Biden signs my book...thanks Joe!

I ended up at a rally today in Tacoma, Washington for Joe Biden...well, the rally was really for Chris Gregoire, Washington State's Governor, who's in a little trouble and needed a hand from the Obama campaign.

Well, I finished the event with a prize that I certainly didn't anticipate: I got a signature from the man himself.

As the start of the day, I didn't even expect to be attending the event due to 12 hours of moving furniture the day prior...and with a lower back that seems to have a mind of its own these days, I wasn't even sure I was going to get out of bed.

However I made it...in time to park and get in line...at a place called Cheney Stadium, no less!

I thought I'd add one more important detail about the voyage there...on my way out the door, I figured that I'd grab Biden's book Promises to Keep in case he'd be willing to sign it...that is, if the opportunity arose. I was partially kidding myself, thinking that there was no way such a thing would happen.

We arrived there around 11:30 and waited in a long line to get through security and in the door. There were no signs of protesters. Once we were in we made our way onto the field, and stood about three rows back from the podium on the grass.

There were over 14,000 in attendance at this rally today. You can see how close we were through the photos!

After Biden was finished, I tried to find a position ahead of the line he was progressing on to get a chance to say hello and hopefully have him sign the book.

I was right near the railing holding out the book at he was approaching, when a Secret Service Agent took the book from my hand without a word.

I didn't know what to think at first, wondering if perhaps they thought it represented some kind of threat to his safety (as if I was going to bop him over the head with it). I waited around the area for the next 10 minutes.

An official from the campaign finally arrived with a book and a banner in his hands...he handed the book to me, and I opened it to find Joe's signature on the inside page with the date of "10-18-08" written underneath...which was actually yesterday, but I'll give the fella a break as I'd imagine it's all very difficult to keep track of when you're in perpetual motion on the road in the last couple of weeks of a campaign.

What a cool guy.

Forget that I agree with his politics...the fact that he took the time and care to sign that book -- when he could have been using his time to address many more important matters -- is totally astonishing.

I have to give him TONS OF CREDIT especially for thinking of dating the book, which calls out a date approximately 2 weeks before the election...I take it as good energy from one thoughtful man to another... I was in gleeful shock and this made my day, to say the least...especially considering I woke up this morning not knowing if I was going to be attending the event.

I was personally very moved and touched by Mr. Biden's kindness. Very cool stuff...thanks Joe!