Royal Purple

Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Web Extras

Media Credit: Robert Schalk Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama speaks at a rally at the Kohl Center in Madison Tuesday.

The atmosphere was electric as presidential candidate Barack Obama addressed a packed Kohl Center at a rally at 8:30 p.m. yesterday. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Gov. Jim Doyle were among the crowd of predominately university students whose cheers at times drowned out Obama. As the Wisconsin primary draws near on Feb. 19, Obama is attempting to gather as many supporters as he can to continue his lead over rival democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton.

"This is our moment, this is our time," Obama said to the ecstatic crowd.

Wisconsin's primary is among the most open in the nation. Any university student can vote in the Wisconsin primary regardless of their state of origin so long as they have not already registered and voted in their home state. Registration is quick and can be done on the day of the primary at the door. All that is needed is proper identification and proof of residency.

"Sitting shoulder to shoulder with a record crowd to see our generation's JFK was something I'm glad I could be part of," sophomore Chris Ladika said.

Ladika was not the only UW-Whitewater student in attendance. Sophomore Eamonn Keyes said Obama had a phenomenal presence.

"I am ready for a change I can believe in and America is ready too," Keyes said. "Too much has been wasted and it's time to believe in ourselves again."

In an historic turn of events Obama left behind his perceived underdog status with eight consecutive wins across the nation since Super Tuesday on Feb. 5 when 24 states voted in their respective primaries. He has raised millions of dollars from United States citizens. In sharp contrast, the Clinton campaign recently replaced its campaign manager and injected itself with $5 million of Clinton's own wealth.

Obama is campaigning for what he says is hope and change.

"The politics of hope does not mean hoping things come easy … it is not blind optimism," Obama said. "In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."

On the Republican side, Arizona. Sen. John McCain is doing well. With his strongest rival Mitt Romney having dropped out of the presidential race, he only has to contend with former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Texas Rep. Ron Paul. The most difficult challenge for McCain will be to prove he is a true conservative. With a long record of "reaching across the aisle" in Washington, there is a concern among conservatives about his voting record.

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