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Doyle revs up crowd at Obama event

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by Ken Harris

Friday, January 25, 2008

Gov. Jim Doyle addressed an overcrowded lecture hall at the University of Wisconsin Thursday to endorse Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president.

UW Students for Obama, clad in red shirts declaring “Hope has a new face,” opened its semester kick-off party with an appearance by the governor, who said he has endorsed Obama since the day after the Iowa caucus.

Doyle fired up the packed room right from the start of his speech, comparing the current youth political movement to the activism of the late ‘60s.

“I know you’re tired of hearing your parents’ stories of what it used to be like, but this is what it used to be like!” Doyle said.

Doyle added he decided to endorse Obama after hearing his speech at the caucus. Obama called Doyle the morning after, asking if he was “ready to go,” and the governor responded with an enthusiastic “yes.”

“I’d planned to stay out of this campaign,” Doyle said.

Doyle said he supported Obama because he is a supporter of “moving into the future, not fighting over the past.” He added Obama provides “a unified vision of what it is to be an American.”

According to Doyle, the Wisconsin primaries will be very important for the nation, adding the state “will be the center of the universe for a week” leading to the Feb. 19 primaries. According to Doyle, the student vote is especially important this year. He also said youth have a lot of responsibility for making change and challenged students to do it.

“Change the world. It’s all on your shoulders,” Doyle said. “Please give it everything you’ve got.”

The governor was then presented with a “Badgers for Obama” T-shirt.

“I didn’t know he was going to come,” UW freshman Kate Gardner said. “It was really exciting to see him.”

After the governor left, a video montage of Obama speeches and news coverage was shown. This was followed by speeches from student leaders.

State Coordinator for Students for Obama Bryon Eagon, a UW sophomore, spoke about the importance of the youth vote to Obama’s campaign.

Oliver Kiefer, the chair of the UW College Democrats, also spoke. He remained neutral about endorsing a candidate but said he liked that Obama attracted so many young voters.

“He’s bringing new people,” Kiefer said. “Our job is to turn out the whole campus.”

After more information about how students can volunteer to help Obama’s campaign, the program ended with a chant led by UW Students for Obama Chair Ami Elshareif. After a couple false starts, Elshareif succeeded in involving the crowd in Obama’s signature chant:

“Fired up?”

“Ready to go!”

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Anonymous (January 25, 2008 @ 12:20pm):

"Hope has a new face"

What does that mean? A black face?

Seriously, your Obama-heads are infatuated with voting for a black guy. Obama is totally unqualified, has no stance on any issues, and has a very suspect past in his short political career in IL.

Dems are gonna lose, they should've supported Bill Richardson, would've been a sure thing.

Anonymous (January 25, 2008 @ 4:26pm):

WHAT THE HELL DOES "HOPE" MEAN? You continue to use grand, empty words, instead of doing or saying anything meaningful. Even if Obama wins, we all still lose.

Anonymous (January 25, 2008 @ 4:48pm):

You know, given your language, that of the article, and that of the group, I'd say it's more that you are infatuated with NOT voting for a black guy... that's just how it sounds though. It's interesting to me that the detractors are usually the first ones to play the race card.

Also, he's perfectly qualified (constitutionally and otherwise) and has detailed plans and stances available on his website... maybe if you did a little research instead of just spewing incoherent incompetence people would be more apt to listen to your opinions.

Also, Bill Richardson, despite his qualifications, was a bumbling idiot on the campaign trail and in debates. He would have tanked in a general election.

Anonymous (January 26, 2008 @ 1:58am):

Edith Child's "fired up" rally cry has now sparked a bunch of Seattle musicians to write and record FiredUp, Ready to Go" as a gift to the campaign. You can listen to it here:

http://www.myspace.com/bergevinbrothersmusic

Images from the recording session which included Pearl Jam Drummer Matt Cameron and Pastor Pat Wright's world-traveled Total Experience Gospel Choir can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephanschier/sets/72157603778004885/

The greatness in all of this is that people came together to create something beautiful, because they believe in someone. Imagine the force anyone with similar convictions can be in their families, neighborhoods, communities and ultimately our country. People do need hope because it inspires action.

Anonymous (January 26, 2008 @ 11:49am):

Maybe Obama can bring his cousin over to help bring us change?

***
Mob Violence Is Tearing Kenya Apart

In Nakuru, furious mobs rule the streets, burning homes, brutalizing ethnic rivals and expelling anyone not in their ethnic group, all with complete impunity.

On Saturday, hundreds of men prowled a section of the city with six-foot iron bars, poisoned swords, clubs, knives and crude circumcision tools. Boys carried gladiator-style shields and women strutted around with sharpened sticks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/world/africa/27kenya.html?hp

Anonymous (January 27, 2008 @ 4:03pm):

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/punditinstants/editors_rejigge.php

LOL, the MSM says a bad word.

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