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Clinton vs. Obama
U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) wowed the crowd of maybe 3,000 in the exhibition hall of the convention center on Lincoln Street late Friday afternoon, Feb. 16. He introduced himself as the husband of Michelle and the father of Sasha (5) and Malia (8), who has asthma. Obama disclosed his upper- tier education attainment and his respectably rising income, both providing for his family's health care demands. Almost 50 million Americans can't meet those demands due to their complete absence of health care coverage in a country that spends $1.9 trillion on health care. When Obama decided to run for the legislature in Illinois, he said, he first had to gain some name recognition, if only to get it pronounced right. He was asked where he got his name. Was it Alabama? (Yo) Mama? Osama? No, he had to say, it's Barack Obama from Chicago. "What are you doing here?" the locals would ask. When he later ran for the U.S. Senate, he had an easier time among a voting population better informed. Still, a black guy on the make in southern Illinois had to run with his own style. He won the primary election by 30 points. Obama officially threw his hat into the presidential ring on Feb. 10, in the Illinois capital city of Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln began. It was 15 degrees, and 17,000 people braved the cold. "What are we doing here?" Obama and his following asked. Obama has the advantage of coming into the war debate after the early decisions were made, after the invasion of Iraq. Paralleling Powell, former secretary of state, he says the invasion was a mistake and after 3,000 Americans dead and $400 billion spent, staying put in the Iraqi Civil War is a mistake. Obama urged the crowd to believe in the possibilities and to believe in him. "The decisions we make determine the future of our grandchildren," he said in parting.
Note: Hugging the lower left edge of Obama's photo is Shelton Whittaker (12) of Heathwood Hall. His favorite teacher is Ms. Sasnett. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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