Obama to speak at SCSU tonight
By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Tuesday, January 22, 2008
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Sen. Barack Obama will return to Orangeburg tonight for an event at South Carolina State University. Obama will be accompanied by Grammy Award-winning artist Usher and actress Kerry Washington.

The event will be a part of Obama's Stand for Change Tour as he attempts to court the youth vote and make final appeals to win the historically critical South Carolina Democratic primary. Usher and Washington will also speak, encouraging young voters to be active in the process and vote for Obama.

The event will be held at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center on SCSU's campus.

Obama is currently locked in a tight nomination process against chief rival Sen. Hillary Clinton. After winning the Iowa Caucus, Obama has seen Clinton score consecutive victories in New Hampshire, Michigan and Nevada.

The latest poll averages from Realclearpolitics.com show Obama leading Clinton in South Carolina by a margin of 10.5 percent.

Usher, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, has several multi-platinum albums and five Grammy awards to his credit. He has also starred is such movies as "Light it Up" and "In the Mix."

Washington starred as music legend Ray Charles' wife in the critically acclaimed film "Ray." She also starred in the two blockbuster "Fantastic Four" movies. She won the outstanding actress honor at the 2005 Image Awards for her portrayal in "Ray."

The event is open to the public, with doors opening at 6 p.m. The event is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

For security reasons, bags are not allowed inside the event and organizers urge those who attend to limit personal items. No signs or banners are permitted.

Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. To sign up, visit http://sc.barackobama.com/ OrangeburgRally.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@times anddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Did anyone attend this? What happened? RECAP. RECAP Please.

Obama brings star power
By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Wednesday, January 23, 2008

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A young candidate played to a young crowd Tuesday night, bringing celebrity after celebrity on stage to sell his message of change.

A roar came from the crowd when Chris Tucker, star of the "Rush Hour" movies, took the stage. And then another for Kerry Washington, who was in such movies as "Ray" and "Fantastic Four." And again for Grammy Award-winning musician Usher.

But the star of the evening was Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the Democrat who seeks to become America's next president.

Obama, who is battling for Saturday's primary votes against New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards, told the crowd the same people who have been in Washington, D.C. won't change the way it works.

"The name George W. Bush will not be on the ballot. People will have the power to elect a new president," Obama said.

Obama spoke to a mostly young crowd at South Carolina State University's Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, with a special focus on education.

He received loud applause when he said he would seek to make college more affordable. Obama proposed a $4,000 per year tuition credit for students who do community service.

"We will invest in you, but you need to invest in America," Obama said.

He also said there's a need to increase teacher salaries. And regarding President Bush's No Child Left Behind law, he said "We need a new way of assessing our children."

The topic of change was mentioned several times throughout the near 40-minute speech. Obama told the crowd he decided to run for president because America is at a defining moment in its history and he can bring about the change the nation needs to move forward.

He cited the perils the nation faces in Iraq and its own economy.

"It's what Dr. King called the fierce urgency of now," Obama said.

Recently, Obama and Clinton have exchanged harsh rhetoric, a subject which he approached at SCSU. Discussing Clinton's criticism that Obama is filling voters with false hope, he cited the accomplishments President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made in the face of adversity.

Obama insisted his lack of Washington experience is a positive.

"The biggest gamble is to have the same folks playing the same old games," he said.

Noting he has been against the Iraq War since its inception, he said the $9 billion per month America spends there could be used to help the people of South Carolina and other states.

At a debate last summer, Obama drew skepticism by saying he would be willing to meet with the leaders of nations like Iran and Venezuela. Obama defended that earlier remark, stating his administration would meet not only with allies, but adversaries.

Many waited nearly three hours before Obama and his celebrity endorsers took the stage. The anxious anticipation that filled the room exploded to a crescendo once he emerged from the curtain backstage.

State Rep. Bakari Sellers, D-Denmark, who introduced Tucker, received high praise from Obama. The candidate said Sellers is an up-and-coming politician who is being recognized not only in South Carolina, but around the country. Sellers has been a supporter of Obama since his campaign's infancy.

Usher told the crowd it is negligent and irresponsible not to vote considering the current state of affairs in the nation.

"A lot of time, when confronted with change, people buckle," Usher said.

Tucker told the story of how he meet Obama before he become an Illinois state senator. Tucker asked to speak to Obama, and he obliged. He said the fact that Obama was willing to meet with him was the quality that drew his support.

Washington joked that her mother was originally supporting another candidate.

"I had to fix it," she said.

Thanks for posting this My FAMU Brother and I was wondering earlier, after seeing Sen.Clinton at Bennett and now TSU, if Sen. Obama visited any other HBCUs besides FAMU.

quote:

Originally posted by #1FAMUAN:
Thanks for posting this My FAMU Brother and I was wondering earlier, after seeing Sen.Clinton at Bennett and now TSU, if Sen. Obama visited any other HBCUs besides FAMU.

He also spoke at Benedict....

quote:

Originally posted by Pitbull:

quote:

Originally posted by #1FAMUAN:
Thanks for posting this My FAMU Brother and I was wondering earlier, after seeing Sen.Clinton at Bennett and now TSU, if Sen. Obama visited any other HBCUs besides FAMU.

He also spoke at Benedict....

Oh really...cool