This is relevant because it’s imperative that you understand that the crowd was made up entirely of the cool kids. The hipster tastemaker, under 30 crowd. The crowd was incredibly diverse. Blacks, Hispanics and the additional mix of many other cultures that is the beauty of NYC.

And there were plenty of white boys & girls.

What you are about to read is absolutely NOT a pro-McCain piece by any means.

Definitely not a fan.

It’s also not an anti-Obama piece.

It’s simply an observation of pop culture written for the purpose of starting a conversation. That being said… the rap artists that performed were unabashedly pro-Obama. And there were MANY pro-Obama comments from the stage. And overwhelmingly, the previously-mentioned diverse crowd absolutely ate it up. And I’m here to tell you that it was DEFINITELY a “black thang.”

And let me be clear that is NOT a narrow-minded, race-specific observation. The hip-hop influence over popular culture in undeniable. So it’s absolutely a reality that a Chinese 20-year old, or a teenage white kid from Idaho can take part in a “black thang.” I’ve personally taken part in more than I can count.

If you’ve never witnessed Bootsy Collins live… you’ve never properly received the funk.

My point is that Barack Obama is deeply infused into pop culture. He has beyond all doubt connected. The handling and marketing of the Obama brand has been flawless. You simply have to give that machine some serious credit.

They’ve out-MTV’d MTV itself.

Here’s where I’m left scratching my head. Obama has made no bones about his intentions. Socialized health care. Re-distribution. Higher taxes. (Regardless of specifically to whom) Tax money give-aways. All of these things equal bigger government.

What absolutely drives a lot of conservative-leaning individuals crazy-nutz (myself included) is the amount that The Bush Administration has grown the Federal Government. And I absolutely acknowledge that EVERY administration has grown it in relation to the previous administration.

Even Reagan.

But the Bush Administration had hardly been an example of fiscal restraint.

And Obama has been looking right into the camera and telling America exactly what he wants to do. He’s not even trying to be vague or hide his intentions behind sales gimmicks. And people are cheering in droves.

Passionately. And the enthusiasm is very real. It’s very intense. And if I may quote one of the artists performing on stage at the event I attended:

“On November 4th we gonna make history. We gonna change this muthaf@%$*!”

Thunderous response. Cheers on-par with Super Bowl win.

Help me understand. How is continuing to grow the Federal Government beyond the bloated-dirty-swine that it already is worth cheering that passionately about?

How?

One of two things is happening here:
ONE – They really, truly believe that growing the Federal Government will benefit everyone and it’s for the greater good.

TWO- The fact that all this awesome stuff he is proposing (just socialized healthcare alone!) would grow the Federal Government to enormous size… is completely lost on them. They don’t even stop to consider that.

If #1 is true… how did we get this point?
If #2 is true… how is that possible? He’s been absolutely up front about his intentions. Is it simply that they got swept up in the “feel good” vibe of the campaign?

Is there another possibility?

None of this is relevant to the McCain Campaign. There’s close to zero genuine, street-level enthusiasm of any magnitude at all. But not Obama. The enthusiasm is undeniable.

Help me understand the change we need.

More importantly… help me understand how further bloating the size of Federal Government became cool and hip?