By Paddy
Because it sounded like fun.
"Hola, Puerto Rico! How's everybody doing today?" he shouted. He recounted his meeting earlier in the day with some Puerto Rican war veterans at a local university, said that the goals of his candicacy applied equally to the island the mainland, and pledged that as president he would do everything he could to allow Puerto Ricans to decide the future status of their island, which has been mired in a commonwealth vs. statehouse vs. independence debate for years. And he encouraged all to vote on June 1. "If we do well in Puerto Rico, there is no reason I will not be announcing that I am the Democratic nominee for president of the United States of America!"
A few moments later, he was off, walking slowly up the main drag above the fort walls in a scene of barely controlled chaos: hundreds of supporters dancing behind him, others reaching to shake his hand from behind barriers along the sidewalk, island and national media shooting video from a slow-moving truck and rushing ahead of him on foot as the ample, and highly anxious, security forces shouted for all to keep moving. Over it all, a sound truck blared a jouncy song written in the candidate's honor: "Obama la esperanza y el futuro...Un amigo presidente porque respeta nuestra gente." ("Obama the hope and the future/A friend president because he respects our people.")
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