Wyomingites excluded themselves from grassroots "Obama for America" parties

Obamapalooza

By Lauren M. Whaley, 4-05-07

His eyes may not be as doey, his eyebrows not as perfectly arched, but Barack Obama pulled a successful LonelyGirl15 all the same when he wooed viewers via live feed over the Internet Saturday.

In a move that aimed to reach across all sorts of lines, fiberoptics included, Obama successfully facilitated over 5,000 “parties” across the country to get people excited about: “Hope. Action. Change” (and to build a support network and raise funds).

Like a good little video blogger, Obama did what we’re all trying to do: point at camera out ourselves and talk about ourselves.

In an age where news print relays stories we read the night before on the AP wire, we can see our favorite TV shows online and Internet videos must last fewer than three minutes to keep our attention, Obama was smart to go live.

I first heard about the “parties” when a former Jackson Hole workaholic buddy, now a point-man in Chicago on the Obama For America campaign sent me this email:

“We’re planning a nationwide house party event across the country for this Saturday, March 31,” he wrote. “We’ve got events in all 50 states except for WYOMING!”

Partygoers watched (or listened to, depending on their Internet connection. Why anyone still has dialup, I don’t know…) the potential presidential candidate via live stream talk about how we can “reinvigorate our democratic process and change America.”

“The party could be as simple as just having some folks over for some beers and talking politics,” my friend wrote.

Well, before skiing corn on Aprés Vous and dancing at the Wreckers’ free live concert while drinking PBR with the masses, I hosted a party for one. Myself.

The closest party to my lone fete in Jackson was Idaho Falls.

You’d think there’d be more excitement for political discussion and interest in Vice President Cheney’s home state.

Is it that we’re too content with our rich minerals, our increased salaries and our beautiful mountains to care about the second-rated democratic candidate?

Are some of us skeptical that Obama’s middle name is Hussein and he’s actually a terrorist?

Maybe Jacksonites are savvy enough to realize that “drinks with a few friends” really means, “talk about how cool I am.”

Maybe people in this town would rather drink with friends after skiing slush in costumes and talk about cool we are.

(For those at all interested to know what you didn’t do Saturday, click here.)

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.