Tag: barack obama

Students lead impromptu parade to honor Obama victory

n-mobbwby Andie Diemer
Nov. 4, 2008

Shortly after Sen. Barack Obama was confirmed as America’s next president, hundreds of students rallied around Elon, snaking through campus and picking up more students along the way.

As rain poured down, the mob filled the air with chants of “Obama!” “USA!” and “Change is here!” Obama-Biden signs were thrust in the air as others made O’s with their arms above their heads.

Sophomores Sarah Small and Meg D’Albora were watching the election results inside their dorm, Barney, when they heard the crowd outside.

They followed the noise and joined the group as they made their way from North to South campus, but drew back from the pack.

“We were with them earlier and they went crazy,” Small said.

“We’re wearing flip flops,” D’Albora said.

Chuck Gantos, director of campus safety and police, said he did not assign any more patrols on campus aside from the regular two security officers and two police officers.

They combed campus on foot and on T3.

As the mass of students circled campus, Campus Safety and Police Officer Sean Watkins was on patrol and said they were not planning on taking any action with the group.

“As long as they don’t damage no property we’re fine with it,” he said.

The parade culminated at Young Commons in a large “O” and sang the national anthem. The after rushing the middle, the group said “The Lord’s Prayer.”

“It was like nothing I’d ever seen before,” freshman Adam Lawson said.

Small and D’Albora continued on their way, following slowly from behind the other students sprinting across campus.

But as they mob continued to circle around once again and headed back toward Small and D’Albora, it became clear to them what they wanted to do.

“Come on, let’s go join them,” Small said.

Elon University Senior Joy Baxter followed the election coverage from 8 p.m. until McCain delivered his concession speech.



Elon University students flooded campus, starting at a dorm on the north side of campus and circling the entire perimeter until they returned.

Second presidential debate focuses on economy, reform

by Andie Diemer
Oct. 15, 2008

Following the spiraling fall of the United States economy, the presidential debates on Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. focused on the economic crisis at hand.

The second of three debates, which was conducted in a “town meeting” format, was moderated by Tom Brokaw of NBC News.

Republican candidate Sen. John McCain and Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama both spoke about their approach to healing the economy, who should be appointed as treasury secretary and how they would help those that have been impacted.

“I think everybody knows now we are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression,” Obama said. “I believe this is a final verdict on the failed economic policies of the last eight years, strongly promoted by President Bush and supported by Senator McCain, that essentially said that we should strip away regulations, consumer protections, let the market run wild and prosperity would rain down on all of us.”

mccainHe said it needs to be ensured that the recently-passed rescue package will function correctly, more CEOs will be cracked down on, tax cuts will be given for the middle-class, homeowners will be assisted and that the health and energy systems will be fixed.

“It means help for homeowners so that they can stay in their homes,” he said. “It means that we are helping state and local governments set up road projects and bridge projects that keep people in their jobs.”

McCain said energy independence and not increasing taxes are the keys to success.

“We obviously have to stop this spending spree that’s going on in Washington,” McCain said. “We’ve got to have a package of reforms and it has got to lead to reform prosperity and peace in the world. And I think that this problem has become so severe, as you know, that we’re going to have to do something about home values.”

If elected president, McCain said he would require the secretary of the treasure to buy up bad home loan mortgages and renegotiate the new values to make sure they can stay in their homes.

He said creating jobs and fixing the economy would not happen until home values in America are stabilized.

“It’s my proposal, it’s not Senator Obama’s proposal, it’s not President Bush’s proposal,” McCain said. “But I know how to get America working again, restore our economy and take care of working Americans.”

Health and energy policies, entitlement reform, Social Security, Medicare, America’s stance in the world as a peacemaker and environmental issues were also touched upon.

“You need somebody working for you and you’ve got to have somebody in Washington who is thinking about the middle class and not just those who can afford to hire lobbyists,” Obama said.

They also sounded off on the humanitarian intervention, Pakistani sovereignty, reorganizing Afghanistan’s strategy, how they view and would apply pressure to Russia for humanitarian issues and their actions if Iran attacked Israel while they were in office.

“Americans are angry, they’re upset and they’re a little fearful,” McCain said. “It’s our job to fix the problem.”