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Michelle Obama stumps for husband, who is visiting grandmother in Hawaii
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AKRON, Ohio – Michelle Obama told an Akron, Ohio, crowd Friday not to take for granted that her husband, Sen. Barack Obama, will be elected president.
“My assumption is that he is the underdog until he’s sitting in the Oval Office,” she told the exuberant audience of about 3,000 at Buchtel High School.
Obama encouraged people to vote early and help others get to the polls Nov. 4.
“Can we do this, Ohio?” she asked, leading the crowd to respond with the campaign’s mantra, “Yes we can!”
“We need you praying for us, working for us and praying a little more,” Obama said.
The crowd, which included many Buchtel students, overflowed from the school’s gymnasium into the cafeteria. Many wore Obama/Biden buttons and waved campaign or homemade signs with messages like “Cuyahoga Falls 4 Obama,” “1 First Lady,” and “Wanted: Michelle Obama for our Next President.”
The Akron rally was one of two Ohio stops Michelle Obama made Friday. She held a rally earlier in the day at Capital University in Columbus.
Obama was filling in for her husband, who took a day off from campaigning Friday to spend time with his gravely ill grandmother in Hawaii.
At the rally, Summit County Executive Russ Pry told the crowd that 65,000 have cast absentee votes in the county. (The early voting period runs through Nov. 3.) He reminded people to vote for local candidates, as well as the top of the ticket.
Phil Martin, who is leading the Obama campaign’s effort in East Akron, told the audience the polls at this time in 2004 showed John Kerry leading – and he lost.
“We cannot afford to fail this time,” he said.
Martin asked people to raise their hands if they’ve already voted. Hands shot up throughout the gymnasium. Others indicated their willingness to vote after the rally or this weekend.
Volunteer Gail Keller of Akron told the audience that she’s been helping the campaign because she believes in Barack Obama and wants to see change.
Keller said she lost her house to foreclosure two years ago and recently was let go from her job when her company was sold.
“If Sen. Obama wins in Ohio, he may just win this election,” she said.
Michelle Obama told the crowd she’s been impressed by the young people who have helped the campaign.
“I walked seven blocks,” a young girl yelled from the audience.
“It’s hard to get young people to walk anywhere,” Obama said. “You know she cares about Barack Obama.”
Obama said of her husband, “I know in my heart he will be an extraordinary president.”
She said her primary title is “mom in chief.”
“My girls are the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about when I go to bed,” she said. “For many of us, our children are our stake in this election.”
STEPHANIE WARSMITH
Akron Beacon Journal
