OBAMA BANDWAGON REMEMBERS TITANS

The last remnants of Alexandria, Virginia's original TC Williams High School remain standing despite a close encounter with an almost tornado force political whirlwind.

The Barack Obama bandwagon paid an ironic visit to the new TC Williams High School (just East of the old school) with thousands of supporters and hundreds of press in tow. And unlike like many of the quick ins-and-outs of the campaign. Obama spent nearly 2 hours at the school. First in a 45 minute round table meeting with a group of parents and teachers. Then offering the standard stump speech and a question and answer session in the pack to capacity school gym.

Nearly a hundred video and still photographers documented the candidate's every move. There were 20 times the number of photographers at the round table town-hall meeting as participants.

In the gym shutters clicked in symphonic cadence each time Obama made a move. Especially when a 9-year-old boy jumped on stage after his mother asked, "Why should my family and I support you instead of Hillary Clinton?" Or when the candidate chugged a bottle of water (brand label ripped off). Gotta keep hydrated. Or embraced Virginia governor Tim Kaine on of his first presidential bid supporters.

Oh, The irony of the visit. In the 2000 movie "Remember the Titians" Denzel Washington portrays TC Williams football coach Herman Boone during the first year of desegregation (1971) at the school. (Boone attended the rally). Tensions at the time were high. But the black and white students worked together to win a state football championship.

The sight of thousands shouting support for Obama makes the events of 1971 seem like an ancient memory.

All photos copyright: Gregory Guise 2008