Friday night debate y'all

Wow, it actually happened! John McCain and Barack Obama were on the Ole Miss campus and the entire town watched them debate from the Ford center where I performed so many times. It was so surreal seeing my campus and town on the news. After I got off of work yesterday I went home and changed clothes got a quick snack and picked up my good friend and previous roommate Ann Marie Hall around 4:30. We went to the grove and quickly met up with other friends who scored us an amazing spot right under a big screen tv. After a little catch up time Ann Marie and I decided to walk around and see everything. Right beside the student union MSNBC was set up and Chris Matthews (pictured left) was reporting for hardball. We quickly joined a rally and decided our new goal was to get on television as many times as possible. After the show we went back to the grove and watched the Josh Kelly and the North Mississippi All Stars play(pictured right) and they were amazing! Finally at 8pm the debate stated. It was so exciting being in the grove not far from where the candidates actually were. They cut into the Ford center before the debate and everyone went crazy. Then the debate started with and when then announcer said,"from the University of Mississippi in Oxford" everyone jumped to their feet and cheered with excitement. I was very proud of our town and campus (Ole Miss campus pictured left). One concern of mine was that I would not be able to hear the candidates due to yelling etc. but this did not happen. I should have not underestimated Oxford and our Rebs because everyone was very respectful. Of course a couple of comments were said about both candidates but no real drama; I was proud. After the debate the grove was swarmed with reporters and it was like the best high ever. I talked to several random reporters from all over and have basically become a celebrity. Then Ann Marie, our friend Michael, and I stalked the MSNBC tent and met Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell. I have to say the debate brought out some real weirdos. One man had a homemade sign reading, "9-11 was an inside job" and another man had a sign explaining how Katie Couric was the devil and that Shepard Smith was a true American hero?!?! Who knows, but I am proud to say I asked both people where they were from and of course they were not from Oxford and not even Mississippi. Thank God. So Ann Marie, Michael and I stayed and waited for the late edition of Hardball and were on tv several times going to commercial. The director came down and said he would interview us but he picked some other half brained girl who probably did not know who was running or frankly where she was. But whatever I'm not bitter. So I got home around 1am and slept in until about 9am. After getting up and doing some housework, Rebecca Bertrand and I decided to go walking around town and on the square and of course... another brush with fame. We were walking by this children's store and Rebecca stopped and said, "Oh my gosh, that's John McCain's daughter"(Megan McCain is pictured left). Megan was in Oxford for the weekend signing her new book about her papa McCain. She was very pretty and seemed nice. Rebecca was somewhat upset because she reads Megan's blog daily and wrote her two emails about taking her out in Oxford if she were to come. As a blogger I had to inform Rebecca that we are not always so available to meet the demands of our adoring public. Of course we would love to meet with every fan, but it is not always possible. I hope she understood but it is difficult to explain Hardball stardom to someone who has not felt it. Although Rebecca did not get to hang out with Megan McCain she did meet Rudy Juliani, Katie Couric, and Tom Brokaw while volunteering for the debate. She drove golf carts all day for important folks. I should mention that she offered John Kerry a ride, however being green he opted to walk. I cannot describe how amazing being a little part of this entire process was such a big deal for Oxford and all of Mississippi. I think we were portrayed so well and I really felt like I was able to be a part of something that usually feels so far way! Wow!

Well now its back to being normal. Since it is the end of the month and I only get paid monthly I barely have 2 dimes to rub together so I will be laying pretty low the rest of the weekend. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend though! For Natalie's News this has been Natalie-Corinne.