In my previous entry, I also promised to get into the Castro Death Party if the rumors proved true. Unfortunately, they weren't -- the man that local Cuban punk-rock act Guajiro refers to as having a "beard of pubic hair" is apparently still breathing. But that didn't stop the Cubans from heading out into the streets. About two dozen of them stood across from the Miami-Dade Auditorium carrying signs and flags and yelling for Obama to "go home," as though he were visiting a foreign country. Meanwhile, as everyone lined up to get into the auditorium, a provocateur with a video camera went up and down the line yelling, "Look across the street! They've paid money and made their own signs to support their cause! Why haven't you? Where's your signs?" Happily, he didn't get much of a response from the crowd, who laughed at him more than anything else. And, really, that seemed the logical reaction -- after all, this was a fundraiser. The people outside were paying $30-$100 to see Obama, so the idea that they weren't spending money on their candidate seemed ridiculous on its face.

Next to the Cubans was a large group of Ron Paul supporters. Yes, you read that right. I used "Ron Paul" and "large group of supporters" in the same sentence. They numbered maybe 30 or 40. I felt sorry for them. They seemed to consist mostly of people who were angry at the corruption of the current Republicans, angry at the war, but couldn't bring themselves to vote Democratic because of some inexplicable, visceral hatred. And so, they intended to go with the darkest of dark horses. The few I talked to said that if Paul didn't win the primary, they'd stay home on election day.

Inside the auditorium, we had to sit and wait through about four (4) hours of speakers and musicians before Obama came on. Every candidate for office in Miami-Dade and Broward counties wanted to say a few words. Most were unremarkable, though Javier Betancourt, running against incumbent Republican state representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera in district 113, made a lasting impression. In any case, I'll save most of my commentary on the candidates for my upcoming political prognostication entries, which I'm currently working on and should post by mid-Sept. or so.

The crowd grew more and more impatient and annoyed as time went on, but all was forgiven when Obama finally hit the stage after a warm introduction by State Senator Frederica Wilson, who was dressed, as usual, in a costume that looked like something out of a '70s blaxploitation flick.

Sen. Wilson -- what she wore Saturday made this look tame.

While I've said before that I tentatively support Obama, and I do agree with him on most of the issues, that's not what the title of this entry is about. When I say he's the best, I'm not talking about his position on the issues. What I mean is that, despite what I believe to be an honest optimism, Obama may be the most brilliant political animal of my lifetime. He oozes charisma the way Karl Rove oozes malice. He makes Bill Clinton look like a cheap conman trying to pick up floozies in a bar -- yeah, he's that good.

At one point, someone in the huge crowd from the University of Miami yelled, "We love you, Obama!" She hadn't even gotten out the whole sentence before Obama returned, "I love you too, baby."

And that was only the first of about a half dozen times that someone yelled something at the senator during a lull in the applause. Every time, he had a snappy rejoinder, delivered without even a second's hesitation. When he said he didn't like the administration's misusing our troops and someone called out, "Or our Constitution!" I didn't even have time to blink an eye before Obama retorted, "Oh, we'll get into that too," and then launched into a several-minute litany of the current administration's brutal pillaging of our founding document.

Hell, Senator Obama's almost too perfect. I still believe that his calls for hope, for optimism, for great changes in Washington are real. But after Saturday, part of me can't help but wonder if I've simply fallen under his spell.

Senator Obama -- my mancrush