MichaelMoore.com

Supporters inspired by Obama's appearance

By Jaime Baranyai / Springfield News-Leader

SPRINGFIELD, MO — Zach Hollingshad gets goose bumps just thinking about Sen. Barack Obama -- so getting to see him at Wednesday's town hall meeting in Springfield was quite an experience.

"It was amazing," the 23-year-old Springfield resident said. "Seeing him on TV is great, but seeing him in person was phenomenal."

"It was awe inspiring."

Dozens of the Democratic presidential nominee's supporters echoed those sentiments.

Dietrich Johnson, 64, of Springfield said Obama's town hall meeting in the Glendale High School gymnasium inspired her.

"To see him in person and watch him give the message fired me up," she said. "It gave me a new respect for him."

Daisy Toliver, 65, of Springfield said she was overjoyed to see Obama.

"It was like a messiah walking up to the podium," she said.

Although Toliver put the presidential candidate on a pedestal, she said she's drawn to his down-to-earth qualities.

"He's real," she said. "I believe in him because he's honest. He's a family man, a Christian, and I respect that."

Toliver also said she's confident Obama can make a positive change in the lives of all Americans, not just a few.

"He's going to be fair to all mankind," she said. "He's concerned about us, not the big companies."

Jessica Spraggs, 34, of Rogersville, who got her copy of Obama's book, "The Audacity of Hope," signed by the author himself Wednesday, also liked his ability to relate to people in the audience.

"He seemed very humble, and very understanding of the everyday citizen," she said.

Spraggs said she appreciates the way Obama is engaging Americans and challenging them to get involved.

"I like that he said he needed us and he depended on us to help make the change," she said. "It was very uplifting."

Her friend, Tammy Bolin, 38, of Willard, agreed. "It feels like this is going to be a group effort. It's going to take all of us."

That includes the younger generation, too. While engaging the youth isn't a given in all presidential campaigns, young people packed a noticeable portion of Wednesday's audience.

Tyler Gentle, 12, was one of the lucky few chosen to ask the senator a question following his speech.

Whether he grasped Obama's response to his question regarding the future of Social Security wasn't as important as getting to ask the question itself.

"It was cool," he said.

Obama serves as a role model for 12-year-old Steven Jones, who is African-American, of Springfield.

"It lets me know that one day I could be president, which I think I might like to do," he said. "It also inspires other young black people."

Tonka Johnson, a 20-year-old Ozarks Technical College student, said he believes Obama can help bridge the racial divides that exist in America.

"He can bring blacks and whites together," he said. "We need to come together as a community and as a nation."

At 20, Johnson is concerned about the future of Social Security.

"These issues are going to affect us 10 years from now," he said. "We need to be backing someone who is going to be mindful of helping our -- my -- generation."

Which is precisely the reason Hollingshad hopes Obama will be the next president.

"Since I'm a college student I like the fact that he wants to help college kids save on tuition, and that teachers will get paid more," he said.

Getting help with college tuition payments also appeals to J.C. Lee, 17, of Nixa, who will be old enough to vote by election time.

Marci Perry of Springfield, who was at the event with her 14-year-old daughter, believes its crucial to pass political awareness onto young adults.

"Getting the younger generation involved is important," she said. "The earlier we can engage them the better."

Louana Wallard of Springfield was excited to see the high turnout of young people at the town hall meeting.

"The younger generation is awakening," she said.

At the age of 15, Wallard was going door-to-door campaigning for John F. Kennedy, and is now doing the same for Obama.

"I'm so thrilled this generation has its JFK," she said. "He (Obama) is so inspiring to the youth."

Perry also made a reference to the late John F. Kennedy.

"If you put John Kennedy and Martin Luther King together, you have Barack Obama," she said.

Pat Gentle of Buffalo said the town hall meeting was a wonderful experience.

"It gave us a lot of hope," she said. "I think he'll make a really good president."

Even those who didn't get in to see Obama were excited he stopped in Springfield.

Barbara Brozowski, 51, of Springfield was one of about two dozen people waiting outside the high school hoping to catch a glimpse of Obama as he left the building.

"I may never get to see another presidential candidate," she said, her eyes fixed on the exit nearest his tour bus parked in the back of the school. "Once he's elected we'll never get this close."

Allen Taylor, 19, of Urbana also was disappointed he didn't get a chance to see the senator.

"He's part of a moment in history," he said. "I just wanted to see him because I know he'll be our next president."