OBAMA: COMING TO MEDFORD

I won't even try to hide my excitement on this one. Barack Obama is coming to Medford, Oregon! More accurately, Barack Obama is probably coming to Medford. He's announced a campaign swing through Oregon starting on Friday and wrapping up on Saturday. Medford is on the list of cities he's planning to stop in. Details on his stops in Portland and Eugene have already been announced, but nothing on Medford just yet. But Medford police confirm that they've been contacted by the Secret Service about a visit this week.

As a political nerd and a journalist, this is just about the coolest thing ever. I've been following presidential politics since Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford in 1976 and I've been working as a journalist (in one form or another) for about six years. Yet I have never seen a presidential candidate on the campaign trail. Well, here we go.

I may get to cover the event depending on what day it happens, but I'm going either way. I'm fascinated by the craft of the campaign stop... how teams of workers blow into town, set up shop, put on a show, and are gone within hours. The music, the lights, and the location all are coordinated to work the crowd and underline the candidate's message. By all indications, Obama's people are the best at putting on a show like this.

This news is mos unexpected here. Just a few weeks ago I was complaining about how lonely it is to live in a state that holds a late primary. Now the tables have turned and we're actually important for once. And for for that, I have the people of Texas, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan to thank. But most importantly, I must thank the Democratic party for coming up with a nominating system so complicated that it's impossible for anyone to actually win. Without your help, none of this would have ever been possible.