Barack Obama at Fort Hayes High School

Video: A montage of videos of Obama's visit to Fort Hayes H.S.

Yesterday I had the privilege to see & listen to President Barack Obama. He was promoting the American Jobs Act, and he showcased Fort Hayes Arts & Academic High School as an example of what the act could do for other schools across the nation. It was the first political event that I have witnessed, and I was surprised by my emotions which ran from excitement to concern. It seemed as if the whole thing was orchestrated--the crowd responding appropriately at each pregnant pause, at each call-to-action. Of course, this is exactly what good speech writing is intended to do. However, it made me question a crowd's ability for rational thought/discourse in the presence of a dynamic leader. Signs were not allowed within the assembly, but that didn't stop a man & women outside the gates from peacefully protesting for African American reparations [seen & heard playing trumpet at the end of the video].