Ticket Holders React to Obama's Visit

Though some ticket holders had to wait three hours from the time they entered the line to hear the President, they all left in smiles once the was over.

And when the President did walk onto the stage, the audience had a ball shouting words of encouragement after perfectly timed pauses in his speech.

Obama even responded back to a call of “We love you!” with an “I love you, too” and a flashy smile.

People in the audience also shouted statements like “Gays love you!” which reverberated inside the theatre.

After the speech, the President made his way into the audience and shook the hands of—and even hugged—some audience members as attendees clamored to the front of the stage.

Resident Ernie Schmidt was in the front row and had a chance to do just this.

“You forget the party stuff and realize that he represents a part of history,” Schmidt said.

Alisa MacAvoy said the wave of enthusiasm gripped her as she extended her arm from the third row to shake hands with the President.

“It was such a great night,” she said.

Katharine Thompson, 85, of Woodside, worked for the Obama campaign in 2008 and pledged that she would do her part to get him reelected.

There with her daughter and granddaughter, Thompson said, "No matter how old I am, I'm planning on working for Obama's campaign."

Her daughter added that her grandmother learned how to use a cellphone while working at a phone bank on his last campaign.

Jeannine Eldey of Pacifica called the president's speech Wednesday night "very dynamic" and said his comments on pulling troops out of Afghanistan and working to rebuild America resonated with her.

For all attendees, no matter who you were, you could relate, said resident Shelly Masur.

“He covered all the pieces that people care about: education, jobs, community issues,” Masur said. “And as you reflect, you realize that we can all work together to achieve them.”

Bay City News contributed to this report

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