We mostly spend our time on the internet confined to little echo chambers determined by algorithms that are designed to keep us plugged into the Matrix.
In my little corner of the worldwide web, I often see posts like this:
Well, I decided to get out of my internet bubble today and actually attend the Kamala rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as a casual observer.
No, I didn't wear any MAGA merch or go on this adventure to own the libs.
Contrary to the posts above, there were (at least) several hundred cars parked at the venue. The event was also RSVP-only, so Kamala's team purposely limited the size.
That being said, the entire thing was ... underwhelming.
I regularly see more people at this park for cross-country events and rowing-team regattas. This is the vice president of the United States, and the turnout seemed small.
This is a neighborhood of Grand Rapids that's filled with upper middle-class white folk who drive Subarus, so I will admit that it was a good venue choice on Kamala's part.
The event itself was squirreled away in a nook of the park between a pond and the Grand River - not a large enough space for anything but a meager crowd.
And yes, the stereotypes about that crowd were pretty much on par with what you'd expect.
It was a sea of elderly cat ladies (and their husbands), LGBT activists, young girlboss abortion enthusiasts, and the potheads who think they have a chance with the girlboss abortion enthusiasts if they show an interest in leftwing politics.
See if you can find the trans dude:
(Hint: He has broad shoulders and chest implants)
In addition to the overweight lesbian couple holding hands, the gay guys, and the many, many 40-70 year older white women, there were also a few anti-Israel protesters who had written fun messages about Kamala Harris being a genocide enabler:
Only one comrade seemed to have the strength to wave the Palestinian flag!
I listened to Her Majesty the Mitten Queen (Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer) talk for a bit, lamenting the fact that an "Avengers" dream-team of corny governors had been assembled to stump for Kamala in my city.
I then listened to about half of Kamala's speech before I got bored and decided to leave. Most of it was the usual: Lies about Trump being connected to Project 2025, the desire to increase government spending, and repeated mantras about winning.
My favorite part? When Kamala slipped into an accent when talking about unions.
Michigan, ya know betta!
Thankfully, I was spared this part 👇
The security perimeter of the event seemed rather loose, probably because it wasn't very crowded. There were a few plainclothes officers who noticed me in my Salomon shoes, tactical Garmin watch, ball cap, and flannel ... largely because they were all wearing the same things. 😂
A dozen police were biking around the event, and a few heavy operators in Level 4 plate armor with rifles were manning a golf cart in a distant baseball field.
All of this contrasted to 2020, when I attended a Trump rally on the eve of the election. I arrived two hours early and had to walk several miles to get to the venue to wait in a line with tens of thousands of people. Security was everywhere and was dialed in to the max.
That Trump rally was 11 p.m. on a frosty November night.
This Kamala rally was 2 p.m. on a 65-degree October day.
But I will say this: What I heard from those who did attend the Kamala event was excitement.
They were cheering at the top of their lungs for her. They were passionate about her vision for America and the executive branch of the U.S. government.
Though small, you could feel the energy - the same energy Trump voters have for Trump. Kamala did a good job of firing them up and hammering home points on the issues they care about, like Medicare and unions and abortion.
And they actually love it when Kamala gets like this:
These supporters were happy to be there, in the sunshine, on a beautiful fall day. They were smiling. They were talking excitedly to each other. You could tell that they were relaxed - the same way Trump voters are relaxed - when they were in the presence of people who think and believe like them.
I disagree with those ideas quite passionately, along with the lies that Kamala told on stage about Donald Trump and conservatives. But I couldn't help but appreciate them as fellow Americans and admire the passion for their cause.
Outside of the Queers for Palestine outside the event, these were normal people I interact with every day. In fact, a few classmates from my kids' cross-country team had excitedly told us that their families were planning on attending Kamala's speech.
But here's the kicker: I'm not sure that they would feel the same way if I whipped out a MAGA hat and told them I was attending a Trump rally.
In fact, I know from past experience that many neighbors and acquaintances sour on me the moment I identify myself as one of the other [checks notes] 50% of the country.
These neighbors of mine, who were abuzz with political fervor and the joy of a beautiful day, would not be as joyful and cordial if they knew my voting record. Although there are good reasons for our ideological divide, that says leaps and bounds about where America is right now.
But alas, I am used to such things ("tolerance" and "inclusion" being what it is).
In the end, I checked out early from a rather unmemorable afternoon - something we can expect to see daily if we get 4 years of a Kamala Harris presidency.
