Okay - so to get the narrative out of the way…

We landed at about 2pm on Sunday PA time - about 7pm UK time. Jon Snow was on our plane, so I guess Channel Four are covering the rally today. At Philadelphia International, a lovely guy called Dan with a big rainbow Kerry-Edwards placard picked us up. He took us to our billets - me, Katie and Josh to Naomi and Rie’s, Liam to the JFK apartment and Liz to her B&B, and then gave us a bit of a tour around Philadelphia - it’s a bit like the photos of Amsterdam I’ve seen, all tall houses and lots of trees. Everyone’s been really lovely - so friendly and welcoming to a bunch of British Labour party activists, and it’s true - they do love our accents! The “gaybourhood” is in the centre of Philadelphia - “Center City” - and the local Democratic party have given the Liberty City Democrats (lesbian and gay section) responsibility for getting out the vote in a large part of the city.

Today, we were at the Clinton-Kerry rally in central Philadelphia. We were really far back, so I doubt you’ll see us on TV! Some of it was strange - there was a prayer at the beginning of the rally (!) and Patti La Belle sang the national anthem. Clinton was pretty fab, though he sounded unwell and not as compelling as usual - just a quick runthrough of his record as President, the standard Kerry-Edwards campaign lines. The reaction to him was amazing, though. So many people here seem really affected by the change in government - airline workers have taken a huge paycut - I think 21% - , and the figures of people who have lost their jobs and their health insurance in the last few years are staggering. Kerry was really very impressive in person - I don’t think they do him justice in the media. I particularly liked the pledge to have healthcare for all citizens, as a right, not a privilege.

My feet are killing me after standing for hours waiting for them - we were there at nine, and they didn’t speak until 1pm. The atmosphere was fabulous - everyone here is so motivated, been canvassing this afternoon and everyone is like - yes yes, we’ll take a poster, we’ll take a badge, of course we’re going to vote… At the rally, there were loads of children whose parents had taken them out of school, students, OAPs, families - and the LGB section couldn’t hand out badges and placards fast enough. Maybe today was a turning point? - www.election-map.com says Kerry’s behind, but hanging on in PA, mainly due to Philadelphia turning out for him in droves.

Tomorrow to somewhere called Reading (not the one twenty miles down the road from Oxford!) to hear John Edwards speak, so I’ll update soon.