Obama's Oregon visit concluded just recently with his visit to Eugene where the "Stand For Change" Rally was held at the University of Oregon.
(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Barack Obama came to Oregon today, with stops in Eugene, Salem and Portland. His highly anticipated visit seemed to go off without a hitch and it featured a bonus in Portland in the form of a personal endorsement from Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico.
"Whether it was as a congressman or cabinet secretary, ambassador or governor, there are few more distinguished public servants in America than Governor Richardson, and I am deeply honored to have his support," Senator Obama said.
Over the course of a distinguished career as legislator, cabinet secretary, and diplomat, Richardson developed a deep understanding of America’s role in the world. Richardson served seven terms in Congress before being appointed by President Clinton to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations and, later, Secretary of Energy.
Obama made this statement about Richardson, "He knows that to secure American interests, we have to talk to our enemies, as well as our friends, which is why he stood up to North Korea and Saddam Hussein to secure the release of American hostages. And that’s the kind of tough, aggressive diplomacy we need to meet the new challenges of the 21st century."
Barack Obama's Portland "Stand for Change" Rally was held at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland at 7:30 AM.
The Obama Campaign's Salem "Stand for Change" Town Hall was held at the Salem Armory Auditorium. The doors opened at 11:00 AM and Senator Obama took the stage shortly after his scheduled 1:00 PM appearance.
WillametteLive.com reports that the Salem event went well. Tickets for the event went quickly for the thousand or so in attendance, underscoring Obama's popularity in this largely Democratic state. WillametteLive says Obama did have a difficult time trying to pronounce Earl Blumenauer's name after the Congressman gave him a lively introduction.
But once he got past the name part, Obama praised him, "saying that he is a man who should be put in charge of something. He then launched into the speech part of his presentation. He began by addressing the question of why he is running for president now, rather than later in life. He quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and said that he has been running for the past 15 months because of the 'fierce urgency of now.'" WillametteLive.com reported.
They say the most memorable question may have been a woman asking what sets Obama's agenda apart from Senator Clinton's. "He acknowledged that on many domestic issues their stances are similar, but he pointed out that she is caught up in politics and Washington's 'conventional thinking.'"
Obama's Oregon visit concluded just recently with his visit to Eugene where the "Stand For Change" Rally was held at the University of Oregon.
This video from YouTube shows Barack Obama in Portland, Oregon today, March 21st 2008:Video
This video from YouTube shows Barack Obama in Salem, Oregon today, March 21st 2008:
Barack Obama Visits Oregon Cities (VIDEO)Salem-News.com