Community High School

A Great Night to be a Democrat

Val Woodward lives by a rule – “One man, one vote. To me it’s sacred,” the Canadian native said though a thick Jamaican accent. Woodward has been working with Granholm since her 2000 campaign. And tonight she is elated to be with her.

It is the Democratic election night party and Woodward sits at one of the many round tables which dominate one half of The Detroit’s Renaissance Center Ballroom. “It’s exciting and stressful at the same time,” Woodward said of election nights. There is a sense of agreement from the three others sitting around the table. Woodward sits with an old friend she met on the 2000 campaign as well as two new ones.

Woodward loves working on campaigns. “You get to meet new people, you feel like you’re making a difference.” Woodward’s welcoming smile beams around the room as she enjoys the culmination of what she describes as “a civic duty that one should take seriously.” Woodward is quick to point out members of a crowd where nobody is a stranger and, as the night progresses, everyone is a friend.

Every kind of person imaginable, from politicians in tailored suits to young kids in Pistons jerseys, mill about as an ever-growing stream of people continue to enter. The sense of anxiety in the room is mixed with the sweet aroma of relief.

But there is a still more potent emotion filling the room.

Excitement.

An excitement which is cannot be escaped, even by Barbra Jean Johnson, a grizzled political veteran of 27 years. “It’s so exhilarating when you win. [Because] I’ve fought for this, I’ve given so much,” Johnson, Granholm’s Director of Constituent Relations and an advisor for south-eastern Michigan.

Johnson became involved with the governor during the 2000 election, serving as the field director for Detroit. “I believed in her. I believed that she could become governor and she would make a difference,” Johnson said.

Johnson knew from a young age that she wanted to enter politics. “I’ve always been interested in how the world works, what makes things tick,” she said. Johnson finds political work very fulfilling, saying, “We’re in the business of solving problems, it’s really rewarding.” Johnson does not deny that there are trying times but persisting though them is the feeling of helping those around you.

In Granholm, Johnson has found her champion. She is honored to be working for Granholm. “She [Granholm] believes in the lowest people. She’s proved that in how she’s governed,” Johnson said.

A booming loudspeaker, which no one seemed to notice before its unannounced entrance, calls the still-filling room’s attention to the stage in the front of the ballroom that thus far has been vacant. Michigan’s former governor James Blanchard’s name is called, and as he takes the stage. Results from the nation-wide elections were starting to trickle in through the five televisions placed around the room; all locked in to different news stations. And the results were looking good. Former Governor Blanchard – the last Democrat to sit in the Governor’s office prior to Jennifer Granholm, serving from 1983 to 1991, – began the process of whipping the crowd into a flurry of elation. “I have news for you,” Blanchard declared his voice booming with confidence. “Happy days are here again.”

Still, the floor of the ballroom is filling. Traveling across the room is beginning to take more and more time, and finding the people you arrived with is becoming more and more difficult. The loudspeaker blares on again, now calling the crowd’s attention to US Senator Carl Levin.

News of Senator Debbie Stabenow’s victory over challenger Mike Bouchard has just come in. The crowd is ecstatic.

“She is one of the greatest fighters this state has ever seen,” Senator Levin declares, fighting to be heard over the screams of the crowd. “A lot of Democratic stars are shining tonight; none is brighter than my partner in the US Senate, Debbie Stabenow.” Senator Levin seems to finally surrender to the excitement of the crowd as the words come out, and he is overrun with shouts of joy.

Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” blasts over the crowd as newly reelected US Senator Stabenow takes the stage and throws her arms around Levin. Senator Stabenow cannot stay above the emotion of the crowd; those close enough are able to see tears begin to fall down her cheek. “I’m so grateful that you are letting me fight for you,” Senator Stabenow says. “My theme song is ‘We Are Family’ because we are all family. But I am grateful to have the greatest family in the world,” Stabenow says, listing off different family members and campaign staff. As each name is announced, the kind of uproar you would expect to hear at a Rolling Stones concert is let loose.

Over the yelling you can hear one phrase yelled back and forth between the people standing next to you: “It’s a great night to be a Democrat.”

Though all this excitement sits, off to the side, sits a small grandmotherly old lady with a head of ghost white hair. Her name is Judy and she is an officer with the League of Women Voters. Despite not being a part of the crowd on the floor, certainly none of the fighting spirit is lost on this old woman.

“This is the first time since I’ve been involved [in politics] that I can be partisan. It’s really fun,” Judy said. As a member of the League of Women Voters, Judy has always held publicly non-partisan views, as the League’s job is not to support a party but women’s interests overall. But internally Judy’s partisan views have changed since she became involved in politics. “I started out a Republican and became a Democrat. I saw the light I guess, plus the Republican Party has changed,” Judy said.

Judy’s son brought her into politics as he became involved around 25 years ago. “There’s a lot of things [that brought me into politics], being aware really,” Judy said. The more Judy began to learn the more involved she began to be. Judy admits that she does not always like the campaign work. “I’m not the type of person who goes door to door, but once you get going it’s not so bad,” Judy said.

For Judy tonight has been worth everything. “It’s really exciting. I’ve lost too many times,” said she.

By this time, the now-familiar loudspeaker has rung out again. Lieutenant Governor John Cherry is taking the stage. As Lt. Governor Cherry is introducing Governor Granholm, it becomes abundantly clear she is going to beat challenger Dick DeVos.

The crowd on the floor of the ballroom has reached a critical mass. It has become virtually impossible to move. Although you know no one around, every one of them has somehow become a friend.

The Temptations play over the loud speaker as reelected Governor Jennifer Granholm’s entrance is announced. The crowd goes nuts. The sound does not die down for the three or four minutes it takes Governor Granholm to fight the crowd.

As Granholm finally takes the stage the decibels to the crowd fluctuate to a level higher than before. Off in the back of the crowd, a chant of “Four more years!” can be heard. It quickly circulates though the crowd like a virus until everyone is shouting it.

The smile on Granholm’s face lights up the room as she stands on stage, surrounded by her family.

“A few moments ago I spoke with Dick DeVos. He wished me luck in my next four years as Governor,” Granholm said.

Granholm spreads her enthusiasm around the room. “This is a vote cast tonight out of hope, not out of fear,” Granholm said. Her enthusiasm mounts with the noise level of the crowd. “Thank you for having hope in our state. We may not have arrived at the Promised Land, but we can see it,” Granholm said, joy etched into her words and demeanor.

As she speaks, a voice rises from the back. The noise level has died down; the crowd is hanging on her words. “God Bless you Jennifer!” Someone yells. Without losing a beat Granholm breaks mid-sentence and shouts back, “God Bless you too,” before resuming her speech.

Johnson spoke of Jennifer Granholm’s great compassion, a compassion that is seen on stage as she speaks this election night. But tonight you can also see the root of Governor Granholm’s compassion. You can see the equal amount of compassion that people like Barbara Jean Johnson and Val Woodward invest into Granholm. And they are but two out of the hundreds, which came out to see the governor, not to mention the millions who voted for her.

For Ben Haddix’s photos of the event, click here

Filed on 12/12/2006