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(VIDEO : WTMJ TV (NBC) Obama Praises Labor, Urges Help for Gustav Victi
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL:
Obama focuses on the Gulf
In appearance here, he says it’s not a day for politics
By SUSANNE RUST
srust@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 1, 2008
While Sen. Barack Obama’s stop in Milwaukee was supposed to be a rally to cap off Laborfest, the presidential nominee instead focused his speech on Hurricane Gustav, asking the audience to pray for the victims of the storm and to donate to the American Red Cross.
Election 2008
Photo/MaryJo Walicki
Barack Obama speaks at the Marcus Amphitheater.
Photo/Peter Holderness
Sen. Barack Obama gives fist bumps to the crowd after his Labor Day speech at the Marcus Amphitheater on Monday. Obama asked the crowd to support the people of the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast.
workers and supporters Monday evening, “but for Americans to come together as brothers and sisters” to pray for and support residents of the Gulf Coast.
“What makes us great is that we rise and fall as one nation,” he said. “The spirit that we extend today and in the days to come . . . that’s a spirit we’ve got to carry with us every day.”
He spoke before an estimated 15,000 people at the Marcus Amphitheater.
This visit is Obama’s second to the state in nine days and falls on the first day of the Republican National Convention in neighboring Minnesota, which was scaled back in deference to the situation in the Gulf Coast.
It is also not the first time Obama has spoken in Milwaukee on the night of a major national story.
In April 2007, on the evening of the Virginia Tech shootings, Obama was at the Milwaukee Theatre. He used that occasion in much the same way he used the hurricane on Monday, to deliver a more reflective speech than the usual campaign stumping.
Although Obama was scheduled to stay overnight in Milwaukee and hold a small event this morning, he instead returned to his Chicago headquarters to monitor Gustav’s damage. His campaign said he may need to revise his plans to campaign in Pennsylvania and Ohio later this week.
Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, also canceled a few Labor Day events to keep an eye on the hurricane.
However, Republicans were quick to note that while Obama said he was not officially campaigning in Milwaukee, he still made an appearance before a large, political crowd.
“Tonight, Republicans are focusing in on what happened in the Gulf,” said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “Barack Obama didn’t. He’s obviously still focusing on himself.”
In Minnesota, former Gov. Tommy Thompson noted the contrast of McCain scrubbing the first night of the Republican convention, while Obama continued to campaign.
“Politics comes second (for McCain),” Thompson said. “McCain has suspended campaigning. Barack Obama is campaigning. The difference is striking.”
Obama’s Labor Day speech was a chance to reach union voters, a group that typically is the backbone of the get-out-the-vote effort for Democrats. And thousands of union members were present, wearing T-shirts and pins highlighting their union affiliations.
“Barack Obama is socially conscious,” said Bob Bergman, 56, a retired steelworker from West Allis. “He understands the plight of workers and the average working family. I thought I’d be impressed by what he said, and I was.”
Tom Krall of United Auto Workers Local 407 agreed.
“His speech was typical,” he said, “but it was very good. You can tell he’s a concerned person.”
People eager to see Obama’s speech had started filing in as early as 2:30 p.m.
Patrick Murphy of Wauwatosa came with his wife and three children, ages 16, 15 and 9.
“We actually came down to see if we could get tickets. We thought this was a chance to see history,” Murphy said.
Obama was introduced by several major Wisconsin Democratic figures, including Gov. Jim Doyle, Sens. Russ Feingold and Heb Kohl, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Mayor Tom Barrett.
Meg Jones and Greg Borowski of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL:
Obama focuses on the Gulf
In appearance here, he says it’s not a day for politics
By SUSANNE RUST
srust@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 1, 2008
While Sen. Barack Obama’s stop in Milwaukee was supposed to be a rally to cap off Laborfest, the presidential nominee instead focused his speech on Hurricane Gustav, asking the audience to pray for the victims of the storm and to donate to the American Red Cross.
Election 2008
Photo/MaryJo Walicki
Barack Obama speaks at the Marcus Amphitheater.
Photo/Peter Holderness
Sen. Barack Obama gives fist bumps to the crowd after his Labor Day speech at the Marcus Amphitheater on Monday. Obama asked the crowd to support the people of the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast.
workers and supporters Monday evening, “but for Americans to come together as brothers and sisters” to pray for and support residents of the Gulf Coast.
“What makes us great is that we rise and fall as one nation,” he said. “The spirit that we extend today and in the days to come . . . that’s a spirit we’ve got to carry with us every day.”
He spoke before an estimated 15,000 people at the Marcus Amphitheater.
This visit is Obama’s second to the state in nine days and falls on the first day of the Republican National Convention in neighboring Minnesota, which was scaled back in deference to the situation in the Gulf Coast.
It is also not the first time Obama has spoken in Milwaukee on the night of a major national story.
In April 2007, on the evening of the Virginia Tech shootings, Obama was at the Milwaukee Theatre. He used that occasion in much the same way he used the hurricane on Monday, to deliver a more reflective speech than the usual campaign stumping.
Although Obama was scheduled to stay overnight in Milwaukee and hold a small event this morning, he instead returned to his Chicago headquarters to monitor Gustav’s damage. His campaign said he may need to revise his plans to campaign in Pennsylvania and Ohio later this week.
Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, also canceled a few Labor Day events to keep an eye on the hurricane.
However, Republicans were quick to note that while Obama said he was not officially campaigning in Milwaukee, he still made an appearance before a large, political crowd.
“Tonight, Republicans are focusing in on what happened in the Gulf,” said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “Barack Obama didn’t. He’s obviously still focusing on himself.”
In Minnesota, former Gov. Tommy Thompson noted the contrast of McCain scrubbing the first night of the Republican convention, while Obama continued to campaign.
“Politics comes second (for McCain),” Thompson said. “McCain has suspended campaigning. Barack Obama is campaigning. The difference is striking.”
Obama’s Labor Day speech was a chance to reach union voters, a group that typically is the backbone of the get-out-the-vote effort for Democrats. And thousands of union members were present, wearing T-shirts and pins highlighting their union affiliations.
“Barack Obama is socially conscious,” said Bob Bergman, 56, a retired steelworker from West Allis. “He understands the plight of workers and the average working family. I thought I’d be impressed by what he said, and I was.”
Tom Krall of United Auto Workers Local 407 agreed.
“His speech was typical,” he said, “but it was very good. You can tell he’s a concerned person.”
People eager to see Obama’s speech had started filing in as early as 2:30 p.m.
Patrick Murphy of Wauwatosa came with his wife and three children, ages 16, 15 and 9.
“We actually came down to see if we could get tickets. We thought this was a chance to see history,” Murphy said.
Obama was introduced by several major Wisconsin Democratic figures, including Gov. Jim Doyle, Sens. Russ Feingold and Heb Kohl, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Mayor Tom Barrett.
Meg Jones and Greg Borowski of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.