Games & Campaigns

In 1996, I was living in Headland and working at the bank.  That summer, I joined my brother in Atlanta to see some of the Olympic Games.  He was actually a volunteer for the Summer Games, and it may be how we got our tickets.  And just a few weeks before the Olympics actually kicked off, my brother and I ran a 10K race that ended in the newly-built Turner Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies and many of the events were to take place.  The run was part of the festivities bringing attention to the Games.  Later that year, in October, I drove up to Birmingham to see President Bill Clinton campaigning for his re-election.  He spoke to a huge crowd at Birmingham-Southern College.  I have some photos I can add here later.  Other than my grandmother, who was living in Headland at my mom's, I didn't know anyone else in my Headland network of family who voted for Clinton.  I don't know that I really asked anyone.  I did hear an aunt and uncle voted for him - just never confirmed it.  Below are pins I have from those summer activities.

 

 

 

Click here for Clinton's speech in Birmingham that day.  I find it quite interesting that in his opening, "they" chose not to use the colloquial Southern word "yonder" even though President Clinton clearly did that day.  I told people about this immediately after, and for years.  And I'm sure there's no "y'all" in this text, although he had to have used it too. I just remember picking up the "yonder" and thinking that it's typical political talk - know your audience and placate to their culture, language, mannerisms, etc..