around 3:45 pm.” Upon arrival it became apparent that the word had indeed gotten out, with swarms of media trucks, cameramen and reporters in place as a wide swath of supporters descended on the warm, down-to-earth home of the family of retired Southwestern College Superintendent/President Dr. Norma Hernandez.

Around a big table and in the hall and on a back bench cell phones buzzed with calls to voters. But local Democratic officeholders and party dignitaries also came together. And Hillary volunteers took the opportunity to mingle with one another, many e-mail exchangers meeting for the first time and forming ever deeper connections. Next, as many jockeyed for positions within view of Hillary’s assumed spot, came bustling operatives and right behind them the Secret Service, with serious language: “Move back, open a pathway, move back, move back.”

Within minutes through the back door strode Hillary alone, in a stylish teal jacket. Then around a corner and into the living room, open-mouthed in pure delight at sight and sound of the gathering – very large, very loud and very multicultural. Myriad camera flashes, the tumult gradually giving way to hush. A hug and a gracious introduction from Norma. And, with no notes, no podium, no entourage, Hillary Clinton thanked her hostess, everyone else and began to speak.

Once again, she found her voice, as in conversational tones with a handheld microphone to reach the crowd, she outlined major problems that will face the next president and detailed plans to begin to solve many of them from her first day in the Oval Office. Raucous cheering and applause underscored her points too many times to count before she said she wanted to hear from the audience, saying she would gladly answer any question, address any concern. She gestured, “Let’s start way in the back.”

Hands went up all over the place and, again, on her own and in control. Hillary called on one after another who voiced heartfelt worries about education, immigration, healthcare, Iraq, electability – name it, Hillary fielded anything and everything thrown at her with obvious honesty and passion.

At the end came some hand shaking and quick conversations with members of the phone calling brigade until, with media scrambling for prime shots, the next President of the United States rode off in the plain dark SUV in which she had arrived.