By: Julia Rendleman & Joe Rehana
Joe, working hard for the money, chases after reluctant interviewees in downtown Chicago Monday afternoon.
The number of media and security personnel surrounding Grant Park in Chicago has doubled in the past twenty four hours. Hundreds of locals and tourists alike have flocked to the baracades around the park to take photos and observe the preparations for tomorrow’s election night event with Barack Obama. Although tickets to the event have been limited to 65,000, Mayor Daley estimates that over 1 million people will gather at Hutchinson Field in Grant Park to hear Barack Obama address his home town crowd.
We are among the lucky few that has managed to secure a ticket to the event. We were not, however, lucky enough to get our hands on the much desired media pass, which would have allowed us to be very close to the stage and on risers. Nonetheless, we will be there well before the gates open tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. to secure a spot as close to the stage as possible and hopefully get a picture or two of Obama as he accepts his new role as commander in chief, or concedes the position to Senator John McCain.
We interviewed dozens of Chicagoans today and except for an occasional Ron Paul supporter, Chicago does seem to be solidly behind Barack Obama. Some people we talked to were able to secure tickets for tomorrow’s event while others are apprehensive about battling the crowds for the hottest spot in town.
Look for our soundslides in the hours to come. One will feature street interviews from the site where the historic WigWam convention center once stood. It was at this location in 1860 where Abraham Lincoln accepted his party’s nomination for the presidency. The second soundslide features a discussion of election politics with a segment of Chicago’s African immigrant population on the North side of the city.
Media on the right, everyone else on the left. A view from the barracade in Grant Park.
Emmanuel Abidemi, right, owner of Bolat African Cuisine on Chicago’s North side discusses tomorrow’s election with his friends and employees Monday afternoon.
