My Journey With Barack Obama

James Pence Videos

A photo I shot Feb. 10, 2007 in Springfield, Ill. and enhanced in Photoshop.

My journey with Barack Obama started September 2006 when I got my first press pass to shoot video of Barack Obama at Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky. Brooke Pardue got me the press pass and I will be forever grateful to her for that because it was that night in Louisville, Kentucky I became convinced Barack Obama was the real deal and I knew I had to do every thing within my power to help him become President of the United States of America, if he decided to run. Click here to view photos of the event. Click here to view the short version video. Click here to view the long version video.
My next encounter with Barack Obama was in Springfield, Ill February 10, 2007 the day he announced his candidacy for President of the United State Of America. I somehow got a press pass to video his announcement and drove all night to get there. It was so cold that my fingers were too numb to feel the camera or camcorder controls, but I knew it was history and I wanted to be there. The one thing that sticks in my mind about that event is a conversation I had with 3 young people that had drove from Omaha Neb. to be at this historic event. I asked these young folks where they were staying and they told me they had drove all night to get there and would be driving back home after the announcement. I knew then it wasn't just me that knew Barack Obama was a leader. Click here to view photos of the event. Click here to view the video I shot.
My next encounter with Barack Obama was, August 27, 2007, in Lexington, Kentucky. Thanks to Joe Sonka over at Barefoot and Progressive I got a press pass to video tape Barack Obama there. Click here to view the video.
April 8, 2008 the Obama campaign opened their Lexington, Kentucky campaign headquarters. Click here to view the video and photos of the event.
April 21, 2008 folks were fired up and ready to go at a Barack Obama Campaign Organizational Meeting right smack dab in the middle of Red State Kentucky in the city of Radcliff. Click here to view the video of that event.
April 29, 2008 Congressman Ben Chandler endorses Barack Obama. Click here to view video of the event.
May 12, 2008 I got another press pass to shoot video of Barack Obama in Louisville, Kentucky. Click here to view the video and photos.
May 19, 2008 Michell Obama comes to Lexington, Kentucky to thank Kentucky supporters and workers. Click here to view photos. Click here to view video of Michelle Obama.
November 1, 2008 Ashley Judd was in Louisville speaking for Barack Obama. Click here to view video and photos of the event.
November 4, 2008 election night in Louisville, Kentucky was bitter sweet. So many of us had worked so hard for Barack Obama and Bruce Lunsford only to see them lose here in Kentucky, but Barack Obama won nationwide. That night I put my camcorder next to a wide screen TV  and videotaped Kentucky folks watching Barack Obama giving his victory speech. As I videotaped these folks watching Barack Obama, with tears of joy running down my 70 year old cheeks, I knew I was at the right place at the right time even if it was Kentucky and I knew my journey with Barack Obama had been worthwhile. Click here to view the video.