2008 Woodie Awards
Barack Obama Town Meeting gets appraisal, argument in Greensboro
Ben Dedman
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Features
The line began at 5 a.m. By 10 a.m., nearly 2,000 people extended from the War Memorial Auditorium entrance out of sight behind the Coliseum. It conjured up images of music festivals or Los Angeles freeways, the only places I've seen so many people and so much raw energy all crammed together.
Responding to this same common "rock-concert" cliché about Barack Obama campaign rallies, Max Carter, director of the Friends Center and campus ministry coordinator, said that Obama's March 26 Town Hall Meeting in Greensboro did not conform.
"I didn't see any drugs or sex the whole afternoon," Carter said. "In line it had the atmosphere of a big family reunion, just a big festive atmosphere."
Martha Assefa, a junior with an internship with the Democratic Party in Greensboro this semester, said the two-hour wait "seemed like nothing … because of the positive attitude of people and the excitement."
"It just felt like a group of very diverse people who were genuinely excited (about politics) for the first time in their life," she said.
Junior Hedyn Ericson, who took a year off after high school in 2004 to volunteer for the Democratic Party, attributes much of the excitement and young support Obama receives to the fact that, since 2000, "people our age became politically aware. I know a lot of friends of mine whose reactions in this election cycle was to support extreme candidates. I think that's indicative of their want for a fresh, new, unorthodox, different kind of candidate."
Ten Guilford students, including Ericson and junior Eddie Guimont, volunteered at the rally. Guimont previously volunteered with both the Howard Dean and John Kerry presidential campaigns and said that Obama's "campaign seems a lot larger and more organized than those did." He says part of Obama's success comes from his ability to make "people think he's the candidate for all the people."
By one o'clock, the audience had packed into the auditorium after waiting for hours and surviving the five local, state and national law enforcement agencies, their intense security screenings and their large German shepherds. While the pretentious national press and anxious audience members struggled to find the best angles for a picture, Obama walked calmly onto the stage and took his place at the podium. 55 lucky Greensboro residents sat just behind him under a large banner reading "Change We Can Believe In" with American and North Carolina flags hanging on each side.
Responding to this same common "rock-concert" cliché about Barack Obama campaign rallies, Max Carter, director of the Friends Center and campus ministry coordinator, said that Obama's March 26 Town Hall Meeting in Greensboro did not conform.
"I didn't see any drugs or sex the whole afternoon," Carter said. "In line it had the atmosphere of a big family reunion, just a big festive atmosphere."
Martha Assefa, a junior with an internship with the Democratic Party in Greensboro this semester, said the two-hour wait "seemed like nothing … because of the positive attitude of people and the excitement."
"It just felt like a group of very diverse people who were genuinely excited (about politics) for the first time in their life," she said.
Junior Hedyn Ericson, who took a year off after high school in 2004 to volunteer for the Democratic Party, attributes much of the excitement and young support Obama receives to the fact that, since 2000, "people our age became politically aware. I know a lot of friends of mine whose reactions in this election cycle was to support extreme candidates. I think that's indicative of their want for a fresh, new, unorthodox, different kind of candidate."
Ten Guilford students, including Ericson and junior Eddie Guimont, volunteered at the rally. Guimont previously volunteered with both the Howard Dean and John Kerry presidential campaigns and said that Obama's "campaign seems a lot larger and more organized than those did." He says part of Obama's success comes from his ability to make "people think he's the candidate for all the people."
By one o'clock, the audience had packed into the auditorium after waiting for hours and surviving the five local, state and national law enforcement agencies, their intense security screenings and their large German shepherds. While the pretentious national press and anxious audience members struggled to find the best angles for a picture, Obama walked calmly onto the stage and took his place at the podium. 55 lucky Greensboro residents sat just behind him under a large banner reading "Change We Can Believe In" with American and North Carolina flags hanging on each side.
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