We couldn’t have picked a better spot for the last official get out the vote stop of the Bandwagon to Minneapolis. Da bus pulled up early to Chicago’s historic Navy Pier ready to serve up the Windy City some perspective.

In case you are wondering there weren’t any Navy ships docked. It was originally designed for shopping and retail, and only in 1927 was the Municipal Pier officially renamed the Navy Pier as a tribute to Navy personnel who served during World War I.

It was a good spot!  Thousands of Labor Day revelers were out strolling with their families along the 1.5 mile long jetty under clear blue skies, and by noon hundreds had already signed up.

It wasn’t all cotton candy and ice cream cones. Chicagoans were full of political passion after the Democratic Convention and on the eve of the Republican. Despite the fact that we were on Senator Obama’s home turf I was surprised to find a number of McCain supporters.

We had the satellite TV link set to the news, and everyone was worried for the evacuated residents of the gulf coast. The Chamber’s Business Civic Leadership Center has activated its National Disaster Help Desk for Business designed to pool business resources for businesses under crisis because of natural or other disasters. In the spirit of togetherness I will close with the Blues Brothers:

And remember, people, that no matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there're still some things that makes us all the same. You. Me. Them. Everybody. Everybody.