A couple of hours ago, I heated up a bowl of left over chili for lunch, sat down in front of the TV, turned on CNN -- and there was Joe Biden and then Barack Obama, speaking in front of the train station in Wilmington, Delaware, only a 15 minute walk from where I lived up there.

I don't know that a Republican President or Presidential candidate has ever visited Delaware. Certainly not for decades, at least. In 1992 I walked a few blocks to see candidate Bill Clinton, in the city for a rally downtown (with then-Senator Biden). It was an informal, rollicking affair. Afterwards, the Wilmington Director of Public Safety (who was a member of our congregation) called me over and said, "Andy, let me introduce you to my Chief." So I exchanged some conversation with Karen and "her" Chief of Police and, after a few minutes, he glanced at his watch and said, "OK. By now he's the County Police's problem." He was so relieved that Clinton had left his jurisdiction, and that there had been no incidents!

Two years later, President Clinton returned to Wilmington to campaign for Charlie Oberly (again, a member of our congregation) who was running for the Senate against Bill Roth (for whom the "Roth IRA" was named). There was an entirely different level of security -- now that Clinton was President! No one was able to get within blocks of his podium without passing through a metal detector and close scrutiny by police. In fact, we had to walk several blocks out of the way even to get to the security check point.

I thought about that concern for security when watching Obama today. I said to Patty, "I'll bet no one has been able to get within blocks of that site without being searched." After he talked, Obama plunged into the crowd around the stage! He was surrounded by four or five Secret Service agents who were literally touching him on all sides. I give thanks for those dedicated men and women keeping the President-elect safe. Indeed, I pray for them regularly.