The Maine Campus Online

Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Eryk Salvaggio Barack Obama speaks to more than 5000 people in the Bangor Auditorium.

Media Credit: Eryk Salvaggio Barack Obama meets with supporters at his Saturday speech. More than 5000 attended.

Media Credit: Alicia Mullins A Barack Obama supporter holds up a sign at the Bangor Auditorium rally.

Thousands of people filled the Bangor Auditorium Saturday afternoon to hear presidential candidate Barack Obama speak. The stadium met its 5,000 person capacity early, turning hundreds more away in the line that cut through Bangor's streets and congested its sidewalks for hours. Obama later won the most delegates at Orono's caucus Sunday.

On Saturday, Obama focused his speech on creating change in America. He said he noticed a shift in the amount of voters in this election. "People have been paying attention. Young people especially have been coming out in record numbers. They understand this is their chance to make their mark."

Turnout for the primaries and caucuses so far this season has broken records, with the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement calculating New Hampshire's youth turnout at 43 percent - up from 18 percent from 2004's primaries. Similar numbers have changed the election outcome in Texas and South Carolina.

"All across the country I meet young people who have got the grades, the will, the desire to go to college but they don't have the money. They don't have the money so they're borrowing $20,000, $30,000, $40,000 worth of debt," Obama said. "They have got a mortgage before they even graduate from college. Before they can buy a house they've been loaded up with debt."

Like his rival, Hillary Clinton, Obama is seeking to simplify the application process for financial aid. However, Obama's plan for higher education includes a $4,000 tax credit for students entering college, called the American Opportunity Tax Credit.

"Every young person needs it. But we are going to ask something in return of young people. You are going to have to, for that $4,000 a year, you are going to have to participate in community service." Obama included jobs such as working in veterans' homes or joining the Peace Corps as community service.

"A lot of voters, I think, are really on the fence between Hillary and Barack because they are for a lot of the same issues so I think it is really important that he come," said Anna Snow, a third-year environmental science major at UMaine. Clinton and Obama spoke similarly on issues of student debt, healthcare, war and education.

Hillary Clinton also held a rally in Orono earlier Saturday. Obama's turnout was nearly three times larger and louder. Obama's fans held signs and chanted "yes, we can" as they waited hours for him to come to the small stage in the middle of the room. Nose-bleed seats filled while still more people waited in the line outside, to no avail.

"I felt there was a unified energy in the crowd at Obama's rally, due to the increased amount of people but mostly from his inspiring speech. Clinton's perhaps felt more special since it happened at the university, and that was seen in the students," said Kyle Kernan, a second-year English major.

Other UMaine students agreed. "Going to a Hillary appearance is a political event like all others. In stark contrast, seeing Obama speak was a multicultural and social experience that I would recommend to any," said Walter Lazarz, a second-year construction management technology major. "Obama's audience was a remarkable smattering of virtually every demographic: white, black, Hispanic, Asian, rich, poor, well-schooled and little-schooled, young and old. It was amazing to see."

Obama addressed arguments that have been made about him such as his inexperience, his lack of specificity and his naivete. "That's just folks trying to bamboozle you," he said as he addressed each argument.

Obama spoke about ending the war in Iraq by 2009. He commended young veterans who have done "everything that has been asked of them." He said that he plans to help take care of veterans. Some of the other topics he spoke on were teacher salaries, healthcare, ending discrimination and generating greener energy sources.

Obama shook hands with the people in the streets who were turned away at the door when the auditorium met its capacity.

Eryk Salvaggio contributed to this report.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools