Last Call For Action

On a crisp Sunday morning in the Mile High City, a sea of more than 100,000 people gathered at Civic Center Park that is touted to hold only 34,000. Multiple streets had to be closed as the overwhelming crowd spilled on to Broadway and Lincoln, in hopes of hearing a Senator from Illinois, who in just nine short days had a greater than good chance of calling 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., in Washington DC his new home. 

"Do you ever have small crowds in Denver?" Barack Obama asked, as he took the podium and gazed across Civic Center Park then asked, “Who are those people back there on the Capitol steps?"

Mayor John Hickenlooper, Senator Ken Salazar, Governor Bill Ritter, former Mayor Federico Pena, Congresswoman DeGette and Congressman Mark Udall were among the political colleagues who gave introductory remarks to the energetic crowd before Senator Obama presented his rally speech, which included topics of economic challenge, renewable energy, education, and health care. The Presidential hopeful stressed the importance of early voting, asking how many people had voted already. "If you haven't early voted, find someone next to you who has and find out what to do."

Obama pointed out that George Bush had returned the favor to Senator McCain for the 90 percent of the time McCain had voted parallel with the President. "George Bush isn't the only one who can vote early, you can vote early too."

Obama spoke on the importance of discussing the issues that are important to the American people, rather than focusing on negative campaign tactics as McCain has done. "It is politics that is more about tearing your opponent down than lifting this country up," said Obama.

The proactive Senator spoke on a destiny that is not written for us, but rather by us. "My opponent and I are both in favor of tax cuts; we just differ in who we want to give them to." Obama would give those tax cuts to the middle class, McCain to large corporations and the wealthy. "How many people make less than a quarter million a year?" questioned the Illinois Senator."That's more than have early voted,” Obama joked to the laughing crowd.

"We can't have another four years that look like the last eight," expressed Obama to the captivated audience at an event that will go down in history.

On that crisp Sunday morning of Oct. 26, the 100,000 plus witnessed the largest political rally in Colorado, and a record breaking U.S. crowd for an Obama rally. On Nov. 4, our country made history by electing its first Black president.

 

Flying High With Biden

"Ain't No Stopping Us Now" permeated the already charged atmosphere inside the packed gymnasium of Sierra High School in Colorado Springs as the crowd, surrounded by sports championship banners, waited patiently for the future U.S. Vice President hopeful, Senator Joe Biden, to take the stage. 

On Wednesday, Oct 22, just 13 days before Election Day, Lieutenant Governor Barbara O'Brien summed it up well by saying, "The stakes could not be any higher (in this election)." 
Among the introductory remarks, former Governor Roy Romer emphasized the importance of voting early and supporting the leadership of an Obama/Biden team. 

Benjamin Broadbent, minister of First Congregational United Church of Christ gave the Invocation. "We long not only for something different, but for something better," he said. 

As she introduced Joe Biden to the cheering crowd, a Colorado Springs resident and former Republican woman said, "George Bush's policies have impacted our family so that we can no longer be part of the Republican Party." She talked about her recent experience with a breast cancer diagnosis and the devastating effects her husband suffered as a pilot for United Airlines from the results of the company's bankruptcy. 

In Biden's opening remarks, he declared that under an Obama/Biden administration, any large company that has to reorganize and declare bankruptcy would see their own pensions go first. 

Senator Biden expressed his gratitude and honor to have received an Obama endorsement from Colin Powell, however, Biden stressed that endorsements and polls do not determine the outcome of an election. "Turn off the TV, focus on one thing and get out and vote now," said Biden. "You know something is going to come our way. These guys are not going to only throw the kitchen sink; they will find the bathroom sink as well. We cannot afford to wait."

Biden observed about this election that people are asking shared questions, as simple as they are profound, about jobs, family, and health care. "Of all the elections I've been involved in, this is the most coherent and cogent," Biden stated. The Senator went on to detail how the American Dream has become a distant dream under the leadership of George W. Bush, and how Senator John McCain would continue the same pattern. "We need more than a good soldier, we need a wise leader," expressed Biden. 

McCain wants to continue the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy and large corporations permanently, plus add an additional 300 billion dollars a year in tax cuts for the wealthy. By investing in the same strategy, Joe Biden believes, it will not revive the economy. Instead Obama and Biden propose to let the tax cuts expire, and provide substantial tax relief for the middle class in America. "When the middle class grows and small business grows, everyone does better," Biden added.

Senator McCain wants to give each of the eight largest corporations a one billion dollar tax cut each year totaling eight billion dollars. Senator Biden would like to give that tax relief to small businesses. "Sixty to eighty percent of all new jobs are created by small business," said Biden. Under the Obama/Biden plan, small businesses would receive a 50 percent rebate if employee benefits are paid for.

Senator Biden and Presidential hopeful Barack Obama have two primary goals for our country; restore the middle class and reclaim the respect America deserves from the world that has been lost. In his speech, Biden talked about the plan to end the war in Iraq, the need for an economic stimulus package, as well as the importance of uniting our country politically. "John's still betting on luck, I'm betting on Barack Obama," Biden stated. "When Barack Obama is our President, we won't be waiting for our luck to change, we'll change our luck."

Biden spoke passionately about recent attacks by the McCain campaign. "These attacks do not hurt Barack Obama, they hurt America... Barack can take 13 more days of these attacks, but ladies and gentlemen, our country cannot take 4 more years of Bush/McCain economic policy." 

Calling attention to the frequent usage of the term "Maverick" in the McCain/Palin campaign, Senator Biden recalled a comment from Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, "You can't call yourself a maverick if all you've been the last 8 years is a sidekick".

"I believe Barack Obama will be a great President,” concluded Biden. "My Dad used to have a saying - when you're knocked down, just get up. It's time for us together as a United Nation to get up… America is ready, I believe you are ready, I am ready, and Barack Obama is ready. It's our time...Let's start in Colorado...Get up!" 

 

Standing By Her Man 

It was a bittersweet day as Michelle Obama talked about “Toot” the day before the election when she took spoke at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton for her final rally and last stop on the campaign trail. 

“You should be sick of me by now,” said Obama. “This state has been amazing.” She went on to thank well wishers for their love, support and thousands of cards during Barack's Grandmother's battle with cancer. Madelyn Dunham, affectionately known as “Toot” by her grandson, died in her home in Honolulu at the age of 86 on Monday. ”Send a prayer to Toot and thank her for raising Barack Obama. I think she did an amazing job.”

The youth effort throughout this campaign has not gone unnoticed by Michelle Obama. She acknowledged the many young people who had left school and jobs to work as field organizers, all in the pursuit of this thing called hope, ready to take responsibility and own some of the challenges faced by our nation. Obama pointed out that “our not so young folks” have poured their passion and beliefs into these efforts as well. For some, this will be the first time they have voted in their decades of life because this time, this election, is different. “They have lived their lives hoping to see the nation at this point.”

The potential First Lady spoke of the importance of remembering the stories that brought us here. “It is our stories that connect us. If we're willing to share we will find that commonality. These stories link us all together” Obama expressed to her enamored audience. A working class guy on the South side of Chicago, a single mother on food stamps, and a woman working on a bomber assembly line sacrificed in the sheer hope of giving their children a little bit more. The working class guy is Michelle's father, the single mother is Barack's mom, and the woman on the assembly line Barack's is Grandmother. “Toot” called her only grandson “Bear,” and provided a great deal of stability in his life. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength and humility, expressed Barack Obama and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Lg, in a statement released by the Obama campaign on Monday.

And who would have thought that the aforementioned people could perhaps raise the President and First Lady of the United States. “It is this American Dream that we are fighting for,” said a passionate Michelle Obama. “Right now what is pulling us together is the common story of struggle – struggles with health care, struggles with the economy, struggles with jobs.” Obama pointed out that certain careers are slowly becoming obsolete. The salaries earned by teachers, nurses, social workers, and many others are not enough to even pay off the debt of the cost to obtain the degree. “We need to try a new direction. We need leadership that gets it,” continued Obama, “we need a Washington that understands these issues.”

The proud wife talked about her husband's accomplishments in this campaign. With the invaluable help of the American people, Barack Obama has built one of the strongest political organizations that this country has seen in a long time, he has chosen a phenomenal running mate in Joe Biden, his fund raising efforts have broken records, and he has unified a party that some said might not be unified. “Barack has done this all with a level of grace, dignity, and consistency, and respect, and honor, and trust.”

“Can we do this?” asked an enthusiastic Michelle. “Yes we can” was the resounding response.