The Orion Online

Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: Online Exclusives

Media Credit: Erik Aguilar Sen. Barack Obama addresses a crowd of about 12,000 people, including 13 Chico State students Tuesday at University of Nevada, Reno. Student Democratic Club members made the trek to hear Obama speak about the economy and how it affects students. [Click to enlarge]

Oct. 1, 2008

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See video of Barack Obama's trip to Reno at the bottom of this page
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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke at the University of Nevada, Reno Tuesday.

Among the estimated 12,000 supporters that gathered in the university's quad stood 13 of Chico State's most avid democrats: the Student Democratic Club.

Decked out in navy blue t-shirts plastered with the candidates face and holding signs that read "Change We Need" the students lined up at 1:30 a.m. to get their choice of spots.

Freshman Michael Bishai said it was well worth driving all night as he described his favorite part of the speech.

"This is going to sound a little corny, but actually when he first got on was my favorite part," he said. "I've seen him a lot on TV, but nothing really amounted to when I finally saw him in person. You just saw the energy in the crowd, in the audience."

The forty minute speech was toned down from Obama's self-proclaimed "big, rip roar, rah rah" that he usually psyches up larger audiences with. Instead, the beginning of his speech addressed the recent devastating dive of the stock market.

"This financial crisis is the direct result of the greed and irresponsibility that has dominated Wall Street for years now," Obama said. "Regulators that looked the other way; lobbyists that bought there way into our government."

His accusations brought an approving roar out of the primarily college-aged audience, which he had already drawn in early when he thanked all of the young people for showing up and encouraged them to make their voices heard.

"If each of you are registered, each of you vote, and each of you take somebody with you to register and vote, there is no way this thing can be stopped," he said.

The impact of the youth vote was clearly not lost on Obama. Though most of his speech was dedicated to the economy, he never forgot to throw in statements related to student-life.

"This is especially frustrating for young people because you don't even have any money," he said with a smile. "I remember what it's like, eating pizza every night."

Obama's connection to students is exactly what drew some in.

"Obama is speaking to the youth," said junior Student Democratic Club member Caily McElhinney. "He knows that we're important, and he knows he needs us to turn out to vote. And so because he knows the importance of us, he's making sure his policies directly effect us and benefit us as young people."

Others are drawn in more directly by his platform.

"He actually gives us specifics about what he wants to do with this country," junior club member Rachel Parker said. "He gives us straight forward answers. I really appreciate that in a candidate."

Kelsey Eidbo can be reached at
keidbo@mail.csuchico.edu


Video by Rodolfo Vazquez

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