After losing the Democratic primary for the Illinois 1st congressional district in 2000, Obama says he was feeling down. He had spent all his money on the campaign, he had a wife and a child at home with another baby on the way, and was seriously contemplating a career outside of politics after the stinging loss.
A friend asked Obama to join him at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, saying it might cheer him up to be surrounded by like minded and energetic politicos. Upon arriving in California and attempting to rent a car, his credit card was declined.
And his bad luck didn’t just end there.
“I get to the hotel where my friend is ready to go and we go over to the convention and they give me the pass that basically only allows you to be in the halls. The ring around the auditorium doesn’t actually allow you to see anything,” Obama recalls.
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