Obama to speak in Mich., for first time in campaign
Correction: The story has been corrected to say Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is the presumptive Republican nominee.
As Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., prepares to campaign in Michigan for the first time Wednesday, MSU political science chairman Richard Hula said the move may signal he is entering the second phase of his campaign — the run against presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for the presidential election.
Obama will appear at a town hall meeting in Macomb County and is scheduled for an event at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
Democratic candidates have not campaigned in Michigan since the state was stripped of its delegates for moving its primary up to Jan. 15, Hula said. Obama may be trying to act like he is not neglecting Michigan, a potential swing state during the 2008 election, he said.
“He’s trying to secure what should be a Democratic state,” Hula said.
Republican victories in the Michigan Legislature show McCain could make the Great Lakes state a red state, he said.
Obama is appearing in southeast Michigan to stir its strong Democratic population into voting, Hula said. Former Republican Gov. John Engler won because of a low voting turnout in southeast Michigan.
But some MSU students think it is past time for Obama to begin a Michigan campaign.
MSU Japanese senior Chad Cole said he supports Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., because of her previous campaigning efforts in Michigan.
“It seems a little too late,” Cole said. “I still like a lot of his platform, especially the gas tax.”
History and communication senior Heather Hymes said she would travel from East Lansing to see Obama if she did not have to work and attend class.
She said Obama’s original firm stance against the Iraq War, and caution on pulling out troops too soon identifies closest with her ideologies.
“I agree with him on all issues,” Hymes said.
Hymes, who has read both of Obama’s books and has seen him speak before becoming a senator, said she likes Obama’s charismatic manner and thinks he will win against both Clinton and McCain.
Hymes said such qualities separate Obama from Clinton. Superdelegates who endorsed Clinton are switching to Obama, making a Clinton victory extremely unlikely.
“He’s not trying to tear the (Democratic) party apart,” she said.
Published on Monday, May 12, 2008
Comments
Jared
05/13/08 @ 12:30am
"MSU Japanese senior Chad Cole said he supports Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., because of her previous campaigning efforts in Michigan."
Her previous campaigning efforts in Michigan? All of the Democratic candidates except for Kucinich agreed not to campaign in Michigan because it had violated DNC rules by moving its primary to January. She was the only major candidate who did not remove her name from the ballot. Now she demands that her votes in Michigan should count towards her delegate total even though she ran against "Uncommitted" and she had previously agreed that Michigan should be stripped of its delegates for violating Democratic Party rules.
Perhaps, Chad, you believe that this backpedaling and hypocrisy represent an effort at campaigning in Michigan. I however, do not.
Barack Obama has made the right decision in visiting Michigan now that he is the presumptive nominee. It is time for the Democratic party to become united and reach out to ALL Americans in order to defeat John McCain in November and it is time for Hillary Clinton to step down so that this may start to happen.
paul damiano
05/13/08 @ 8:39am
The time is right, Hillary should step down but the Clinton's have perhaps the worst record in the past quarter century of American politics when it comes to grace and class. Just look at all the criminals th at bought themselves commutations and pardons at the end of Bill's 2nd term with bribes, bribes that went through Hillary's brothers' lobbyist group.
getmoney
05/13/08 @ 4:41pm
Now she wants the Michigan delegates to be seated in her favor. Do people in other states realize that Barack Obama wasn't on the ballot? She gave a speech recently comparing herself to JFK, she did great this year, but its for her time to go.
SoCal Spartan
05/13/08 @ 5:12pm
My oh my comments are missing!
Go Obama!!!
We're being censured, aren't we in America?
Debbie
05/14/08 @ 11:46am
I keep debating whether to head down and attend this tonight. 2 tanks of gas at $80 a tank, a meal, driving back up to the U.P. late at night to get up and head to the office tomorrow. Hearing him speak—PRICELESS. I wish I lived closer as there'd be no question on attending or not. I'd pull my youngest (13) out of school and be there in a heart beat.
She needs to go home and I hope thousands of you are there tonight to support him and show him that Michigan stands behind him and needs him!