Obama visits Indiana to campaign for change
Supporters of Obama are seen here during an earlier rally this year in Fisher, IN
By Kim Puckett | News Editor
Sen. Barack Obama made two campaign stops in Indiana this month, one on Oct. 8 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the other on Oct. 23 on the American Legion Mall in downtown Indianapolis.
Both rallies brought thousand of Hoosiers out of work, school and their homes on weekday mornings to hear the senator speak on such issues as taxes and the economy.
The Democratic presidential nominee opened his speech at the fairgrounds through misting rain and grey skies by emphasizing the severity of the national economic situation.
“We meet today at a moment of great uncertainty for America,” Obama said. “Yesterday we saw another significant drop in the stock market. As the anxiety about this financial crisis grew worse.”
As Obama has repeatedly done in presidential debates and other stump speeches, the Illinois senator listed middle-class families as one of his top priorities in both of his recent Indiana visits. In his Oct. 23 appearance, Obama outlined the differences in his tax plan and his opponent Sen. John McCain’s.
“The main difference between our plans is who he wants to give tax cuts to and who I want to give tax cuts to,” Obama said.
Obama also spoke out about some of the qualms he has with McCain’s policies on health care.
“That is something that always burns me up,” Obama said. “People who have health insurance from the government, are getting paid by the government, are happy with it, wouldn’t trade it in for anybody but suddenly they say you, the American people, the folks who are paying our salaries, who are paying too much for health insurance that somehow you don’t want government involvement.”
As in most political campaigns, televisions have been riddled with negative ads in the recent weeks. Obama said McCain’s campaign admitted to plans for going negative in the last month of the election.
“I can take four more weeks of John McCain’s attacks,” Obama said on Oct. 8. “But the American people can’t take four more years of John McCain’s George Bush policies.”
Nick Eddy, a senior political science/history major, attended the rally at the fairgrounds in support of Obama.
“The atmosphere of the rally was electric,” Eddy said. “Regardless of whether or not one agrees with Sen. Obama’s political beliefs it is exciting to see a politician who has the ability to energize and bring people into the political process.”
Eddy said that Obama’s middle-class oriented tax plan resonates with Hoosier families in the current national economic situation.
“The rally comprised people of all classes, races, and ages.” Eddy said. “On a cold and rainy day parents pulled their children out of school to see Sen. Obama speak in a state that has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964.”
Obama closed the Oct. 8 rally by urging Hoosiers to believe in him as a catalyst for the change we need in the United States and beyond.
“And Indiana if you will stand with me, if you will work with me, if you will vote for me in 27 days, I promise you we will not just win Indiana, we will win this general election,” Obama said. ”And you and I together we are going to change the country and change this world.”
