Obama's long line of supporters in Portland

PORTLAND -- Sunday was a very long day for Arlandus Jones he; got in line at 6:30 in the morning, after a trek down from Federal Way, Wash. For his efforts, he scored a prime spot: the first block of what would be a 75,000-person line wandering around Southwest Portland, all waiting to get into the Obama rally at the waterfront.

Jones figured that getting up early was no big deal, in order the see "I the best candidate to beat McCain."

"We've lost a lot of trust in the government, and Obama will bring that trust back to D.C.," he said about Obama.

Standing in the heat of the first sunny weekend the Northwest has seen in months, supporters clutched their iced coffee, cheering for street performers and patronizing the hawkers selling buttons and t-shirts (even though those unlucky supporters who purchased the former would have to surrender them before passing through the bank of metal detectors.) And then they waited. And waited. And waited.

"The more I listened, the more I honestly believe," said Molly Strong, a 57 year old social worker from Portland. "He will fight to change the corporate takeover."

Strong, who made a point that she has two sons of draft age, also appreciates Obama's rhetoric.

"There is no messiah complex," she said. "He will involve all the people, he will bring healing on all levels."

Many linestanders noted the difference in rhetoric; Nieta Blamdeau said that she supports Obama over Hillary Clinton because "in Clinton's speeches, she always said ‘I.' "That's very selfish. Obama says ‘we;' that just sounds better."

Oh, and as an aside, a very informal straw poll found votes for Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick fairly evenly split. One software engineer, Rick Hale of Portland, said he voted for Novick because he appreciated the candidate's "Internet strategy."

ALSO on PolitickerOR.com:

• Obama draws 75,000 to Portland rally