Experiencing an Obama Rally

It all starts with one voice that carries over the crowd like a contagious disease, but is intended for the rising of the spirit. The gym is a packed house and when one single person amongst the 1,500 shouts “O-ba-ma” it catches like wild fire and the gym erupts with all members shouting and repeating the same message. Even the 85-year-old woman next to me, who appears so fragile that a small gust of wind would knock her over, gets out of her chair to clap and yell.

It is Tuesday, April 1, 2008 and Barack Obama is making an appearance at the Marts Center at Wilkes University. The rally leaves a lasting impression on me as I turn my head from side to side to survey to event. One moment, I find myself looking at monumental journalist Dan Rather, while the next I am looking at a child who isn’t old enough to read. An array of colors of every ethnical background paint a rainbow of hope from side to side of the gym. We are all there for one reason, to show and give all of our support for Senator Obama.

High school seniors are dancing up and down in their seats as Obama takes the stage in front of a huge American flag, which makes everyone in the crowd feel a little bit smaller. Then Senator Obama begins to speak.

I am an Obama supporter, and have been since I had the notion and competence to look into his views and stances, which I had deemed important because of my situation as a soon to be college graduate. Today, of course Obama says all the right things that I want to hear. It’s the politician’s way, and it’s always been like that. However, at this rally a new message stands out to me that polishes his already great reputation.

I sit in the back and cannot see up front when Obama starts taking questions from the crowd, but someone tells me he has come down off stage to speak to a woman with some health issues. A tiny, squeaky voice goes into the microphone and speaks with little confidence about gas prices. Obama responds to the question with an answer that satisfies the lady and the crowd alike. What sticks out to me is his compassion to this woman’s status. He actually cares what this person has to say, and to me that is a great quality of our hopefully next president. You can’t lie about compassion, especially in a room filled with journalists on all sides.

Later, Obama's compassion is shown once again when he answers a question from a 2nd grade boy wondering how he can become president. It will be 10 years until he can vote, but he had a voice and Obama wanted the room to know it. He doesn’t just care about voters or what groups he will satisfy, he cares about what every American thinks and feels.

Senator Obama, you have my vote.

Matt Gobbler '08
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

My vote counts? Yeah, right! Let’s Get a National Primary

Let me just start off by saying that I am a 20 year old college student and a Hillary Clinton supporter. I live in Pennsylvania. When I first thought about writing this blog, it was before the March 4th primaries. Since I am in college, and have to work to pay to continue my education that the candidates all have plans to make more affordable, this is the first chance I have had to write this blog. It is March 6th.

Before last week, I thought there may not have even been a meaningful Pennsylvania primary, since it is being held on April 22nd. Now, after the March 4th primaries, Pennsylvania is the state to win in order for either Democratic candidate to keep on moving toward the general election. I couldn’t be happier.

During this election, Michigan and Florida both moved their primaries forward in order to be first. Those states are now being penalized and disqualified. Their delegate’s votes will not count. Please, someone tell me how this is fair to all the people that went out and cast their votes, to all the people that thought their votes would count.

This country should hold a national primary. By holding a national primary, each citizen’s vote will count exactly the same. Each citizen will have the same candidates to vote for. The primary should be held the same week every year. The voters can prepare and the candidates can prepare. It is in no way fair that people in Florida and Michigan had the choice to vote for several candidates when I only have the choice of two.

Young people are constantly being told that every vote counts. But it really doesn’t. My vote counts now, but if Barack Obama racked up enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination before the Pennsylvania primary, my vote wouldn’t have meant anything. He would have gotten the Democratic nomination. He wouldn’t need my vote or anyone else’s.

So, to the next President of the United States of America: whenever you are done cleaning up the mess that President Bush left (if you ever get done), ask yourself: If the United States of America held a national primary, would I really be here? Chances are you wouldn’t.

Amanda Cawley '09
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

Live in Person with Obama and Clinton

April 1, 2008 will always be a day I remember because it was the day I had the privilege of seeing two of our nations presidential firsts in person. I saw Presidential Candidates Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton when they visited Wilkes-Barre, PA.

After word spread that both Democratic candidates would be in Wilkes-Barre, I decided this was an opportunity that needed to be taken advantage of. Therefore, at 9:30 a.m., I was in line waiting to be admitted into Wilkes University’s Martz Gymnasium to hear Senator Obama and by 1pm I was running cross-town to hear Senator Clinton at nearby King’s College. I planned my day around these two events because by the end of the day, I was determined to know who would be receiving my vote on Tuesday, April 22, the Pennsylvania primary.

Upon Senator Obama’s entrance into the gymnasium, the entire room was on their feet applauding their Presidential hopeful. With all the chanting and cheering, one would have thought we were awaiting a famous music band or celebrity. It is now my understanding that indeed, we were. At that moment I realized I was not just about to see two presidential candidates, but two of the most renowned political celebrities in our nation.

Obama and Clinton both are excellent candidates. After doing much research on their campaigns and their political agenda, I concluded they are more similar than different when it comes to politics. However, as individuals the two could not be more different.

Senator Obama was incredibly articulate. His charisma and oratorical skills enabled him to fully engage the audience—men, women and children alike. The eyes of his constituents smiled upon him as he spoke of issues that he finds important. I found it quite surreal as I looked at the crowds and saw them mesmerized by his person. It was as though they fell in love with the man and not the candidate.

Clinton was also adored by her constituents, but for entirely different reasons. Senator Clinton took the stage with a feminine dignity and grace which was greeted by a very large crowd who all chanted her name but fell silent the minute she took the mic. Unlike Obama who needed to silence his audience, Clinton was listened to the moment she began to speak. Her magnetism was not of charisma or oratorical skills, but of her political agenda. Her passion for what she was talking about was reflected through her word choice. The vocal variety and kinesics of her speech were impressive and allowed the audience to truly see her as a leader.

After seeing both candidates in person, on the same day, I felt that I would have a clear mindset about which one I was going to vote for the Pennsylvania State Primary. But I was mistaken. Although I feel both candidates are more than capable of leading this country, I still have skepticism concerning their plans. Senator Obama, as eloquent as he was, did not explain how he will bring his changes about. And Senator Clinton, as precise as she was in explaining how she will go about her plans, she did not engage her audience with her personality or speech which I believe is a trait our Chief Diplomat needs. Consequently my mind has yet to be decided but at least, I now feel like I am closer to knowing who Senator Barack Obama and who Senator Hillary Clinton are.

Valerie J. Martinez '09
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

A Rock Star Among Mortals

With the line to enter the Marts Center at Wilkes University stretching around the block, it seemed as if Led Zeppelin was having a reunion concert and everyone had a ticket. Unfortunately, even if you had a ticket to see the in-demand personae known as Barack Obama, chances are that you would have been turned away from the entrance if you were not in line by 9:45 AM. I was honored to be one of the many denied entrance to hear Obama’s speech despite my waiting for an hour and a half just to get a door slammed in my face accompanied by rude State Police lingo. Through my struggles in line this past Tuesday (April 1) along with reviewing Obama’s speech on the internet (thanks to poconorecord.com), I have realized that his reputation as a charismatic presidential candidate who constantly reinforces positive “change” for this country has consequently left him with Rock Star status.

Being a rock star has its ups and downs, but when it comes to public appearances you should always have stage presence that gets a crowd pumped. Obama said to 1,500 plus in attendance, “over 10 billion dollars are spent on the war per month, that money could be spent here in Pennsylvania…right here in Wilkes-Barre!” It was nice to hear him try to appeal to this small town, but I question his sincerity in saying money should be spent in Wilkes-Barre. Every lead singer that has come to the Wachovia arena in Wilkes-Barre has started the show by giving a shout out to our town through his or her own particular genre of music. Barack Obama gave his shout out regarding two sensitive issues to people in this town, the war and money. That was a rock star move, one I do not believe he needed to make.

I can only hope he did not try to use the same tactic in other arenas across this country, because there is no way he could please every town he has visited in the past few months if he becomes president. It’s okay to be enthusiastic about revitalizing our falling nation, but a potential leader who has as many people invested in his campaign as he does needs to cut back on the rock star entrances and stick to the politics for the nation. Appealing to a small town does not mean he has to bend reality to seem as if Wilkes-Barre is the only place that matters in this nation. Take it from a life-long resident; I think we know where we stand when it comes to this country’s political agenda.

David Lewis '10
Wilkes University
Communitcation Studies/English

What Does Obama Mean By “Change We Can Believe In”?

"To stand up for these Americans, I don’t want to settle for anything less than real change, fundamental change – change we need – change that we can believe in." This quote from Barack Obama shapes his entire campaign. The suggestion, of course, is that the other Democratic primary candidate talking change may not be up to the task, as Obama hinted himself, saying they are "targeting different messages to different audiences." There has been a lot of talk in Obama’s campaign about the politics of hope. This doesn’t mean hoping things come easy. This campaign of change and hope is illustrating that this candidate believes in what could be in this country, he believes in the unseen.

I believe that what this country needs is change for the greater good. I think that Obama has a strong and solid campaign for change but doesn’t always specify what exactly will be changed. So, what specific changes do college students want to see? Some issues I would like to see changed are the war and health care for people ages 22-25 and I’m not the only one who feels this way. A few college students my age have said that they are concerned with how they are going to get coverage for health insurance once they graduate. Laura, a 21 year old senior at Wilkes said; “I think that in order for Obama to make significant changes, he needs to look at what the younger voters want.” I agree, and I do think Obama is making the effort to listen to the young voters. Kyle, another 22 year old student at Wilkes said; “I haven’t really thought about voting until this election. The candidates seem more concerned with what young voters want to see changed and I like that.” I asked this student what he wanted to see changed and he responded with; “getting this war over with and dealing with the bigger problems like health care and national debt, especially since I will be graduating and paying student loans.” These are just a few changes young voters today are concerned with. I think that Obama has a strong belief in helping the younger generation achieve these changes.

Barack Obama believes America needs a president who has the courage to be candid and honest about the challenges we face, even when it’s politically unpopular. Barack Obama speaks of hope and change, saying both require vision and recognize the need for hard work. Obama has positioned himself as an inspiring messenger for a “Change We Can Believe In.” What I believe is that Obama wants to educate the American people about what it will take to make long-term change. Obama has said that change will be tough but doesn't go into why or discuss exactly what this “change” will be and how it will effect the young voters of today. We need for details and will not vote for change on blind faith alone.

Katie Cappelloni '08
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

Don’t Let Gender Define this Campaign

With the upcoming Pennsylvania primary just a few weeks away, and considering the importance our state can have on which Democratic presidential candidate gets the nomination, I wanted to remind local residents of the importance of voting for a candidate based on their plan of action, rather than their race or gender.

I’m going through an invaluable experience this semester by studying each candidate and how they plan to make our country better, and I’m also learning how campaigns “spin” a message to their candidate’s advantage. And you know, for the first time I feel educated about the political process. But, it really upsets me when I have taken the time out to study each candidate’s plan of action to find that there are people here in Wilkes-Barre, and across the country for that matter, who vote in the primary based on gender or race alone. Or, they vote on looks as the sole reason for acceptance. Now, I don’t mind if someone is voting for John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, but let’s have some sense when we go to the voting booth!

In this upcoming primary in particular, I’ve heard countless women, including my mother, say they’ll vote for Hillary because “we need a woman as President because a man couldn’t get the job done.” Vote for Hillary, but do it because you find her universal health care plan irresistible, or because you have a child going to college in the near future and you like her ideas to make his or her education more affordable. To strip each candidate to simply their race or gender is being simple and narrow-minded.

I’m not being naive on this issue. I know there will always be people who will vote for a candidate because they like their inspirational speeches or they like their significant other, who previously served in office. But, in a critical primary that can potentially shape the next couple of generations, how about we look at the content of the speeches, rather than listen to the supporters strategically clap between every other sentence?

Jamie Gwynn '09
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

I Don’t Want Candidates to Preach to Me—Separation of Church and State Matters to Me

With the upcoming 2008 presidential election, each candidate has a number of tough issues to address including the War in Iraq, abortion, gay marriage, the environment, the economy, etc. While all of these issues are important and need to be examined carefully by each candidate before they make a decision about which stance they will take on them, I think the question of HOW they make their choice is also of equal importance.

As a young voter, I think everyone is entitled to their own opinions. If a candidate thinks abortion is wrong, I’d like to know what motivates them to think this way. If they say “I think abortion is wrong because I feel its murder.” I’m ok with that, and I can respect their opinion whether I agree with them or not. However, I tend to be offended when I hear a candidate say “I think abortion is wrong because God says it's wrong.” What God? Your God? My God? What about the people who don’t believe in any God? We’re supposed to have a separation between church and state in this country, so why bring God into your reasoning behind what stance you take on an issue? If your religious beliefs are the driving force behind how you vote and what laws you choose to pass, how is that keeping church and state separate?

The First Amendment guarantees the right to freedom of religion. If the lawmakers and presidential candidates are allowing their personal religious views to determine how they vote, how are they guaranteeing freedom of religion? If they outlaw gay marriage or abortion because their God says they should, what about the people who don’t believe in their God? Why should they be subjected to following a law based on something they don’t believe in?

When I look at a candidate I’m not looking for their religious affiliation, I look at their stance on the issues and the steps they’ve taken to resolve an issue. I don’t want to be preached to. I have my own views and can form my own opinions based on the facts. If I want religious commentary, I’ll attend a religious service. I’m not saying its wrong to be religious or its wrong not to be religious, people should live their lives in whatever way makes them happy. I also don’t believe that potential political leaders should be trying to sway people’s votes by trying to appeal to them on a religious moral level. If I like a candidate because of their stance on the issues and I hear them start preaching about how “God says this is wrong”, it’s going to turn me off and make me try to find someone who doesn’t have the “holier than thou” attitude.

People who are planning to vote in the 2008 election need to be able to think for themselves. Don’t allow someone’s religious views to cloud your judgment and ability to pick the candidate with the best ideas and solutions for an issue. Challenge yourself to look beyond where and who someone worships. Take a look at the issues that they see as important and what they plan to do about them, find out the facts, and make an educated decision. They’re not running for president of a religious organization, they’re running to represent and protect everyone in this country, not just the people who practice the same religion as them.

Jamie Gibson '08
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

Senators Clinton and Obama Get High Marks for Policies on HIV/AIDS; Republicans Offer Very Little

The War in Iraq, the environment, the economy, and health care are all controversial issues the candidates in the 2008 presidential election are addressing. Thousands have died in Iraq, the economy is steadily declining, and the number of people without health care in this country is staggering. While these are major problems the country faces, these numbers pale in comparison to those affected and infected by the AIDS virus.

After looking at the top two Democratic and top two Republican candidates I was shocked to find out that only the two Democratic candidates have made a substantial effort in the fight against AIDS. Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama are the only two to mention AIDS as one of their issues on their campaign websites. Both Clinton and Obama should be praised for their efforts in the fight against AIDS.

In 2006, Clinton moved to provide better funding for the Ryan White Care Act, which helps lower class families pay for medical care. She also recognized that young people (who are one of the most at risk groups to becoming infected) need to get access to scientific information about HIV and the prevention of AIDS. This would also include educating those people already infected so they can learn how to prevent infecting others. Clinton also stresses the need for testing and lessening the stigma young people have associated with getting tested.

In a statement made at the U.N. Meeting on AIDS, Clinton mentioned her concerns about the global spread of AIDS and the lack of AIDS education. According to the U.N. children in low to middle income countries have little to no knowledge about how to prevent the spread of HIV. She also expressed her concerns on the lack of medical care in these countries, especially dealing with pregnant women who would benefit from treatments that could limit mother-to child transmission.

At the June 2007 debate at Howard University, Clinton expressed her outrage with the White House’s response to the increase in HIV cases in Black Americans, saying. “If HIV/AIDS were the leading cause of death of White women between the ages of 25-34, there would be an outraged outcry in this country.”

Senator Obama has also taken many steps in the fight against AIDS. He has traveled to Kenya to take a public HIV test to encourage testing and to help clear up any negative stereotypes that might linger about testing. He has also pushed for better prevention methods in the global fight against AIDS, which include condom distribution and the introduction of the Microbiade Development Act, which will be used to produce and develop products to help women battle HIV and AIDS.

At the Howard University debate in June, Obama pushed for greater AIDS education for young people saying, “We don’t talk about it in the schools. Sometimes we don’t talk about it in the churches.”

John McCain really surprised me by his lack of knowledge about anything dealing with AIDS. In March 2007, when asked by a reporter what he thought about using taxpayer money to distribute condoms in Africa to help fight HIV, McCain responded by saying he didn’t know the subject well. He also added that he relied on the advice of Senator Tom Coburn, a physician and Republican from Oklahoma. He then went on to say, “I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about it. Let me think about it a little bit, because I never got a question about it before. I don’t know if I would use the taxpayer’s money for it.”

In late 2007, Mike Huckabee refused to retract statements he made in 1992 about quarantining AIDS patients to prevent the spread of the disease. He also said “It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crises it represents.” Apparently Governor Huckabee failed to get the message that health officials have been saying for years— casual contact is not a way AIDS could be spread.

After carefully examining the top four candidates in this election I would continue to praise Senators Clinton and Obama for not only their efforts in raising awareness and their ideas for combating this deadly disease both in the United States and globally. As for the two Republican candidates, they seem to act as if AIDS isn’t one of the major crises we face in this world. Their lack of knowledge and in the case of Huckabee, compassion, is alarming. How can you make a decision on an issue if you’re not informed on it? How can you be a successful leader if you rely on someone else’s opinions when making decisions on an issue?

Jamie Gibson '08
Wilkes University
Communication Studies

Is Dodd A Dud?

Enough about Hillary and Obama, let’s move onto the new Democratic candidate, Chris Dodd. On March 12, 2007, Dodd appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Dodd said he had to make a serious announcement…. that he’s “here tonight.” Excuse me? I’ll admit I was shocked to hear this, but just minutes later Jon Stewart took it upon himself to announce that Chris Dodd is in fact running for President in 2008.

I don’t feel that The Daily Show on Comedy Central was the best choice for making his presidential candidacy announcement. Especially knowing that the past three candidates that announced on The Daily Show dropped out of the campaign weeks after appearing on the program. Hopefully Dodd won’t follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.

Dodd joked frequently during his five minute appearance. He compared the 2008 Presidential Election to American Idol. Even though Dodd may have seemed down to earth with his humorous remarks, does he know when it’s time to be serious, too? After all, he is running for president.

Moving onto a more serious note, Jon Stewart did take a moment to find out some of Dodd’s credentials. Dodd has been in the Senate for twenty-six years representing the state of Connecticut. He also spent over a decade helping to make the Family and Medical Leave Act. His focus is on children and making sure that the world they will be living in when they grow up will be a good one. Some examples of his focus on children are, being named “Senator of the Decade” by the National Head Start Association in recognition of his support for early childhood education. He has also offered legislation to amend the No Child Left Behind law in order to make the law work better for America’s children. Jon Stewart referred to Dodd as the “resume candidate” for having impressive experience in comparison to his competitors.

Despite Dodd’s age (he will be 63 in May), he is a first-time father. His website depicts photographs of he and his wife with his daughter. On his website, he comes across as a family man. He seems to put a lot of emphasis upon being a first-time father and I think that his work in the senate focusing on children stems from that.

Although Dodd has not been heard from much yet, now that he has officially announced, he is hoping to be more in the spotlight as his Democratic competitors have been. Dodd said he respects both Hillary and Obama, but “You can’t expect to tear each other apart and win the election.” Dodd has focused his campaigning in mostly Iowa and New Hampshire, but now that he is officially running, will spread out his appearances more.

The question that this leaves us with is, “Is Chris Dodd a viable candidate for the 2008 Presidential election?” I’m not too sure. What we do know is he is up against two strong contenders for the Democratic nominee who have already been campaigning and building support for over a month. He has the experience, even more so than Hillary and Obama. Yet, is he cut out to be our next president? Appearing for five minutes on The Daily Show to officially announce on a program filled with anything but seriousness and allowing Jon Stewart to actually make the important announcement doesn’t signal a strong start. Right now, it’s not looking too good for Senator Chris Dodd. He definitely has some catching up to do as far as the campaign is concerned, but in time I hope we will hear more from Dodd’s serious side and be able to see him more as a competitive presidential candidate.

Laura Nowicki

Communication Studies Major ‘07

“We’re Young. We Vote!”

In September, along with several of my classmates, I joined in hosting a voter’s drive on-campus to get the local community of Wilkes-Barre and Wilkes University students, faculty, and staff to register to vote. While we were basically focusing on our fellow college students, anyone was welcome to register to vote or to update their information such as address or party. In the second part of our “We’re Young. We Vote!” campaign, we held a statewide televised focus group in which we wanted to find out what was important to young voters. In the last election, 47% of our age group, 18-24, came out the polls, which was a significant increase from the election in 2000. Typically only 25% of the 18-24 age bracket comes out to the polls. However, with the recent debates on global warming, gay marriage, and most importantly the War in Iraq, I believe that the 18-24 year olds will experience another boost at the polls.

The young vote will come out to the polls in 2008 for a bigger reason than the typical politician or American citizen might think. Yes, we want change in our government. We are sick of going to war for the sake of going to war. We are tired of being denied financial aid. We are tired of being judged by the romantic partners we choose to have. We are tired of seeing the signs of global warming being ignored. We will vote in 2008 with the hopes of our government will change for the better.

Some politicians are already noticing this. Politicians are reaching out to college students in a new technological savvy way. The online community website, Facebook, which recently has allowed public access, has become a new medium to target voters. Facebook, before it was public, was a community specifically for college students to have online profiles and groups. Several politicians, taking advantage of this new public domain, have now registered profiles. This allows the web-based college student to learn more about their politicians without looking on their websites. Because, let’s face it not every voter is an educated one. Some politicians who have gone on this virtual bandwagon include Senator Joe Biden, Senator John McCain, and Senator Barack Obama. While searching online to find their profiles, I came across several support groups and some not-so-friendly support groups created by various college students. Facebook has now defined a new era in online campaigning.

Another way politicians are reaching out to the younger voters is through online blogs. Blogs, such as the one we run here ourselves, are becoming a new way to target public interest. It is quite a necessity these days to have a blog on their website that will include statements, such as the ones we post, that summarize their feelings on issues. These blogs allow the public to get to know their candidates a little bit better before heading to the polls, and it also allows them to talk about a lot more issues on hand. Before, we had blogs, we had debates that were only limited to the “hot topics” and no one really wants to read the long never-ending text where every politician stands on these issues. Let’s face it, half of the time we could not even understand what the politician was trying to say! With the politicians starting to post, it makes their campaigns more accessible to a younger audience, who spend a good amount of their day online.

So that leaves me to this – if politicians are now starting to target the younger vote why doesn’t the rest of the country take us seriously? In the next 20 years, we will be the ones running for office, making policies and laws, and deciding if we go to war. Wouldn’t you want that future politician voting and getting their voice heard now? I know, I would.

Cheryl Gressley '08

Wilkes University
Communication Studies Major