Through rain, sleet, or snow
(REUTERS/Jason Reed)
CHESTER, Pa. -- Does it mean something when more than 9,000 people are willing to brave a cold, hard, decidedly awful rain to see Barack Obama give a stump speech?
Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. But it was quite a remarkable scene nonetheless this morning on the campus of Widener University, where Obama continued his aggressive pitch to Pennsylvanians.
There have been many times over the course of this campaign when the weather gods have seemed to be smiling on Obama. Take, for instance, his postcard-perfect day in Denver when he accepted the Democratic nomination. But today is not one of those days.
"This is an unbelievable crowd for this kind of weather," said Obama, dressed in a dark rain jacket. "I just want all of you to know that if we see this kind of dedication on Election Day, there is no way that we're not going to bring change to America."
He continued, "Whether it's rain or sleet or snow, we are going to go out and we're going to vote, because there's too much at stake ... We're going to keep on going until we finish the job."
And the crowd -- under umbrellas, wearing trash bags, stuffed inside giant parkas -- chanted "We want change! We want change!"
Obama gave largely the same speech he did yesterday in Pittsburgh and Canton, Ohio, but he sprinkled in a few different lines of attack. "John McCain has ridden shotgun as George Bush has driven our economy toward a cliff, and now he wants to take the wheel and step on the gas," he said.
McCain is also in Pennsylvania today, as both candidates make a big push for the blue state that's a big prize for both. His campaign, on the account of the weather, canceled its event this afternoon at a stadium in Quakertown.
But in Obamaland, the show went on.
"When it's cold, when it's raining, when it's hard -- that's when we stand up," he said. "That's when we search for a better future."
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Guess McCain suspended his campaign, again, on the account of weather.
I guess this shows who the real maverick is, who the real leader is. Just because it is cold and wet you don't stop. Tell Joe six pack out there now working in this weather why he does not have to and you, McWimp suspend yours.
Obama is the real man here!
Among ordinary citizen this election is about hope vs fear. Those with hope that there will be a better tomorrow they are willing to gamble on an opportunity for change. Many can see that Obama has the ingredients to be a successful president but they know that having the ingredients and being a success are two different things. They have trepidation.
Then there are those who are dominated by fear. They do not see a better tomorrow they are overwhelmed by the risks of today. They do not see what McCain will do to improve their lives but they are in need of someone to protect them from our "enemies". These enemies are liberals who do not care about America. These enemies are change and they are not very adaptable so change is frightening. The enemy could be al Qaeda or Iran or Russia, McCain is more "qualified" to face these threats. They see these threats as inevitable and not in our control so they need a person who is quick to react. It is inconceivable to them that someone can be prepared and is ready to respond because he has anticipated the attack and maybe even headed it off with anticipation.
I see the next two years as the bottom of our slide and that we can make progress as long as we maintain a level playing field. My hope is that a majority of ordinary people are optimistic for if they are we will elect a president who shares our optimism and ours will be a brighter future. That does not mean the next one to two years will not be hard. But it is worth it to turn this country around.
right on Ron, well said!
Like I said before. McCains platform was based on Joe the plumber making 250k per year. How many hard working families are actually making 250k per year? We are in a deficit thanks to the Bush administration. It is not a matter of having the rich pay more, it`s about having families meet their mortgage payments, saving for their kids education. Ron, Americans don`t care about McCains experience. Eisenhower had the same credentials and KENNEDY DID JUST FINE in the Cuban missle crisis and his short time in the whitehouse. Obama and Biden will as well. Country can`t get any worse, thanks to the last 8 years. one more thing you didn`t mention, how will Sarah Palin do in your hypothesis? I`ll take Joe Biden.
Not well said Ron. I am not voting for McCain because I am dominated by fear. I am voting for McCain because I have faith in America. I have faith in our economy. Our current economic state is not the result of George Bush's failed economic policies. The economy will go back up regardless of who is in the White House. It is just convinient that it is bad right now so the Democrats can say 'look what Bush did'... When in reality it is a lot more complicated than just saying it was Bush's fault. America is a great country in which anyone can be successful if they work hard. Obama's socialist policies will make America less great.
IndependentsforObama08 - stop calling yourself an independent we all know what you are.
Dantheman:
Nowhere did I blame Bush or say that our economy is bad. If however you feel that Bush is successful then you live in a world that is centered around yourself.
The use of the word socialist says that you are afraid of change for no non- partisan economist would call Obama a socialist. He was very much influenced by the U of Chicago economics whih is market based. What is true is that he does not subscribe to any economic philosophy.
I too have faith in our economy. You have assumed in your post that I subscribe to Democratic thinking yet nowhere in this post did I talk about ideology because I have none. Your assumption is that because I disagree with you that I do not see America as good is wrong. Because I see it a beaten down and in need of being turned around means that I think like most other people but I too believe that America will rise again but it will be a different country. There will be a more cooperative attitude and less each man for himself. My point was that McCain has stood for negativity. He ridicules Obama all the time, even for delaying the World Series game. You do not have to be disagreeable when you disagree. If you think that being that way is a mark of success then your judgment is wanting like your candidate's
You are voting for McCain because you have a fear of change. McCain is certainly against change now that he is dominated by Washington insiders. The John McCain of 2000 was a different man. Yet even then he was not nearly as talented as Barack Obama.
As usual the same rhetoric i expect from the boston globe...have you ever given a fair and balanced report? What about Obama in his book specifically talking about being friends with marxists, what about the association with the plo leader. However we will talk about the amount of people showing up at a rally on a rainy day...now that is journalism. The real people will show up at the polls on November 4th and Obama can take his hope and change and go back to chicago and wonder how one can come so close and still lose. For all of us in Massachusetts we saw the hope and change with Gov Patrick and look where that has gottn us
Amen Dantherman!! I voted for Mccain for the same reason!! Socialism is the last thing this economy needs!!
Dantherman, you have no idea what socialism is and by the way I am an Independent and have voted for both parties. I voted for republican presidents, republican govenors and my current state rep is a republican who I have voted for many times. The real reason I am an independent is because I actually research positions, think things through and read both sides and make up my own mind. Unlike yourself who can only spew GOP points and lies.
Dantherman, Wrong again.
I am so for the person who is willing to fight for me. The fact that McCain was deterred by the weather this afternoon doesn't bode well in my eyes. It may be that he has less than admirable consul, or maybe his advanced age is not going to be a benefit for him. If this the way he reacts in a less than perfect situation on the campaign trail, what would he do in office? What would his lauded experience do for him then? I'm for Obama's enthusiasm and focus on the issue at hand. I think he's the man for the job that needs to be done. (NB the job is cleaning up the mess the last president and his henchmen created in the last 8 years.)
yes it means something, it means the media (like yourselves) brainwashing techniques work and that there are alot of people willing to "drink the kool-aid"....
OBAMA BABY!!!!!!!