As moooost people who know me know, I am a political junkie. I follow the news, but it's the political garbage that I read about obsessively. So, election cycles are massively addicting for me. The current GOP Primary race is making me CRAZY. It was so easy, the past couple primaries--if Mitt is an option, Mitt is my choice. So this time, I had to go into it with an open mind and heart for the mass quantities of candidates and discern on my own who I was going to go for. And, ever since the first debate, that man has been Marco Rubio.
I still kept an open mind. I like other people, (and HATE others *cough Trump Huckabee cough*) and feel pretty meh about quite a few. But RUBIO, you guys. I've liked him for a few years but now he is my guy and, in my view, the last best hope for the Republican party.
Imagine my joy and excitement when I found out that not only was he coming to Utah--he was doing a public rally! Guys, NO ONE DOES THAT HERE. I should move to Iowa or New Hampshire JUST for the rallies. No one cares about Utah all that much--they just come here and raise money with the hugely rich people. We're an ATM. ANYWAYS, Rubio was coming and I HAD to go. I knew Jane and Kyle wouldn't enjoy it, but I thought it was a great opportunity for Ruby. She already knew who he was and identified on her own that she liked him because of his name. So I made us tshirts (who can afford official campaign shirts? Not this girl) and drove up to Salt Lake.
Because I am a psycho neurotic freak, we got there HOURS too early. I didn't know what to expect and driving/parking at events makes me anxious. So we walked around and found the place where the rally would be held (with like 2 staffers there setting up and no one else), and then got some gas in the car and some candy/drinks. Went back. Still WAY too early. Ruby did some dancing in a nearby gazebo and I tweeted a picture of Ruby waiting in the car.
AND THEN MARCO RUBIO TWEETED AT US.
I just about DIED at this point. (And yeah, there were a lot of losers tweeting negative shiz about it like that reply in that screen shot, but whatever. That's what happens when you're speaking against the Trumpkin idiots.)
Waiting in line, two news reporters asked to interview me. (We were the only people in shirts, and Ruby is adorable.) LUCKILY I was able to say something when they asked me questions, although I was so flustered and probably sounded like an idiot. (I watched snippets of both interviews on the news later that night because Kyle recorded them. And of course I sounded like an idiot.) A staffer came and told me that Marco (or whatever minion was in the car with him of course) had called and wanted to meet Ruby. AHGLJGHSFSLEDGJ.
When we were let into the building, we had to wait another long time. Getting there hours early was good for all the attention we got, but it was sure tiring for Ruby. We were in the VERY front row in front of the stage though. Worth it for sure. I chatted with the people next to me so it wasn't bad. Ruby was just tired from waiting. I promised her a milkshake and Shopkins if she could hold out to smile beautifully in her picture with Marco though. It was pretty funny when a couple people around me were like "Hey, I just retweeted you!"--Twitter is weird. I don't really use it very much to tweet, I just follow my favorite political guys on there.
Also, Mia Love was there! She is freaking awesome! She was standing diagonally across from us and smiled at Ruby several times. (There were only a couple kids there, and Ruby was cutest AND in a Rubio shirt so she got lots of attention.)
Marco came out and spoke--his stump speech is fantastic. He talked for about 45 minutes and I only teared up once :) He was funny, and passionate, and of course charming. He also is super knowledgeable--his foreign policy is what sold me on him in the first place. I really believe in him!!! I trust him and support him wholeheartedly. It's a relief to find someone like that in this election. I didn't want a 2008 McCain situation again.
He came out and shook hands and took pictures with anyone who asked! He is really nice!
I am very grateful that the staffer who had spoken to me beforehand came and recognized us. I am timid and wasn't going to be brave about asking for a picture. But the staffer just grabbed my phone and said "Here's Ruby!" to Marco. Marco knelt down to Ruby and said "I heard you were first in line! Thanks for coming to see me!"
He told her that he liked her shirt and then we ran away from the crowds. Ruby was ready to pass out from exhaustion--she was SO GOOD during the whole 45 minute speech though. She earned that milkshake for sure! On the way home, she had to go to the bathroom so we stopped at Toys R Us and In n Out and I made good on my promises.
That night I was briefly twitter famous--well, Ruby was. People LOVED her. So many retweets and faves! And for a couple weeks we were on Marco Rubio's website--the news story was up on there, and we were the thumbnail.
The news segments were kind of embarrassing--I wish I'd had time to think about my comments!--but it was fun when Grandpa Dee called me the next morning to ask about it because my great uncle David had seen me on the news. Grandpa is a political junkie too and is proud that it's being passed on.
It's important to me that Ruby knows a bit about our country and how it's run. I've taught her the basics of democracy and voting and the two-party system. She's happy we're the elephant team--her favorite animal. She knows that our country was established by men who were inspired by God, because it is the only place that the Gospel could have been restored. And if Marco Rubio is the next president (please oh please oh please) that picture is going to be legendary in our family.
