Times I have seen Barack Obama in person

So there are some things that have come up in this presidential campaign that I am less than thrilled had to happen (e.g.: Rev. Jeremiah Wright who is truly a gifted preacher being dragged through the mud, Obama deciding that rather than face that he'll just leave the UCC etc.) but if you ever get the chance to hear Obama speak in public, it is amazing. I haven't gotten the chance to be in the same room with too many great orators in my life (and I would argue that most people never get that chance) but if you do, you can truly tell the power of great rhetoric stirring in your heart.
1. First time was at UIUC in McKinley (small room) when Barack Obama was running for Senate. He came to help Dr. Gill get elected (a man that should be in public office but some people in Champaign Urbana are too stuck on the chief to notice). Dr. Gill lost. I brought Lindsay and Megan with me and we decided to show up really early which turned out to be really good since the turn out was way higher than anyone expected. Obama's run for Senate was... an easy battle to say the least, but to hear him speak I think all of us walked away inspired.
2. Obama's announcement in Springfield happened on the coldest day of the year. It was seriously probably dangerous for all of us to be out there for as long as we were. I went with Didi, Ellen, Laura and Amanda (3 English teachers and a girl from my high school.) I still feel my fingers aching from the cold but I also still feel the goosebumps from that speech.
3. That summer, Obama came to speak at the UCC's 50th anniversary. I would have liked a closer seat but was fine with sitting far and above. It was his least inspirational speech that I saw, possibly foreshadowing to his split with the church. Even then the crowd was nuts. To make even a not so amazing to read speech worth seeing? that takes talent.
I think one thing that as an English teacher I can really draw on this is honestly, not everyone can do anything. There are people who are born with a gift for public speaking and there are people who just will never quite be that amazing. I think it's something that teachers especially need to recognize and watch what they say...